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‘They pulled with all their might...’ |
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Thursday, 10 September 2009 |
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By Daniel Iverson BLACKFOOT – Crowds gathered at the Eastern Idaho State Fair grandstand Wednesday to watch the fair's strongest horses kick up dirt while pulling at least twice their weight.
Dan and Josh Neild of Afton, yo., won first place for the light and middle weight divisions, while Travis Heaton of Eagle Mountain, Utah, won first place for the heavy weight division.
Teams of two horses driven by one teamster get two chances to pull a stone boat 20 feet along a dirt track. Thousand-pound weights are added every round until the boat is too heavy.
The light weight division starts at 3,000 pounds, the middle weight starts at 3,500 pounds and the heavy weight starts at 4,000 pounds.
The teamster is required to ride the boat instead of running beside the horses — a recent change to the rules, event organizer Evan McLain said.
The track changes from round to round because of new ruts created by previous horses, adding another level of challenge for competitors.
Horses who cross the ropes marking the boundaries of the 14-foot-wide track are disqualified.
Paul Martin of Tetonia, Idaho, brought four horses to compete at Wednesday's event. He first tried horse pulling 41 years ago and travels around the West because he enjoys the competition.
Martin said any horse can be used for pulling, but some are better than others because of their natural athletic ability.
"There are good horses and bad horses," he said.
The horses become tired by the end of the summer, Martin said, especially the 21-year-old he brought to the fair.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 14 September 2009 )
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