IDHMA Members:
The Iowa Draft Horse and Mule Association will be holding the winter meeting!! Mark your
calendar now for Sunday, January 12, 2025, at the Norwalk Fire Station, 1100 Chatham, Norwalk IA. We will have a potluck meal at noon followed by our annual meeting. Please bring a dish to share and table service.
Enclosed you will find the 2025 Membership form and Iowa Draft Horse Journal Ad. The dues are $20.00 with $10 going to the State Association and $10 going to the local chapter. The Draft Horse Journal Ad will be $75.00 this year. One check may be written for entire total.
We will be electing our youth ambassador(s) for 2025 at the winter meeting. If you have youth interested in this position, please contact Martha Burton at 319/269-6889 or email at marthann64@msn.com for more information about the duties and requirements.
The youth Scholarship form is also available; let me know if you would like an application. This is available to college students, enrolled in an agricultural course, whose families are members of our organization The deadline is March 1, 2025.
Reminder, IDHMA sponsors and elects’ honorees for the IA Draft Horse Hall of Fame. Nominations come from the membership and then the executive board makes the choice. Please nominate someone you know that has had an impact on the draft horse industry in Iowa.
The IA Classic Draft Horse show for 2024 was very successful and the plan is to host this show again in 2025 on May 30-31. We will need volunteers for the show in many areas and membership to support and participate as they can. More details at the meeting.
The IA Farm Team Classic show series was an amazing success also. Many thanks to Jim Stuart for
organizing and making this work. The show created many opportunities for our members to be involved and enjoy their teams.
Our email address for the association is iadhmba@yahoo.com. My direct email is najanssen@hotmail.com.
Merry Christmas, Happy Trails & here’s to a Very Prosperous New 2025!
Sincerely,
Nancy A. Janssen,
IDHMA Secretary/Treasurer
Our calendar for 2025 is already getting some dates filled in.
May 17th , driving clinic at Maasdam barns in Fairfield.
May 30, 31, Iowa Classic Horse show in Iowa Falls, show hitch and farm team classes
June 7, Iowa Farm team challenge show in Manning, Iowa
August 8th, farm team show at Iowa State Fair.
August 24, driving clinic in New Virginia, Iowa
If you are planning any draft horse events, please send me the information and I will try to help get the word out.
Following are the events we had in 2024. Look through to get an idea of what we may have in store for 2025
2024
March 22nd - 24th: Iowa Horse Fair @ Iowa State Fair Grounds
May 4: Team Barrel race in Bloomfield, IA , Davis County Fairgrounds,
Contact Drake Christe- 319-759-3443
May 25th: Farm Team Show, starting at noon at the Manning Hausbarn-Heritage Park, Manning, IA , contact Jim Stuart 515-971-1254
May 31st - June 1: Iowa Classic Draft Horse Show @ Iowa Falls, IA , Hitch show, Farm team show and driving clinic
contact Mark Bower 712-830-5928 for the hitch show
contact Jim Stuart 515-971-1254 for farm team classes.
June 22nd: Farm Team Classes @ Douds, IA at 1:00 contact Dirk Metcalf 319-677-0666
June 29: Farm Obstacle and log pull, Linn County Fairgrounds, 201 Central City Rd. Central City, starting at 10:00, contact Martha Burton 319-269-1163.
July 11th - 13th: Cream Draft Horse Association Meeting; @ Iowa Falls, IA
contact Butch Sowers 515-209-9265
July 14 - Cedar County Fair, farm team classes, 11:00, contact Martha Burton 319-269-1163
July 28th: Hitch classes for cart and team, Men's, Women's, and Youth. Ride a draft and Farm Team Classes @ New Virginia Saddle Club arena, starting at 10:00am.
Contact Jim Stuart, Iowadrafthorsejim@gmail.com, 515-971-1254
August 9th: Iowa State Fair Farm Team Show @ Iowa State Fairgrounds
contact Jim Stuart, iowadrafthorsejim@gmail.com 515-971-1254
August 11th - 12th: Iowa State Fair Belgian/Shire Show @ Iowa State Fair
August 15th - 18th: Percherons/Clydesdales Show @ Iowa State Fair
August 17th: Iowa State Fair Horse Pull @ Iowa State Fairgrounds
August 25th: New Virginia Driving Clinic from 10:00 to 2:00 @ New Virginia Saddle Club arena. Jim Stuart 515-971-1254
August 28 Horse pull at Mt. Pleasant
August 29 - September 2- Mid-West Old Threshers in Mt. Pleasant. Draft Horse Demonstrations each day.
Sept, 27-29 Eldon Old Iron Show, horse plowing contest on Friday, draft horse domonstrations each day.
October 6th "Iowa Farm Team Challenge" championship show 10:00 at the saddle club arena in New Virginia.
October 19th: Iowa Hand Cornhusking @ Hastings, IA , contact Jeff Christiansen 712-542-0011
October 20th: National Hand Cornhusking @ Hastings, IA