Horses and area history

SANDPOINT — Draft horses are known for their large stature and docile nature, and throughout history, the horses have performed tasks such as plowing fields, pulling carts — anything that required the hauling of heavy loads.

This weekend marks the 40th year of the annual Idaho State Draft and Mule Horse International Show, hosted by the North Idaho Draft Horse and Mule Association at the Bonner County Fairgrounds.

Jeanne Phay of Post Falls has been with the show through its entirety. While some aspects of the event have remained the same over the years, she said, some things have changed.

"Most of the people that came didn't have very fancy equipment to start with — and we used to have a lot more runaways than we do now," Phay said.

Before the Idaho show existed, Phay and some others from the area would make their way to Monroe, Wash., each year for the Draft Horse Extravaganza. One day, she said, a man by the name of Tony Keil had the idea to start a show in North Idaho and, with regular meetings in the back room of Connie's Cafe, the idea became a reality.

"Our son just turned 40 and I remember, plain as day, he was a baby in his little carrier," Phay said. "We had our two black percheron mares and in Sandpoint that year it rained a little bit."

Bonnie Shields, an artist and self-described "mule freak," is another who has been with the show for many years, 36 to be exact, and she said it is "awesome" that it is still going strong after 40 years.

"We've had our ups and downs and we are still surviving," she said.

When she first moved to Sandpoint in 1980, Shields said it was a "sweet little timber town" with lots of draft horses. Now the draft horses have moved off and there is more tourists than timber, but the show still grows and memories continue to be made.

Shields has enjoyed the show each year and has several stories to show for it, like when "Miss Piggy" drove a big white mule in the women's cart class.

"She got thrown out when she propositioned the judge," Shields said with a laugh. "We used to have a lot of fun."

Shields also recalled the "year of the mud" when she talked a friend from Texas into judging the mule competitions. Every time he stepped in the arena it would pour rain, she said. Needless to say, he decided never to judge the Idaho show again.

While not too many people use draft horses for plowing fields and heavy pulling anymore, Shields said the Draft Horse Association takes part in a spring plowing event near Colfax each year. The fields are plowed using using draft horses and mules, then they plant wheat and harvest it on Labor Day weekend also using the horses and mules and threshing it with a steam engine.

"It's part of what we think is important because young people come along and they have no idea what our ancestors went through, what they did, what they accomplished," Shields said.

Phay said that the Sandpoint show has grown over the years, and today there is performances by draft horses and draft mules, as well as several classes of competition throughout the weekend. There are several breeds, but two basic types of draft horses, she said. There is a "fancier" show type and the work horse and both can be found at the event in the different classes.

The event also features an antique farm class where people bring old farm implements to show. One woman, for example, brings an old oil wagon from Dayton, Wash., that was in operation when her dad was a child. The wagon was left in a field for many years before her father found it and restored it. She now drives it at the show with "In Memory of Dad" across the back.

"Her grandson drives with her and it's interesting — there is two families I know of that will have four generations up there," Phay said, adding the youngest of those is around 5 years old.

Some have grown up with the show, others were there when it started and new folks show up each year. Phay recalled several families who have been a part of the event for most or all of its history, including names like Finney, Lippert and Nagle. Three of the Nagles are involved in the show this year and all three are board members of NIDHMA. Darin Nagle, for example, is vice president of the board and will be demonstrating mounted shooting between performances Friday and Saturday.

Don and Betty Nagle assisted Lloyd Jones and Sy Thompson in establishing the NIDHA in 1976. Don Nagle served as one of the first directors and Betty Nagle the first secretary and treasurer. She also assisted Thompson in drawing up the bylaws for the association.

Phay grew up around horses, although her husband did not, and they purchased their first one together in 1974. Soon after that, they purchased a team of draft horses from Canada. The couple kept the team of draft horses until they died, which she said is the "worst thing" about having horses is when they pass on. Phay and her husband have not shown horses at the event for 10 to 15 years, she said, but they are still passionate about the show and its setting.

"The arena up there is the most beautiful setting that you could ever, ever want," Phay said. "The trees are always just starting to turn color this time of year and it is just spectacular."

This years show begins with log skidding at 5 p.m. Thursday, with subsequent shows Friday through Sunday.

For show scheduling and ticket information visit www.idahodrafthorseshow.com.