Mules ignore mud at East Perry Co. Community Fair

Friday night's storms may have caused the cancellation of Saturday's horse show at the East Perry County Community Fair and resulted in sloppy fields and fairgrounds, but the mud didn't bother Bucky a bit.

Bucky, a brown mule standing 47 inches tall and led by Dennis Miller of Scott City, jumped a barrier several inches taller than he is to win the 26th annual mule jumping competition, his fourth win in a row at the event, which is the fair's most popular draw.

"The little mules usually end up jumping higher than the bigger ones," said Delbert Smith as he watched the competition from the grandstand.

The mules are split into three classes depending on height, then led on a long lead rope by their owner over a barrier that's raised each time the mules jump successfully.

The fence is designed to come apart under pressure so the mules won't get injured. In the case of a knockdown, they get a second chance to clear the obstacle.

Earlier in the day, tractors with blades were used to scrape the mud back enough to give the mules a fairly firm surface on which to jump.

The competition recalls the practice of riding mules while hunting raccoons. The rider would dismount and lead the mule over any fences they came across.

Becky Menees said she uses her 18-year-old white mule, Snowball, who tied for second and third place Saturday, for raccoon hunting. Snowball's been doing it so long Menees will tie the hounds to her saddle and let them run along beside her.

Menees' other mule, Tex, has been competing at the fair in Altenburg for about 24 of the 26 years the contest has been around.

"He's done this all his life," Menees said.

Menees said she's shown horses and livestock her whole life, but until she moved to Scott City from Tennessee, she hadn't even heard of jumping mules.

Generally favored over certain terrain because they are smarter and more sure-footed than horses, mules will jump in the mud, but sometimes they'll move slower after several jumps than on drier ground, Menees said.

The mule jumping contest at the Perry County fair began as a mule pulling contest, but 26 years ago they decided to hold a mule jump instead.

"It's been growing every year," said Charlie Mangels, who has served as the official contest announcer since the first year it was held.

Mangels peppers the contest with stories about each mule, and he never forgets any of the returning competitors.

"We call this one the beauty queen because she's so pretty -- but she knows why she's here," Mangels said as a sorrel mule named Dinah June, led by Curt Bronenkant, cleared a height of 46 inches.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 122

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