July 4th in Dover, Minn.

[Tom]

When I left Indianapolis, I was only part way through my excursion.  Here I have found myself in Dover, Minn. at Charlie's place visiting with my mom and his daughter (my niece).   One of the things we have done was enjoy a July 4th celebration.  The little town of Dover had an admirable fireworks display on the evening of the 3rd and the rockets were being set off not two blocks from the house.

Then we went to a horse pull on the 4th.  The little old lady sitting beside me was the reason for the trip.  We had a good time until she said,  "Well, I guess we can go now.  We've seen what they are about and all is left is the big ones."


I almost cried and procrastinated as long as I could, but she was uncomfortable in the bright sun and heat, so I left.

Before I did though, I was able to get some pictures of the 3,000 lb. class and a few of the open class horses pulling light loads.  When I left the open class was beginning to pull 7000 lbs on the boat and were marching off with it fairly easily.  7000 lbs was about the limit for the 3000 lb class.

















I figured you might like these......now I've got to go eat spaghetti and watch some more fireworks.  (and drink some of Charlie's Black Jack.  ---  snicker )

[L. Wakefield]

   Those are some magnificent pics. Those horses are really working! The foreleg on the near horse on the 4th pic up from the bottom is a truly incredible shot- you can see the tendons stand out and everything. I think I'll spend more time at the horse pull in Fryeburg this October. I usually visit the horses in the barn and may stop a minute if they are walking to or from the ring, but I haven't taken the time to watch them work.
    lw

[Kevin]

Nice pictures Tom, thanks.

[HORSELOGGER]

 ;D ;D 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) ;D ;D 8) 8)

[woodman]

nice photos. There working  hard.

[Gordon]

Great action shots Tom, it's a shame that you missed the big boys at the end. But at least you got to see some of the event. Oh and you haven't lost you knack for the action shots either. ;)

Those big horses around this way pull plows.

Gordon

[Bro. Noble]

Tom,

Sure enjoyed your photo.  Boy can those things pull.

The kids used to have a big old Jenny that fancied herself a pulling horse.

I got her to work the garden but she was way too fast and ambitious for me.
 
We had been cutting wood for the wood furnace ( I like to get stuff 8-10 inches so I don't have to split it.  My oldest son (about 10 at the time) got the bright idea to use old Jude to skid some dead pole timber (near the house) to the back yard and then saw it up.

We cut down a bunch of the dead trees, harnessed up old Jude,  dug out the single tree and tongs and started out.

I warned my son to never get down hill from the log when skidding and to try to pass other trees on the same side that old Jude did,  adding that if he couldn't do both he had better let loose of the ribbons.

Hooked onto the biggest tree telling my son she wouldn't be able to pull it but we needed to find out just what she could do.

Told him to try her a little and then I'd saw the stick off to where she could handle it.  He told her '"Get on Jude",  She turned her head around and gave him that equine look that means "You gotta be kidding"  

When I started the saw,  Old Jude looked just like her cousins in Tom's Kodacs.  Son stayed with her for about 30 yards till she tried to wrap him around a tree.

Old Jude went full throttle to the place where we harnessed her and stood waiting for us.  

After we all learned what to expect from one another we got in some easy wood and a close bond was formed between my son and old Jude.  

I'd sure recommend a jenny as a pet.

I'd envy horselogger if I wasn't so lazy.

Tom, I hope you and your Mom have a great time,  are you making some empty bottles for Charlie?

Noble

[Eggsander]

Tom, you gotta have Charlie invite you up in the winter. Sometimes we do the same thing on the lake only with dogs instead. You laod up the sled with sacks of dog food and the gotta start it and pull it about thirty feet. I saw an Wolfhound do close to a ton!  8) 8)

[CHARLIE]

Here is 2003's Pull.  Charlie went back.
I took my mom to the Dover July 4th Horsepull this year. I only got to watch the lightweights (3000 pounders) before the heat got to much for mom.  I didn't take as many pictures as Tom did last year but here are a couple of good ones. Also, I didn't find anything to drink when I got back. Someone had drank all my supply of Black Jack! >:(


Pulling 6000 pound sled. It was a muddy day after an early morning rain. The sled was sticking to the mud and hard to pull and some of the horses in the teams slipped and lost their pull. There were 7 teams in the 3000 pound class.


The winners! They pulled 6000 pounds 27 feet 5 inches in sticky mud!

[Furby]

Cool pics Tom! I really like the sign on the fence for "Dave's Towing".  :D :D :D