FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2004
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: BECKY BRASHEAR, 301-663-5895

At 2004 Great Frederick Fair
Equine Showcase/Expo is new event

FREDERICK, Md. — The Great Frederick Fair will feature a two-day equine showcase/expo at the 2004 event, September 23 and 24 during the 142nd annual county fair. The actual fair runs September 17-25.

Ag-Sensuate Your Senses...Touch IT! Hear IT! See IT! Taste IT! Smell IT! is the theme of this year’s fair. Visitors to the equine showcase/expo will get a “sense” for how fast the equine industry is growing in Frederick County and across Maryland.

The purpose of the showcase/expo is to show the public just how fast the equine segment of agriculture is growing, and to educate the public on the different breeds, characteristics and uses of horses. The two-day expo runs from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.

“The expo is a way for the fair to really open up our equine program and make it a featured part of our event,” said Nancy Hendricks, fair board member and chairman of the fair’s Equine Committee. The two-day expo will be held in the fair’s outdoor Equine Show Arena. The Frederick Motor Company, official vehicle supplier of The Great Frederick Fair, is sponsoring this new event.

“We are very proud to have The Frederick Motor Company, which is locally owned and operated,  join the fair in this partnership program,” said J.R. Ramsburg Jr., president of the fair’s Board of Managers. Jim Warfield, his management team and his staff, see the value and benefits of promoting their products and services to their clientele and potential clientele at an event such as this. If you own a horse, most likely you’ll need a heavy duty vehicle to pull your horse trailer with!”

The showcase/expo schedule is:

Thursday, Sept. 23, featuring Light Horse Breeds

          10 a.m.-8 p.m.                            Breeds Showcase 
          11:30 a.m., 2:30 and 6:30 p.m.    Breed Parade and Demonstration

 Friday, Sept. 24, 2004, featuring Draft Horse Breeds

          10 a.m.-8 p.m.                            Breeds Showcase
          11:30 a.m., 2:30 and 6:30 p.m.    Breed Parade and Demonstration

Several horse shows will be featured at the 2004 Great Frederick Fair, sponsored by Sandy Spring Bank.  Kicking off the fair’s equine events will be the 4-H English horse and pony show at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 18. The draft horse and mule show, a long-time favorite among spectators and participants at the fair, gets under way in the arena at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 19. The day-long show will feature halter classes as well as the popular antique farm implement class, the hitch and cart classes. Halter classes are for exhibitors with registered Belgians, Clydesdales, Percherons or Shire, Suffolks, geldings and unregistered mares. Judging is based on the animal's conformation and animal condition.

"The draft horse and mule show continues to be a popular event at The Great Frederick Fair,” said Ramsburg . "The halter classes are certainly educational because this is where the public can learn how these animals are supposed to look and what they have been bred for."

The hitch and cart classes are the entertaining portion of the show, both for the exhibitor and the spectators. "This is where the public can see how these exhibitors have trained these horses and mules to work together in team hitches and pull carts and antique farm equipment," Ramsburg  said. “It’s a great example of how farm work used to be done.”

On Wednesday, Sept. 22, is the Old Fashion Day Parade of horse drawn buggies, carriages and carts starting at 2:30 p.m. in front of the grandstand. Rounding out the week’s horse events will be the 4-H Western horse and pony show at 9 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 26.