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Pig Iron Derby proves delight for audience, but drag for horses
CANFIELD
Muscles flexing and coats glimmering in the scorching late morning sun, 15 horses competed Saturday to be the champion of this round of the annual Draft Pony Pig Iron Derby.
Horses and their owners competed in three classes: light-, middle-, and heavy-weight.
The objective, for all two-horse teams, was to drag irons to what was considered a “full pull”: 13 feet, 6 inches.
Weight is added until it comes down to the last ones standing; then, the first-place winner is determined by which team of horses drags it the farthest distance.
How much weight the horses pull varies, said competitor Daniel Ferringer of Shelocta, Pa.
In the light-weight category, Keith Beasley won first place, Jack Butler won second and Paul Wilson won third.
In the middle-weight class, Randy Richie won first place, Donald Butler came in second, Daniel Ferringer took third, Howard Krovack was fourth, Randy Ealy was fifth and Tim Ealy was sixth.
Dean Jenny took first place in the heavy-weight division; Carly Ealy won second, David Ferringer won third, Doyle Butler came in fourth, Harley Blake took fifth and Arnold Arnstine landed in sixth.
On the other side of the track, brother and sister Mary and David Hughes braved the sweltering heat to view the competition. The siblings, of Atwater, have been coming to the fair to see the pig iron derby for 10 to 15 years.
“It’s like the old times when they had to work together. It’s interesting to watch the horses and the people work together,” said Mary.
Bob Jarvis, who is in charge of the Junior Fair and the pig iron derby, said Saturday’s round of the event was a success, with 300 to 400 people showing up to watch.
“The horses pulled hard. It was a good pull,” he said.
The second iteration of the event is at 9 a.m. Monday at the grandstand. At that competition, a “full pull” will be double Saturday’s standard.
James Brown Jr., who used to be in charge of the pig iron derby and still is a department manager, said the event is a beloved tradition for fairgoers.
“Their granddads used to watch,” he said. “And they just love to sit and watch the horses pull.”