Draft animal "field day" pulls to the past

The action west of Odessa was just a bit different this past weekend, as compared to two weeks ago, when thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts encamped at the corner of Irby Road and Highway 28.

It wasn’t just improved weather – no rain, mostly sunny skies and only a slight breeze, that made the difference.

The events of April 14 and 15 were smaller, quieter, and had an entirely different fragrance.

Draft horse and mule enthusiasts convened at Keith Schafer’s farm about 5 miles west of town, with teams ranging from two seemingly ordinary-sized mules up to a team of 8 matched gray Percheron mules. Belgians, black Percherons and feathery-footed Shires were hitched up in configurations of 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 animals, and made short work of plowing and harrowing a field.

Shouts of “gee”, “haw” and “whoa there” could be heard, along with the jingling of harness and the snorts of animals weighing nearly a ton.

According to John Overmyer of Davenport, the owner/operator of the 8-mule team, the teams had to stop early on Saturday, as the work was being done too quickly. He reported that they had attempted moving to another area of the farm but that the soil was too wet.

Teams came from as near as Davenport and as far away as Sandpoint, Rathdrum and Potlatch, Idaho, with others from Colfax, Ellensburg, and Clarks-ton, Washington.

Most members of the group participate in a three-weekend series of exhibitions which used to begin in late March or early April in Wilson Creek, proceeding to Pomeroy and then on to Colfax. They also take part in the Idaho State Draft Horse and Mule International show in Sandpoint every September, as well as a threshing exhibition at Colfax at harvest time.

Maria Nelson of Odessa, one of the event organizers, said that when they were informed last year that the exhibition would no longer be held in Wilson Creek, she and husband Pete decided to try to bring the event to Odessa.

The Nelsons added that they felt that this was an important event and didn’t want to see it die. They worried that if even one year was missed, it might be too hard to get it started again.

“It just kind of fell into place,” said Maria. Pete added that “the reason it seemed to go together so easy was, let’s face it, it’s a great group of people.”

Since the original schedule conflicted with the Desert 100 event, the group decided to move the event to this past weekend, which means teams travel three weekends in a row. The Nelsons, who have black Percherons and two yearling Percheron/Clydesdale crossbreds of their own, were not plowing this year.

According to the Nelsons, they initially thought about hosting the event at their place, which is on Highway 21 south of Odessa, but, Maria said, “We just don’t have the facilities.”

As well as the enthusiasts who participate in the exhibition, the Nelsons said they wanted to thank Odessa Trading Company for their support and the Idaho Draft Horse and Mule Association, which sponsored the event, and the Odessa and Harrington FFA chapters , who were on hand to serve a lunch of either pulled pork sandwiches or German sausage.

“We’re just tickled at the turnout,” said Overmyer of both the number of teams and spectators that came for the exhibition.