Horsemen’s Council of Illinois’ 20th annual production of Illinois Horse Fair March 6 – 8 at the State Fairgrounds in Springfield is gathering a greatly expanded variety of new programming, according to Joy Meierhans, manager. 

In addition to the previously announced Ranch Rodeo sponsored by Purina Mills on Saturday night, new programming includes an Equestrian Lifestyle Fashion Show, Roman Riding Training with David Davis, Basics of Driving with Phil Farrell, who spent many years with the Budweiser Clydesdales, Horse Packing and Camping tips from Back Country Horseman Bob Wagner, John Deere Ride ‘n Drive hands-on experience and Cowboy Church Horseback Music Ministry. 

Teams of four will compete in Ranch Rodeo Wild Cow Milking, Trailer Loading, Team Branding and a Cowboy Horse Race. Between these events will be Cowboy Mounted Shooting, Cowboy Dressage and a Stallions Contest. 

The new Ranch Rodeo at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Coliseum will require separate tickets: $7 adult, $5 child/senior. 

“Spectators love the toil and tumble of this team competition, often finding it as humorous as it is thrilling,” Meierhans says. “While none of the rough stock of traditional rodeo is included in Horse Fair’s Ranch Rodeo, the spills and spirit are every bit as cantankerous.” 

“It's not cow milking...it's trying to milk a wild cow (an effort for all four team members and more) – catch the cow and restrain it sufficiently so you can milk into the tiny top of a long-neck bottle – and yes, it’s the same kind of long-neck bottle from which you sip your favorite suds. 

“It's not simple trailer loading, either. It's herding an obstreperous steer into a trailer and then trying to load four horses into the same trailer. 

“And while "branding" is done with paint and chalk, the critters resist as though they're evading a red-hot poker. 

“Final of the night’s four Ranch Rodeo events is the Cowboy Horse Race. It begins on one end of the arena with no boots on the boys (or girls); on the other end no tack on the horses…run barefoot to the starting line, put on the boots, grab your rope and tack, catch your horse, tack it up, have your partner mount behind you, and then race to glory.” 

Horse Fair is produced by Horsemen’s Council of Illinois, annually draws more than 10,000 visitors and is sponsored by Purina Mills, Midway Trailer Sales, John Deere and Arenus.

Ranch Rodeo events are being produced for Horse Fair by Randy Littrell of Raymond and Matt Branum of Taylorville. Littrell rode bulls for 13 years and now focuses on a bull breeding program, consisting of using proven bloodlines and selecting for animals that buck. Littrell’s Shop Creek Cattle Company is home to two-time Professional Bull Riding Finals Bull #13 Iceman. 

Between Ranch Rodeo events will be a Cowboy Dressage performance by David Davis (all lit up – think Robert Redford in The Electric Horseman movie); a Cowboy Mounted Shooting demonstration (busting balloons with blanks at a full gallop); and the hugely popular Stallions Contest with winners chosen by audience applause. 

Davis has trained horses since he was a small child and continues to do so, specializing in reining, dressage and trick horse training. His techniques are based on precision communication between horse and rider. He has won three World Championships in reining competitions and has performed trick horse presentations at such events as the APHA World Championship Show at Fort Worth, Texas, the Arizona Horse Festival, Mackinac Island, Michigan, and Hoosier Horse Fair. 

Demonstrating Cowboy Mounted Shooting will be champions Rick and Janice Meyer and Gary Meckfessel all of Troy, IL. 

One of the fastest growing equestrian sports in the country, Cowboy Mounted Shooting is a combination of Wild West Show exhibition shooting, Calvary drills, reining competition, barrel racing and historical reenactment. Competitors wear period clothing, creating a festive and informal atmosphere of the late 19th century. The riders shoot black powder blank cartridges from a .45 caliber pistol at balloons.

RFD-TV’s Craig Cameron, of Bluff Dale, TX, with Richard Shrake, of Sun River, OR, will headline Horse Fair clinicians. Cameron’s demonstrations will include Colt Starting and More, What NOT to do with your Horse, Evaluating a Horse Physically, Mentally and Emotionally, Creative New Methods and Patterns to Gentle and Finish a Horse, How to “Read” your Horse, Handling Feet and Legs, and Curing the Horse that Crowds.

John Deere is inviting Horse Fair attendees to “saddle up an iron horse,” and receive hands-on familiarization with one of Deere’s compact utility tractor/loader units. Adults 18 and older may visit the John Deere booth in the Annex Building and be escorted to the driving area where they may operate the tractor and see how it works

Horse Fair will have more than 140 vendors selling everything for the horseman and horse fancier; greater variety of trailers for sale on site than at any other one location in the state; 25 breed and sport demonstrations; riding clinics by national and international stars from the worlds of reining, dressage, barrel racing and gaited riding; plus Stallion Row/Parade, HorsesForSales Aisles, educational seminars and the All-Youth Horse Judging Trials.

A schedule of all Horse Fair events and complete ticket information is available online at www.HorsemensCouncil.org or by calling (217) 585-1600.

Horsemen’s Council of Illinois is an affiliate chapter of the American Horse Council. HCI is the statewide “organization of organizations” and individuals providing central leadership and advocacy for Illinois’ 77,000 horse owners, 213,000 horses and its diverse $3.8 billion equine industry.

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