Jul 22, 2009 5 min read

Horse competition at the Fayette County Fair includes not only judging of the animals but also the riding and driving skills of their owners. 4-H makes up a significant part of the events, with about 85 members participating in four clubs. Against All Odds in Dunbar Township has therapeutic riders who participate in equitation, trail and pleasure classes with the help of assistants. Bullskin is an all-contest (gym-khana) club where riders participate in games classes, such as poles, barrels, four-corner stake and keyhole. All these are pattern classes run against the timer. Fairchance Club in Georges Township has all English riders, and many walk-trot beginner riders who compete against one another. Dawson, also based in Dunbar Township, has mostly western pleasure riders and game riders and a few English riders and beginner walk-trot English and western riders.

“They work real hard,” said Sis Hughes, president of the Fayette County 4-H horse leaders. “There’s a lot of responsibilities with horses.”

This year’s senior members include Jacob Swink and Jimmy Hoke of Bullskin, Kayla Taft of Against All Odds, and Casie King, Rachel Peterson, Rachel Free and Kaitlin Callahan of Dawson. Several have been 4-H members for seven to 11 years.

Hughes noted there are more senior riders this year, along with a lot of beginners, making this one of the largest years for beginner walk/trot classes, both English and western.

There are five events scheduled for the Horse Arena during the fair. They begin with 4-H games show at 9 a.m. Friday, July 31, which includes events for barrel, pole bending, raised box keyhole and four-corner stake.

The 4-H showmanship and performance classes are scheduled for 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1. The show also has many classes, including therapeutic, walk-trot, obstacles, equitation, English pleasure and western pleasure.

The fair hosts an open-class show at 9 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 2, with classes that include halter, lead line, pleasure, dash for cash, poles and four-corner stake.

The Fayette County Fair 4-H Horse Fun show will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4. The competition involves silly classes as egg and spoon, scurry race, water glass race, baby bottle race, apple bobbing, barrel race, dash for cash, bareback dollar and flag race.

The halter show for production will take place at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, with judging on the animal. There are classes for American saddle horse, appaloosa, Arabian/half Arabian, miniature horses, paint, palomino, pinto, Pony of the Americas, quarter horse, quarter pony, Shetland, Tennessee walker, thoroughbred and Welsh, as well as a class for others.

In addition, Susanne Teslovich once again will provide a scholarship for senior 4-H members named in honor of her son – the James A. Teslovich Jr. Memorial Scholarship. Rachel Peterson of Perryopolis won the award last year. Applicants must participate in three shows and enter and show in three designated classes: western pleasure, trail (western) and reining (western). The scholarship can be used for any higher education that includes trade, technical, mechanical, academic or arts.

Hughes explained these 4-H youths put a lot of effort into fair week, including decorating the stalls in the barn. Fairgoers are invited to stop by.

“A lot of people who walk in from the lower lot will take time to stop. We’ve had lots of people say they didn’t know we were down there,” said Hughes.

Meanwhile, horse competition also takes place in the Outdoor Arena.

Judging of light horses will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, while the draft horse competition will be held at 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 6.

Marsha Regula of Brownfield released information on the competition, noting there were 29 entries in light horse competition in 2007 and 36 entries in 2008, while there were 16 entries in draft competition in 2007 and 21 entries in 2008. The light horse exhibitors come from Brownfield, Champion, Connellsville, Grindstone, Lemont Furnace, Mount Braddock, Normalville, Uniontown, Vanderbilt and White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., while the draft horse exhibitors are from Brownfield, Farmington, Hopwood, Library, McClellandtown, Uniontown and Bruceton Mills, W.Va.

Draft horses are shown at halter and in cart/driving classes while light horses are shown only at the halter.

Regula explained what the judge looks for in each animal:

“Draft horses at halter, the judge looks for movement with action. Confirmation includes size of foot, head set, length of neck, male looks like male and female has feminine characteristics, flat bone in leg, slope of rump, sound mouth and teeth, and hock action in movement.”

“Draft horses with cart/driven: The ability of the horses to work together; move in-step and driver’s ability to control the horses as they work. Some of the cart classes have three areas of competition: men, ladies and youth driving.

“Light horses at halter are observed for confirmation, size of the horse for its age, muscle development and soundness on feet and legs.”

The final horse show is a horse-pulling contest in the Outdoor Arena at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 8.