WALTHAM – A horse is a horse, of course, but the equine similarity ends there.

Wednesday, August 23, 2000

WALTHAM – A horse is a horse, of course, but the equine similarity ends there.

That is, if you believe Dave Wickham.

"They’re all different," said Wickham. "Every one of them. They each have their own personality. You can talk to them and they understand the English language."

Wickham is a Kenyon livestock and grain farmer, who knows horses.

On Saturday, Wickham, his son, Jon, and grandson, Shawn Wicke, were among 10 pullers at the first-ever Waltham Corn and Brat Feed horse pull competition.

"There are lot of good pullers here today, and they’ve brought some fine animals. If you want to learn about horses, go talk to Dave Wickham," instructed Dan Rasmussen, who himself knows a thing or two about horses.

Dan and his wife, Annie, farm in Marshall Township, and raise Belgians just like the Wickhams of Kenyon.

On Saturday, Dan was the Waltham’s pull judge and Annie was score-keeper. Nikki pulled.

"It’s a straight, barefoot farmer’s pull," said Dan of the rules. "Each team of horses must pull at least 27 1/2 feet. The boat weights 1,000 pounds and we’ll start with 1,000 pounds of weight and keep adding until there’s one team left and their the winner."

The pullers came from Kenyon, Chatfield, Lyle, Rose Creek and LeRoy and competed in two weight classes: light and heavy. Mostly Belgians, there were also some Percherons, all large horses and each, Wickham claimed, distinct in his or her own right.

In addition to three generations of Wickhams, a nephew, Josh Wickham, also pulled Saturday.

A large crowd enjoying the horse pull, sitting on bleachers or the freshly-cut grass near the downtown area.

Horse pull results

Tracy Hanson, Chatfield, won the lightweight division.

Dave Wickham, Kenyon, won the heavyweight division.

Other top placings included:

Lightweight division: Jon Wickham, Kenyon, second; Shawn Wickham, Kenyon, third; Josh Wickham, Kenyon and Nikki Rasmussen, Dexter, fifth; Sonny Hanson, LeRoy, sixth.

Heavyweight division: Tracy Hanson, Chatfield, second; Josh Wickham, Kenyon, third; Tim Carroll, Lyle, fourth.