Adams County Gold
People of Adams County, and every other County that has a County Fair, wake up before it's too late. Attendance is dropping at alarming rates among competitors at these fairs. While the general population seems to be more interested in having the loudest and most popular musicians, wildest rides, biggest tractors we are missing the whole point of HAVING these celebrations. It's to give the dedicated and knowledgeable people who grow our food, our very life's bread, a chance to compete and see who has grown the biggest ears of corn, the greenest hay, the best steers, sheep, dairy cows, goats, chickens, the largest pumpkin, the best coconut cake, the loudest zinnias, knit the prettiest afghan and yes, grown the best draft horse a chance to take a break from all their hard work in the stewardship of our great American heartland and stand in front of their peers and SHINE!!! How often do we get a chance to see those who are caring for us, losing sleep and millions of dollars so we can live in this great country and drive our SUV's?
I was watching the third class of the day at the Draft Horse Show at the Fair. It was a 'Gentlemen's Cart Class'. For those not familiar to Draft Horse Shows, this is a class where one horse is hitched to a cart with a man driving and the horse is driven in a circle at the various speeds of the walk and trot. They are to be in their best harness and the drivers dressed in smart outfits while the horses are trimmed with knotted and beribboned tails and manes. The sound of the jingling harness and the silver or brass trim is breathtaking, as are the horses. As I sat watching, anxious to see these magnificent creatures lifting their giant feet high as they pranced around the ring, glistening in the sun I saw something that absolutely stopped my heart. STOPPED MY HEART! An old man, approximately 75 yrs. old or more, wearing a turkey red shirt and sitting on an old matching red and black cart entered the ring. His horse was beautiful and healthy looking, but not gleaming like the other one just ahead of him. The harness didn't shine, but it wore the patina of years of use and it fit both the old man and his beloved friend in the most intimate and lovely way. It was dull and thin, from decades of plowing, cultivating the land and carrying the old gentleman wherever he had to go. It had been through the lean times when there wasn't enough to feed the growing family of children. It had taken him to church every Sunday, to weddings and funerals, baptisms and church socials. It had pulled logs out of fields to heat his home and rocks too large to move by hand. The old harness was wrapped and securely fastened to the precious friend and confidante of the old man in the ring. Yes, the young man and his horse were a sight to behold. They sparkled and shone and did the breed proud. They will do well in the horse show ring. They took first place in the class. To my granddaughter it meant the world to get the first prize in her class. To the old man, it meant the world to BE IN the class!!! He was still doing what he loved after all the years of hard work and sacrifice. He was still able to smell the sweat of the horses and harness and thrill to the sound of the squeaking leather and the bulge of the powerful rump of his horse. Perhaps even more important, he was passing on this tradition of 'love of the horse, not love of the ribbon' on to future generations. The next class was 'Ladies Cart Class'. His granddaughter, and her daughter drove the old cart and horse in this class, and the granddaughter drove it in the 'youth cart class'. And so it went through all the driving classes, from cart to six horse hitch. Children and grandchildren sharing in the love and life of this dear, precious Adams County treasure. He takes his horses to the horse pulls and his sons and grandsons help him in a most incredible ballet of teamwork and love.
Please don't let our County lose what people like this old guy have been enjoying ever since it was founded. Grow your gourds and tomatoes, knit your scarves and bring in your corn and alfalfa to be shown with pride among others who love the traditions we have developed here. Make it your aim to participate next year in this fair, and to attend those of other Counties so we aren't left with just a memory of how it used to be. Before there were museums, there were people who LIVED what they now preserve. Prudence Kinley-Ruth horse lover and memory keeper
I was watching the third class of the day at the Draft Horse Show at the Fair. It was a 'Gentlemen's Cart Class'. For those not familiar to Draft Horse Shows, this is a class where one horse is hitched to a cart with a man driving and the horse is driven in a circle at the various speeds of the walk and trot. They are to be in their best harness and the drivers dressed in smart outfits while the horses are trimmed with knotted and beribboned tails and manes. The sound of the jingling harness and the silver or brass trim is breathtaking, as are the horses. As I sat watching, anxious to see these magnificent creatures lifting their giant feet high as they pranced around the ring, glistening in the sun I saw something that absolutely stopped my heart. STOPPED MY HEART! An old man, approximately 75 yrs. old or more, wearing a turkey red shirt and sitting on an old matching red and black cart entered the ring. His horse was beautiful and healthy looking, but not gleaming like the other one just ahead of him. The harness didn't shine, but it wore the patina of years of use and it fit both the old man and his beloved friend in the most intimate and lovely way. It was dull and thin, from decades of plowing, cultivating the land and carrying the old gentleman wherever he had to go. It had been through the lean times when there wasn't enough to feed the growing family of children. It had taken him to church every Sunday, to weddings and funerals, baptisms and church socials. It had pulled logs out of fields to heat his home and rocks too large to move by hand. The old harness was wrapped and securely fastened to the precious friend and confidante of the old man in the ring. Yes, the young man and his horse were a sight to behold. They sparkled and shone and did the breed proud. They will do well in the horse show ring. They took first place in the class. To my granddaughter it meant the world to get the first prize in her class. To the old man, it meant the world to BE IN the class!!! He was still doing what he loved after all the years of hard work and sacrifice. He was still able to smell the sweat of the horses and harness and thrill to the sound of the squeaking leather and the bulge of the powerful rump of his horse. Perhaps even more important, he was passing on this tradition of 'love of the horse, not love of the ribbon' on to future generations. The next class was 'Ladies Cart Class'. His granddaughter, and her daughter drove the old cart and horse in this class, and the granddaughter drove it in the 'youth cart class'. And so it went through all the driving classes, from cart to six horse hitch. Children and grandchildren sharing in the love and life of this dear, precious Adams County treasure. He takes his horses to the horse pulls and his sons and grandsons help him in a most incredible ballet of teamwork and love.
Please don't let our County lose what people like this old guy have been enjoying ever since it was founded. Grow your gourds and tomatoes, knit your scarves and bring in your corn and alfalfa to be shown with pride among others who love the traditions we have developed here. Make it your aim to participate next year in this fair, and to attend those of other Counties so we aren't left with just a memory of how it used to be. Before there were museums, there were people who LIVED what they now preserve. Prudence Kinley-Ruth horse lover and memory keeper
posted by Prudence at 9:35 AM
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