Six-Horse Hitch at the Richmond Fair 2012

Reid Acres Percherons, Mountain, ON

The Richmond Fair, which took place this weekend past, is my favorite. That’s partly because there is such a great Heavy Horse show. There’s nothing like seeing all these gorgeous, huge horses, all together, and no better display than the six-horse hitch class. This year, there were 9 entries, bringing together 54 horses in the show ring. What a spectacle!

Here is a selection of photographs of the competitors. I thought that every team should be awarded first prize! Every entry represents a huge investment of hours of work, dedication, knowledge and skill, a love and passion for horses, and of course, money. The judge had the unenviable job of having to choose just one entry to pin the red ribbon on. She chose the Maple Creek Belgians, of Stittsville, Ontario. Thank you to all the competitors for a fine show.

Reid Acres Percherons

Trout Brook Belgians, Potsdam, NY.

Trout Brook Belgians

Steadholm Farm, Lanark, ON

Kelly Farm, Brockville, ON

Kelly Farm

Maple Creek Belgians, Stittsville, ON

Allumettes Clydesdales, Allard Family, Chapeau, PQ

Allan Foster & Family, North Gower, ON

Bourbonnais Family, Metcalfe, ON

Bourbonnais Percherons

Karvelton Clydesdales, Richmond, ON

Karvelton Clydesdales, Richmond, ON

And the winners…

Maple Creek Belgians, Stittsville, ON

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Minis at Merrickville

On Sunday, I attended the horse show at the Merrickville Fair. Long-time readers may remember Nicholas and Flash, who I met at last year’s show. I wondered how they were doing a year later. When I arrived, the show was well underway. The morning classes, where I saw Nicholas and Flash last year, were finished and the afternoon driving classes were in progress. The lineup for the Lady-to-Drive class is shown in the photograph above.

I soon spotted Flash. He was being warmed up for his next event, the Junior Driver class. His young driver was Nicholas’s cousin, Jordan.

When their class was called, Jordan was accompanied by his Grandpa. Jordan and Flash did very well. So well, in fact, they won first place!

Here are the red ribbon winners and a very proud grandpa. Soon Flash was back at the trailer, enjoying some hay.

Grandpa returned to his own show entry, a team of Belgians. Heavy horse classes and Canadian classes were interspersed in the same ring with the miniature classes.

Meanwhile, back in the ring, the two-horse hitch class was in the ring. This pair of little blacks are Tom and Jerry.

This pair of pintos are mother and daughter. That’s Ellie-Mae on the driver’s right and her daughter Panda-Mae on the left.

Back at the trailer, a third generation was waiting for Mama and Grandma.

Here is one of the entries in the Canadian Horse historic carriage class.

About mid-afternoon, it began to rain and I decided to head for home. I’ll end with this clip of Reid Acres 6-horse percheron hitch in action.

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