That following Saturday was the Thorp Pumpkinfest. It was a beautiful day and we and Chris' sons, Doug and Christopher all went along with their puppy, Tex. Christopher is training Tex so with the big crowds it was a good experience for him. We had our picture taken in front of the banner. Tex did his long sit perfectly and behaved himself very well. We then took a ride on the wagon owned by Bernie who has a big herd of black shires. I had Christopher hold me up to one of their faces to have my picture taken. The driver's were happy to see me and made a fuss over how cute I am and that I am similar to a shire.
On October 11th I was packed up and Chris, her son Doug and myself and 40+ other plastic ponies, dogs, flamingos and llamas made the trip to New Richmond, near the Minnesota border. There was a NAN show being held there and the hall was packed! We found our table and I was put on display. After Chris and Doug got settled they announced that I was making an appearance! I was kinda' embarrassed over the fuss but it sure was fun also! For fun Doug thought to put me in an Exotic's class! So I was entered as an "Autograph Pony", play off the autograph hound, and I won first place! And a NAN card! WhooHoo! Being a celebrity certainly has its perks! LOL. Everyone seemed very pleased that I was NANed!
Chris and Doug did very well at the show, earning several NAN cards for their horses and Doug won a beautiful customized Stone Shire in the raffle! He is so proud of his new horse and has named him Raffle and even showed him and got a ribbon. So that was fun too!
After the show Chris and Doug went to the Dairy Queen (where else in Wisconsin, huh?) and treated me to a Blizzard in honor of Chris' 42nd birthday which also happened to be that day. What fun!
That week the weather was beautiful so we took Striker, Chris' miniature horse, for a long drive down the country roads. She always tries to take a ride or drive on her birthday and so this was her little celebration that I got to share in this year.
I also had my picture taken that week with the other animals. One was another form of wooley mammoth...a gigantic fuzzball of a rabbit! And these were baby bunnies! Yikes! Good thing they are vegetarians or I'd have been out of there! Actually I learned, they are French Angora rabbits that are raised for their wool. Chris cuts the wool off the rabbits that aren't being shown and spins it into yarns that makes really soft garments. There were all kinds of rabbits there and some she clipped on daily. She had gotten a bunch in from a friend that were matted and needed TLC. So within one week she went from having 10 angora rabbits to 22! There was so much wool flying that I thought it was snowing!
Then there are the chickens. I don't know if I like chickens. They bob their heads and look at me with their strange eyes. I had two try to chase me, their rooster Hawky and a hen called Rebel Hen! I ran before they could peck me!
We also visited Chris' American Cream Draft Horses. She has 5 of them, two broodmares with foals, a filly and a colt and a 3 yr. old she is training to ride. I had my picture taken with them but I had to be on one side of the fence as everyone thought they were suppose to lick me! That doesn't bode too well and their big feet would smoosh me! But we had a pleasant chat, esp. the little colt and me. He would nuzzle my withers and I wished I could reciprocate with a scratch on his but alas, I am way too short!
