Welcome to the 7th Annual Big Thunder Draft Horse Show!!

Decades ago the mighty draft horses were the powerhouses that provided transportation
across the country, worked the land and formed America. Today, the massive equines
that participate in the show ring are graceful as a figure skater while possessing
the power of a linebacker.

We invite you to go into the barns and meet the horses and exhibitors
up close find out more about these gentle giants.

So sit back, relax and enjoy the show, we thank you for coming!!!!

Class Descriptions:

Single Cart
The single horse cart was used primarily to travel a stallion from
one ranch to another for the purpose of servicing mares.
Hence, the name stud cart.

In judging the cart class, the judge takes into consideration
both the conformation of the horse as well as it’s manner of going.
A cart horse should have a good snappy trot and carry it’s head up,
looking alert. When the judge calls for a walk, the horse should walk
and stand quietly when at a stop. A ladies cart horse should be
easy to handle so she may practice proper buggy etiquette.

Tandem Hitch
Everyone has heard of tandem axle trucks and trailers but few realize
the term originated with horses. When two horses are hitched, one in
front of the other, they are a tandem team. This type of team was originally
used when the roads and streets were too narrow to hitch two horses
abreast but they still needed the horsepower.

The larger horse us usually hitched directly to the cart or wagon with
the smaller one in front as the smaller horses are usually faster.
The judge usually looks for a team that is well matched in its manner
of going. The lead horse should keep traces tight but not so tight that
it appears to be pulling the whole load. A tandem is one of the more
difficult teams to drive as you need to keep the horses in a straight line.

Unicorn Hitch
When the team couldn’t quite pull the load or would get stuck in the mud,
an extra horse was added to help the team out, thus adding an extra
bit of horsepower. This was called a unicorn. The advantage of having
the one horse in the lead is that all the power is being used to pull the
wagon ahead, there being no sideward pull.

This class is judged on conformation of the horses, manner of going
and a small percentage for equipment. This class takes a skilled driver
as the lead horse must stay ahead of the team. On the other hand,
he must not have to pull the whole load either. The team must be well
matched in size and manner of going, and the lead horse in particular,
should be stylish and well mannered.

Two-Four-Six-Eight Horse Hitch
Playing a very important part in the early days were beautiful two,
four, six, and eight horse hitches as they were being used for work
about the cities, especially on brewery wagons. They were used for
hauling chores with day wagons. Another team was added as more
horse power was needed.

The team hitched directly to the wagon is called the wheel or pole team.
They are usually the largest since they do most of the pulling, and the
backing of the wagon. The middle team is called the swing team. The
team in front is called the lead team. When hitching an eight horse hitch,
the team behind the lead team is called the point team. The lead team
usually consists of the smaller and faster horses as they must travel
a greater distance when the hitch is making a turn.

In judging the combined hitches, the manner of going is of prime
importance. The harness and wagon and conformation of the horses
is taken into consideration but they are not as important as how well
the horses work together. All of the horses should be pulling equally
so that all of the traces are tight thus the skill of the
driver is very important.

Stick Horse Race
Kids are welcome to participate in the arena during this part of
the show to ride a stick horse around the pattern, fastest time
wins a prize! Register in the horse show office- children ages
2-10 welcome to participate!!

Farm Team Race (Sunday only)
The Farm Team Race was designed to show the maneuverability,
steadiness, and willingness of a good farm team. This class is timed
and judged with penalty points being assessed when an obstacle
is disturbed or an item of the load is damaged. This race was
designed to show how a team can stand to be hitched, then move
off quickly and maneuver the obstacles. The team must be able to
do all these things while pulling a load.

PARTICIPANT ENTRY INFORMATION:
Entries are taken in order of postmark or date by email or fax.
Payment can be taken over the phone with a credit card number,
a completed W-9 form must also accompany entries.

Please call with any questions:
Abby Powell 970-619-4003 or
Sheila Grange 303-827-5175

2010 Premium Book &
Show Entry Guidelines - PDF

2010 Entry Form - PDF

W-9 Form - Word

Big Thunder Draft Horse Show
Larimer County Fairgrounds & Events Complex
5280 Arena Circle, Suite 100 Loveland, CO 80538
(970) 619-4003