World Percheron Congress Thunders Into Des Moines in October

Congress isn’t just for Quarter horses any more: the World Percheron Congress is headed to Des Moines, Iowa on October 8-13! Here’s a sneak peak at what you can expect.

All photos courtesy of World Percheron Congress with permission.

The Iowa State Fairgrounds will play host to the 2018 World Percheron Congress, welcoming over 800 Percheron draft horses. If you do the math, that’s about 1.6 million pounds of horse.

World Percheron Congress takes place every four years and rotates its location to bring an incredible traveling show of world-class draft horse performances all over the country (in 2014, the Congress took place in Massachusetts). With a central Midwest location in 2018, attendees can expect the best in the breed to converge in Iowa to compete for $140,000 in prize money and the illustrious title of World Champion.

The Congress is much more than a “typical” draft horse show, which usually includes both halter and hitch classes for show- and farm-type horses. While World Percheron Congress does include halter classes for all sexes and age divisions, plus both show hitches, the prize list also includes pulling, plowing, feed team races, log drags, under saddle classes, the famous Percheron barrel racing and more. Friday and Saturday spotlight a youth show, and Saturday afternoon features the Drive 4 the Cure Charity Cart Class, benefiting the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Show hitches start with single cart classes all the way up to the feature eight-horse hitches on Saturday night.

Exhibitors are expected from all over the country plus Canadian provinces. A vendor area will feature all things draft horse, and the Young Living Exhibition Hitch will wow spectators with daily physics-defying performances.

For more information about the World Percheron Congress, please visit the show’s website!