SLAYTON - The Murray County Classic Draft Horse Show is celebrating nine years.
Draft horses from all over the country will compete in Slayton this weekend to accumulate points for the North American Six-Horse Hitch Classic Series.
Horses will be judged on various attributes, including behavior, animation and, as Joe Biren, the chair of the event said, “a go-free clean way of going.”
Judges will also look for the “wow effect,” Biren said.
“Wow, that horse really stands out!” Biren said when asked what the judges are looking for.
The Murray County Classic Draft Horse Show is considered one of the best shows in the Midwest because of its continuous growth and fame. It is a prestigious event that draws many national champions from across the country, according to Biren.
Apart from the horse show, the event includes a farming demonstration and children’s activities.
Fifteen farms and their horses will be part of the farming demonstration, which shows how people and horses used to work together to farm.
“People enjoy seeing the way things used to be done,” Biren said.
The children’s activities are another favorite component. The children’s barnyard will give the youngsters an opportunity to see the famous draft horses. They will also learn how to make rope and shell corn during the farming demonstration.
Every year the show honors a deceased person who has been involved with the draft horse show. This year, the honoree is Lowell Haack of Reading, who died last winter due to cancer.
Haack always loved horses since he was a young child, and over the years he built countless hitch wagons. He attended many draft horse shows, including the Murray County Classic Draft Horse Show.
Because of his involvement with the show, his family has established a Farm King championship this year in honor of Haack’s love and passion for horses.
Everyone is invited to experience the Murray County Classic Draft Horse Show this weekend.
“Truthfully, it’s very good entertainment,” Biren said.
A schedule of events follows:
Saturday
9 a.m., gates open
10 a.m., old-time farming demonstrations; children’s activities
2 p.m., draft horse show
Sunday
9 a.m., gates open
12:30 p.m., draft horse show
