Horses big, small trot down Main St. in Zelie
ZELIENOPLE — The weekend weather was much kinder for the 53rd annual Horse Trading Days than its start on Thursday.
While part of Thursday had rain, Friday and Saturday's festivities were dry.
“It's been great from a coordinator's standpoint,” said festival organizer Matt Edwards, who is in his second year heading the large festival. “Things have run so smooth for us. We're pretty happy with the way things have gone so far.”
Horse Trading Days ends Saturday night.
More than 50 horses trotted down Main Street Friday evening for the annual Round-Up Horse Parade.
Percherons, quarter horses and mini horses were among animals showcasing the festival's roots as a sales promotion in conjunction with a horse show.
Parade organizer Mary Anne Kristophel of Evans City said, “It's very successful. People keep coming from further and further away. It's always one of the top things they (festival organizers) promote. You can tell by the crowd that comes for it.”
Kristophel said the parade also is an introduction to horses for spectators. She described the horses and where they came from as they passed by.
“It's a sample,” she said.
Natalie Savannah, 17, of Butler led the parade on her horse in patriotic fashion, carrying an American flag as the national anthem was sung.
“It's a big tradition,” said Savannah, who is queen of the North Washington Rodeo, which is in August. “I'm really excited.”
Another young horse rider made her parade debut. Bridter London, 5, of Portersville rode her mini horse, Josie, accompanied by her grandmother, Jan McClymonds.
“I'm really, really excited,” said Bridter, who plans on doing more parades.
“She's been riding since she was two,” McClymonds said. “It's a lot of fun.”
One horse attraction that has become an annual staple of the festival is John Popp of Midland and his two Percherons with a wagon in tow.
Popp said he and his horses have been coming to Horse Trading Days for five years, giving people wagon rides throughout town. By his estimates, several hundred people each day ride the wagon, which seats 20 to 25 festival goers.
“We get a heck of a crowd,” Popp said of the parade. “Every time I visit, there are a lot of people on the streets looking and watching.”
He said the wagon rides' popularity can be attributed to the Percherons' large size.
“The bigger they are, the more people they draw,” Popp said of the horses. “A lot of people see horses, but they don't see many this size.”The winners of the Mr. and Miss Horse Trading Days Pageant were also in the parade on a horse-drawn wagon.Little Mr. Ian Wahl, Little Miss Kendall Waller and Junior Miss Alexa Knapp waved to the crowds lining Main Street's sidewalks throughout the parade.Edwards said when he first became the festival's organizer about two years ago, the horse parade was one of the first features discussed among organizers and volunteers.“We did an assessment on what needs to stay and the first thing that came out of people's mouths was the horse parade,” he said. “It's a tradition and people love it.”Friday's festivities concluded with a performance by Pittsburgh funk-pop band No Bad Juju at the main stage at the corner of Main and Spring Streets.“This was one of our big changes,” Edwards said of the new stage. “Overall it's been a great success.”Saturday featured the Hot-to-Trot 5K run/walk at the Zelienople Community Park, horse-drawn wagon rides and the second annual Horse Trading Days cornhole tournament on Beaver Street.The festival ends Saturday night with a free concert by The Softwinds.
