Mule Show 2002

The Shriners held their annual mule show Sunday September 1 at their arena in Sandy Hook.  We were treated to a great show starting with a stick mule event and ending with a log pulling race with some you will find hard to believe in between.  Participants ranged in age from toddlers to ... well you will see.

The first event was the stick mule ride.
 
Everyone is a winner.

    

  
A few of the contestants and future contestants.

   
The judging on some events was based on style and form.

 
For others it was a test of speed.

    

Some of the most fun, were the events that challenged both the mule and rider in very nonstandard ways.  For the "Chin apple" and "Egg and spoon" races the goal was to carry the apple or egg while riding at a walk and then a trot, then dismount and remount or whatever the judge asked the competitors to do.  All without dropping the item.  In the catalog race the contestant had to race to a catalog, placed on the barrel at the end of the arena, and find a particular page, tear it out, and race back to the starting line.  This was a real test of speed and control.  You can see the mule didn't quite understand that it was supposed to have the inner tube placed around its neck and then race back to the start in the "Inner tube race".  It was letting its objections to the process be known. And for those of you who have never heard of a "Drunkards paradise" race the last picture will take a little explaining.  For this event the front rider (driver?) holds a baby bottle full of an unknown but apparently tasty liquid.  While they ride around the arena the passenger tries to drink it dry. The first team to complete the mission is the winner -- as well as very likely being quite wet.  There were other events as well.  You will have to come next year on the Sunday before Labor Day to see the "Panty hose race", the "Rescue race" and the others.  

The final event of the day was the log pull.  The mule is expected to pull a pair of logs around the course.
It looks like this driver was going for style points by riding on them.


The Mule show is always great fun.
Even if you don't get to do what Grandma Sarah
did while the crowd helped her celebrate her 80th birthday
by singing Happy Birthday to her.

For a lot more pictures and the opportunity to get copies for yourself click here.
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