Saddle up for Horse Fest

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Press File Photo Onlookers watch the Horse Fest parade in Taylor in this file photo. The annual event is this weekend.

Talk about it

In its 16th year, the annual Taylor Horse Fest continues to do what it’s always done: Celebrate the horse and the role it has played in the state’s heritage while helping the community and surrounding landscape.

The Saturday and Sunday event features a variety of activities from exhibits to vendors, organizers say.

Taylor Community Activities Committee member Gayle Elkin said a few new items will be featured this year including a horse breed exhibit, featuring 13 breeds, and dummy roping.

Proceeds from the fest are used for land improvement and community projects. Elkin estimates the group donated about $6,000 within the last year toward various causes in the community.

“We almost have to start thinking about it in March to line up something for the music and all that stuff,” Elkin said. “On the day of (the event), we have lots and lots of volunteers that help and we couldn’t do it without them.”

The event includes a parade featuring horses and horse drawn-equipment, wagons and buggies. There will be no motorized vehicles.

A variety of demonstrations are planned to give visitors a feel for the activities including, heading, mowing, haying, threshing, binding and cultivating.

“It brings a lot of people into town,” Mayor Jim Wolf said. “They usually have a pretty good turnout.”

Those looking for help with horsemanship can attend a clinic by Angie King, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. as well as a problem solving seminar with Joe Fritz from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Musical entertainment will include Cottonwood, a bluegrass band from Washburn. Bill Lowman, the “Cowboy Poet” from Sentinel Butte, will also perform.

Tickets and buttons are sold at Dakota Community Bank locations in Dickinson, Taylor and Hebron. Both pins and tickets cost $10 respectively, Elkin said.

Those 12 and younger are allowed free entry into the grounds and entry into the concert is free for those 6 and younger.

Elkin said she isn’t sure how many people will attend but the committee usually purchases about 1,100 buttons for use.

Schedule

Saturday

7 a.m. – Registration for vendors, exhibitors and demonstrations

7 a.m. – 9 a.m. – Parade registration at the north end of the Horse Fest grounds

8 a.m. – 6 p.m. – Exhibits of horse drawn machinery and equipment

8 a.m. – 6 p.m. – Food and craft vendors

9 a.m. – noon – Pictorial stamp cancellations

9 a.m. – 5 p.m. – Horse breed exhibits (in arena)

10 a.m. – Parade

10 a.m. – 6 p.m. – Demonstrations

11 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Jumping castle and slide

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Horsemanship clinic (halter class)

Noon – 4 p.m. – Musical entertainment in the red barn

Noon – 4 p.m.– Pie social at the Taylor Senior Center

1 p.m. – Children’s activities

1 p.m. – Kids dummy roping

1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m – Joe Fritz, training specialist for general horsemanship and problem solving seminar

7:30 p.m. – “Taylor Horse Fest Musical” concert, Taylor School Gym

Sunday

7 a.m. – noon – VFW pancake and sausage breakfast, Taylor Opera House

10 a.m. – Non-denominational church service, Taylor Elementary School gym

— Information from www.taylorhorsefest.com

Tags: news, local, horse, fest, taylor