The Fair

Draft Horse Spectacular

2012 dates - July 20 and 21

2011 NW Draft Horse Spectacular Results

Bellingham Herald Article July 8, 2011

                     Shezam Clydesdales                                                                              Cramer Classics 

The beauty, strength and versatility of draft horses were highlighted July 15th and 16th during the Northwest Draft Horse Spectacular in Lynden.

Competitions and a demonstration were conducted during the day and a show including the Northwest D.R.E.A.M. (Draft Riders Enthusiastically Accomplish Maneuvers) Team was presented at 7 p.m. both nights. For show reults click here.

"Draft horses are annually a major attraction in shows and in barns during the Northwest Washington Fair", fair manager Jim Baron said. "Whatcom County has an unusual number of draft-horse hitches featuring Clydesdales, Percherons and Belgians", he added.

“With the completion of our new Washington Tractor Arena last year, we have an opportunity to showcase these beautiful creatures that are a part of our agricultural heritage in a way we didn’t have before,” Baron said. “The Northwest Draft Horse Spectacular will be different than the show usually seen at the fair. Each night spectators will enjoy seeing exhibitors compete in classes from a single horse in cart through a six-horse hitch. The Saturday night finale will be the beautiful and rarely seen eight-horse hitch competition.”

Renowned for their size and strength, draft horses have a long history of pulling plows, milk wagons, vegetable carts and carriages. They are typically about 16-18 hands (64-72 inches) in height and weigh 1,500-2,000 pounds.

The Northwest D.R.E.A.M. Team was founded by the Edwin Henken family of Ferndale, which has presented its Northwest Clydesdales hitch at the fair for more than 40 years.

“We’re a draft horse drill team comprised of a variety of draft horse breeds and local riders who demonstrate the versatility of the draft horse through a pattern performed to music,” said Monica Henken, captain of the Northwest D.R.E.A.M. Team.