CENTRALPOINT, OREGON (September 17, 2008) — Raw, old-fashioned horsepower will be on display atthe Jackson County Harvest Fair’s first-ever draft horse pull, takingplace from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, September 27 and 28. The annual fallfestival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Jackson County Fairgrounds & Expo Park in Central Point.
Drafthorse pulling is a sport dating back to the early 1900s. Teams consist of twohorses per team and weigh anywhere from a combined 3,600 to 5,000 pounds. Eachteam starts by pulling a 2,000-pound sled a distance of 27 1/2 feet. Teams getthree attempts, and advancing teams next pull a sled with 1,000 pounds added.According to Dan Jordan, whocoordinates and also competes in the event, winning teams will pull as much as12,000 pounds on their final pull.
Alongwith the two horses, which are typically Belgium horses because of theirstrength, teams consist of a driver and a hooker who hooks the double tree tothe load. While drivers can talk to the horses, hookers must remain silent orthe team is disqualified. Other grounds for disqualification include touchingthe horses with the lines, or stepping on the line.
Jordan’s 5,000-pound team took first inthe heavyweight division at the 2006 Calgary Stampede. He trains the horsesthree to four miles a day with a 750-pound sled, then loads them with 7,000pounds when they’re tired to simulate the last pull of a competition.“My team loves it. They eat six gallons of grain a day when they’reworking, and all the alfalfa they can eat.â€
Eightteams are expected from Canada,Washington and Oregon. Prize money will be awarded to thewinner of each day’s pulls, along with trophies for first and secondplaces.
Whilethis is the first time draft horse pulls have been held at the Jackson CountyFairgrounds, it’s been a popular event at both the Grants Pass Fairgroundsand Hanley Farm.
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General Information: www.jcfairgrounds.com
Chris Borovansky, Jackson County Fairgrounds CEO, (541) 774-8270
Melissa Damon, Jackson County Fairgrounds EventCoordinator, (541) 774-8270
DraftHorse Pull event information: Dan Jordan,(541) 951-4925
