Powerful equine will shine at Doughty Valley Horse Pull
The power of a team of horses will be on full display as teams compete at the annual Doughty Valley Horse Pull July 24 near Charm.
When it comes to electrifying a big crowd, draft horse pulls can generate a buzz for both the local people and for those who travel from far away.
This July will see a big pull coming to Charm that will feature some of the top local teams while luring in some big-time draft teams from out of state.
The Doughty Valley Horse Pull will take place Thursday, July 24 at 6 p.m. in conjunction with Doughty Valley Steam Days. The event will take place at the farm located at 5025 state Route 557, one mile north of Charm.
The draft horse pull will feature cash prizes for the top 10 placers in both the lightweight and heavyweight draft horse class pulls.
According to promoter Tim Hershberger, this event continues to gain steam because the quality of local draft horse teams continues to grow in stature and strength.
“We’ve really developed some terrific horses here locally, which continues to create a real buzz,” Hershberger said. “We’ve got some great competition, and we’re starting to compete well with the big boys from around the state and beyond.”
While the start time could vary depending on the number of teams signed up in each division, the Central Ohio Draft Pony Pull is slated to begin somewhere around 4:30 p.m., with weigh-in for the big pull starting at 2:30 p.m. The weight for the lightweight teams is set at 3,620 pounds.
Like many horse pulls, this event has gained fans and developed an enormous following. Hershberger said they have seen great crowds for the event over the past several years, and it continues to grow in popularity.
While there are several events held at this site, this pull has become the premier pull.
“We expect to see some really great competition both locally and from further away,” Hershberger said. “What has really been exciting to see is the way some of our local teams have developed the past couple of years. It used to be you’d never see a local team even competing well in events like this because these big teams would come in and dominate, but our Amish teams here continue to get better and better, and the quality of the horses keeps getting better, and I think these out-of-town teams like the better competition.”
That competition level has made it all the more exciting for pull fans, and this show should generate plenty of excitement.
According to Hershberger, the pulls for the heavyweight show will start at either 6,000 or 7,500 pounds and advance in weight of 1,500 pounds each stage as the two-horse teams plow their way along the 27-foot track.
The competition will see each stage adding the 1,500 pounds until it reaches up to and beyond 12,000 pounds, depending on how these bulky, powerful horses manage to pull the sled.
“It goes unto the last team standing,” Hershberger said. “What usually happens is it comes down to a couple of teams pulling the heaviest weight, and it comes down to a few feet or even inches once they can’t pull the entire 27 feet.”
He said while the prize money won’t make any of the owners rich, it’s more about competing against the best of the best that drives each team.
He also said another big reason the fan base is quite large is there are people who come because they want to purchase horses. Hershberger said many of the pull horses are for sale, often selling for up to around $80,000.
“It’s just good, friendly competition that’s exciting for fans, and it can be a great place for our local guys to sell horses,” Hershberger said.
In addition to the big pull, there will be a mini pony pull on Saturday, July 26 at 9 a.m. For more information on that pull, call Brock Stought at 740-739-8588.
Entry for the event is $5 per person, and that will not only get fans into the pull, but also the daily activities surrounding Doughty Valley Steam Days.