Draft horse show pulls into Central Oregon

Published 5:00 am Monday, July 23, 2001

REDMOND Big.

For many, that’s the first word that came to mind Sunday at the 11th annual Central Oregon Draft Horse Show. Another name for the event might be the ”Really Big Horse Show” since draft horses furry-footed Clydesdales, sandy-colored Belgians, black Shires and ”mighty” Percherons can weigh well over a ton and stand more than 23-hands, or 6-feet, tall.

But it was the horses’ grace more than their size that produced some big thrills for the crowd at the outdoor arena at Eagle Crest’s Equestrian Center. The annual event attracts dozens of draft-horse teams from across the Northwest as well as smaller breeds such as Shetland ponies and even a few miniature horses.

”I love the big ones,” said Connie Kennard, who attended her first draft horse show in Central Oregon. ”Well, I love them all, but the big ones are just so beautiful.”

During the two-day event, participants, divided into men, women and juniors, competed in events that include single cart, log pulling, farm implements, tandem hitch, an obstacle course and two-, four- and six-horse hitch competitions.

Draft horses are named after a piece of the harness that connected horses to plows and other equipment. The horse teams are controlled by ”drivers” atop a carriage who hold reins attached to each side of every horse. Teams are judged largely by how well the horses act in concert together.

The highlight of the weekend was the thunderous eight-horse hitch, enigmatically called ”the confirmation,” on Sunday night. Each year, the Central Oregon show boasts one of the largest gatherings of the eight-horse teams which stretch roughly 45 feet each in the West.

”It’s powerful,” said Creighton Kooch, owner of the Kooch Clydesdales from Enterprise. ”But they’re a gentle breed. They’re just wonderful creatures.”

Sunday’s crowd was also treated to Crazy 8’s, a high-speed pony act that features 40 ponies and five teams that perform free-form driving and chariot races.

But it wasn’t the large horses that awed 2-year-old Donny Watson. It wasn’t even the fruit-flavored sno cones that graced many children’s hands on Sunday. It was the miniature horse he was able to ride thanks to the generosity of a local cowboy.

”We have horses, but these were so small,” said his mother, Socco. ”He was just amazed at them.”