Draft horse events thunder into Findlay Arena at North Idaho State Fair

COEUR d'ALENE — The earth shook with the thundering of mighty hooves Friday morning as a team of draft horses rounded the Findlay Arena corner pulling a wagon with David Wessling and his twin sister, Dani Schelin.

The siblings were two of several equestrians who competed in the Draft Horse Performance Classes events at the North Idaho State Fair, where cowboys and cowgirls showed their skills in taming the massive beasts that are often referred to as "gentle giants."

Belgian draft mules Patsy and Pearl pulled Benny and Phyllis Broyles and equestrian student Jaxon Gihle, 12, through the arena in an antique 1850 Studebaker wagon to open the show.

"We love it, it's so much fun," Benny said.

"I have fun decorating," Patsy said with a smile.

Event contestants competed in a mix of confirmation and competition classes. Confirmation is based on the looks of the horses and how well they work with their teammates, while the competition aspect consists of driving the horses in set patterns.

"I drove my first team when I was 4," Alexia VandeKamp, 26, said while braiding blue and pink ribbons into Belgian gelding Diesel's mane before the events began.

VandeKamp has been showing and working with draft horses her whole life. Although Diesel belongs to Brandon and Shelly Moore of Potlatch, VandeKamp has worked with him for several years and loves him like her own. He is about 8 years old, approximately 2,000 pounds and 18.2 hands high at his withers. According to some conversion charts, that is roughly 73 inches — more than 6 feet tall.

"They can be really big and intimidating, but they really are most of the time just big babies," VandeKamp said.

Brandon Moore has seven Belgian geldings that are a part of the Nagle Belgians family hitches, which his grandfather, Don Nagle, started about 50 years ago, long before Moore was born. Brandon started taking over the hitches in 2017 but has been involved with the horses since he was a young boy.

He said humans and draft horses share a bond and, just like any family member, each is unique.

"You can't just treat one horse like all of them," he said. "Some are a little more sensitive, some you could run over with a truck and they'd still be there for you. You just have to remember who you're dealing with."

Having their hitches at the fair was especially important this year as the family is mourning the loss of Nagle, who died Thursday.

"He started all these Nagle Belgians," Moore said. "Everybody helped him, and then they went out on their own."

Thursday night, the family pulled the original, natural oak wagon Nagle built through the rodeo arena.

"His buddy milled the boards for him," Moore said. "It's not a show wagon by today's standards, and our horses are too big for it, but we brought it up for the kids because my kids and my brother's kids are going to drive so we could have an extra wagon."

Nagle was instrumental in developing draft horse programs in the region and at the North Idaho State Fair and had been involved with the fair since at least the mid-1970s.

"Also, my grandparents just had their 72nd anniversary on Aug. 16, so they barely made it," Moore said. "He was 93."

After the first draft horse round, event emcee Bat Masterson asked for a moment of silence to commemorate Nagle's many contributions to the fairgrounds and the local equestrian community.

"Donnie's profound impact will be remembered fondly, along with the amazing stories he was always able to tell, ensuring the spirit of his work endures, fostering a deep respect and admiration for the family hitch for years to come," Masterson said. "Donnie and Betty Nagle can claim part of the responsibility for all of these hitches that are here today."

Draft horse events continue today with log skidding at noon and a horse pull at 1 p.m.

Winners of Friday's draft horse performance events: 

Six-up driving
First place: Brandon Moore
Second place: Darin Nagle
Third place: David Wessling

Four-up driving
First place: Dani Schelin
Second place: Cailin Wessling
Third place: Alexia VandeKamp
Fourth place: Tracey Holbrook 

Four-up driving pattern
First place: Darin Nagle
Second place: Mike Nagle
Third place Riley Moore
Fourth place: David Wessling 

Two-up team pattern, adults
First place: Riley Moore
Second place: Benny Broyles
Third place: Dick Frank
Fourth place: Karleen Meyer
Fifth place: Tracey Holbrook 

Two-up teams, ages 8-13
First place: Jaxon Gihle
Second place: Wheeler Holbrook
Third place: Eden Ryan
Fourth place: Zoey Moore
Fifth place: Raylon Holbrook 

Peewee division two–up team, ages 5-8
All six participants earned first place 

Cart class, ages 8-18
First place: Wheeler Holbrook
Second place: Raylon Holbrook
Third place: Jaxon Ghilie

Cart peewees, ages 5-7
All four participants earned first place

Ladies cart
First place: Alexia VandeKamp
Second place: Tracey Holbrook
Third place: Sandy Wessling
Fourth place: Cailin Wessling 

    Brothers Brandon, left, and Riley Moore drive a team of six Belgian geldings Friday morning in the Finlay Arena during the draft horse performance events at the North Idaho State Fair.
  

    Benny and Phyllis Broyles, with equestrian student Jaxon Gihle in the back, wave to the crowd as their draft mules pull their wagon at the start of the draft horse events Friday morning at the fair.
  

    Darin Nagle, left, and dad Mike Nagle drive six Belgian draft horses at the fair Friday morning as draft horse performance contests begin.
  

    Alexia VandeKamp stands on a ladder to braid Belgian gelding Diesel's mane Friday morning before the draft horse performance contests at the North Idaho State Fair.
  

    Darin Nagle, a great-nephew of Don Nagle, holds his cowboy hat in his hands as Don is remembered during a moment of silence Friday morning. Don, who was instrumental in regional draft horse programs and events, died Thursday. Four of his Nagel Belgian hitches participated in the performance class.