Ohio and U.S. Horse Plowing Contests to be held On Saturday, Aug. 30 and Sunday, Aug. 31
By LYNN NEAL
For The Highland County Press
When thinking of plowing, most of us envision that big John Deere tractor turning the soil. But less horsepower can also be a beautiful thing to see.
On Saturday, Aug. 30 and Sunday, Aug. 31, contestants will gather at Carriage Hill Farm near Dayton, Ohio, for the Ohio and U.S. Horse Plowing Contests.
Started by the Ohio Horse and Mule Group in 2003, this contest was first held as a part of the Farm Science Review at London.
The Ohio Horse and Mule Group was founded by Highland County cousins Gary Hopkins and Dean Hopkins. Both the Ohio and U. S. contests moved several years ago to Carriage Hill Metropark Farm near Dayton.
While the Ohio Horse and Mule Group no longer exists, a group of volunteers from that group, along with Carriage Hill personnel, have kept the contests going.
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If you have not been to Carriage Hill, you are in for a treat! It is one of 25 parks in the Five Rivers Metroparks system, located around Montgomery County, Ohio. It covers almost 1,000 acres.
Over 100 acres are farmed with horses, based on the farming practices from the 1880s. It is a wonderful living history site with two homesteads and many buildings. The farm is open to the public, free of charge, all year long.
Contestants in the U.S. contest come from Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland and Michigan. Ohio contestants come from all over the state. There are five classes: antique plow, walking plow, 2-horse sulky plow, 3-horse sulky plow, and gang plow (4 or more horses).
Plowing will start both days at 10 a.m. and continue through most of the day. Food, including steamed corn on the cob and ham and beans, will be available at a very nominal charge.
Previous winners from our area include Tim Roush of Hillsboro and Roger Vogel from Georgetown. Neither will be competing this year. Contestants from the local area this year include Mike McCormick from New Vienna, and Garine Shoemaker and Donnie Ryan from Seaman.
Percheron, Belgian and Suffolk draft horses and mules will be used to plow. Winners from Saturday’s Ohio contest will compete Sunday in the U.S. contest.
To get to Carriage Hill Farm, take U.S. 68 through Xenia and turn left on S.R. 235. Take a right onto I-675, then left (west towards Indianapolis) on I-70. The exit number for Carriage Hill off I-70 is #38. Turn right and go about ½ mile and turn into the entrance for the park. If you are using a GPS, the address is 7800 East Shull Road, Dayton, OH.
For information, please contact Gary Hopkins at 937-725-9894 or Galen Neal at 937-763-0636.