Brittdrafthorse2015

JUNE 26, 2015

2015 BRITT SEE THE BIG HORSES PERFORM SEPT. 4-6 AT THE HANCOCK COUNTY DISTRICT FAIRGROUNDS IN BRITT, IOWA

A PUBLICATION OF THE

C2 • FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015 • 2015 BRITT DRAFT HORSE SHOW GUIDE

BRITT NEWS TRIBUNE

Welcome

TO THE 34TH ANNUAL BRITT

DRAFT HORSE SHOW

S

trong, yet graceful, horses will be featured at the 34th Annual Britt Draft Horse Show on the Hancock County District Fairgrounds in Britt, Iowa, on Sept. 4-6, 2015.

The show will feature eighteen of the finest six-horse hitches in the United States and Canada, representing the best of the Belgian, Percheron and Clydesdale performance horses.

FILE PHOTO, Britt News Tribune

A participant in the youth competition drives a team in the competition ring.

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In today’s fast-paced world, many people do not have the ability or opportunity to relax and enjoy a weekend that reminds them of days gone by, but that opportunity exists in Britt, Iowa, every Labor Day weekend.

Thousands of spectators, young and old alike, enjoy the show each year. What better place to remember those days when horse power meant just what it sounds like. And, what better place for the kids to ask grandpa what it was like “in the old days” when they didn’t have tractors and combines. What better place than Britt, Iowa. Our nation was built with the help of these “gentle giants.” From hauling loads through the streets of those early cities on the East Coast, to

providing the necessary power to cultivate the soil of the rich farm fields of the Midwest, to helping move our population all the way to the West Coast, the draft horse grew to be fondly remembered by many.

The grandstand shows, held Saturday and Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m., provide two to three hours of entertainment for all ages. Competition is held in the men’s and ladies’ cart, team, unicorn, 4-horse and 6-horse hitch classes. At the Sunday afternoon show, all eighteen 6-horse hitches return to the arena at once in the Classic Series Supreme Six-Horse Hitch Class. The weekend events also include junior classes and halter classes.

See WELCOME, C3

Welcome y’all to the 34TH Annual Britt Draft Horse Show

63 Main Ave. South, Britt, Iowa 641-843-3570

BRITT NEWS TRIBUNE

2015 BRITT DRAFT HORSE SHOW GUIDE • FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015 • C3

WELCOME From C2 The Britt Draft Horse Show is one of the recognized qualifying shows for the North American Six-Horse Hitch Classic Series. Each year, more than 175 six-horse hitches across the United States and Canada compete at state and county fairs and agricultural exhibitions throughout North America to accumulate points for the Classic Series. At the end of the series, the four highest point hitches in each of three breed classifications are invited to compete at the North American Six-Horse Hitch Classic Series Final Championship. The show was first organized in 1982 when a group of local draft horse enthusiasts felt this would be an interesting and unique type of performance for this area of North Iowa. With the help of two local industries who helped design and build the portable stalls for the horses, the first show was held Labor Day weekend, 1982, at the Hancock County Fairgrounds in Britt, Iowa.

Planning for the 2015 show began in September 2014 following the close of the successful 33rd annual

show on Labor Day weekend. The show sponsor, the Britt Draft Horse Association, depends on the help and support of local and area businesses, organizations and individuals who provide monetary support and hundreds of hours in donated time to put together one of the finest draft horse hitch shows in North America.

The Britt Draft Horse Show is featured in the video, “Gentle Giants: Window to Our Heritage,” funded in part by a grant from the Iowa Humanities Board and the National Endowment for the Humanities. For many North Iowans and others from a rural background, the draft horse is a symbol of their heritage. But, the era that the draft horse represents is one that has come and gone in less than a century. This video is a window to that heritage.

It combines scenes from the show with footage of the way it was when draft horses were used to work the farms.

Celebrating the 34th annual Britt Draft Horse Show in 2015, the show continues to feature eighteen of the finest 6-horse

hitches in North America.

The 2015 show will feature some of the best Belgian, Percheron, and Clydesdale hitches traveling from homes in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Oklahoma, Missouri and Wisconsin.

The fairgrounds open at 7 a.m. each day and the public is invited to come early to have a chance to wander through the barns and visit with the crews. Spectators are also invited to visit the commercial building with booths offering everything from souvenir T-shirts and commemorative belt buckles for the show, to model hitches, ceramics and gift items, paintings

and prints, livestock equipment and many other items of interest. Food is available on the grounds and camping facilities are also available.

Admission for Friday is $2 for adults and $1 for children. Admission for Saturday and Sunday is $8 for adults, $1 for children age 6 through 12 and children age 5 and under are free. This unique event draws thousands of spectators from all over the Midwest. Most leave Sunday’s show with the vow “this was great...we will be back!” There is not another show to compare with this annual gathering of the very best!

SHOW FACTS Here are a few facts about draft horses and the draft horse show.

■ Cannons are the area between the hocks and

fetlocks. Hock is the joint midway down the rear leg.

It’s the equivalent of a human ankle. The fetlock is the joint just above the hoof.

■ When people refer to a horse’s withers, that’s the

highest point on the horse’s back, located at the end of the mane or neck.

■ The croup is the highest part of the horse’s rump.

■ When fans talk about the first draft horse show,

they may know that Dave and Linda Adams of Britt were the first winners.

■ Cape Cod Percherons has had some good suc-

cess at the show. It has won at least eight of the competitions.

■ The average weight of a Clydsdale is 1,700 to

2,200 pounds.

Welcome to the 34th Britt Draft Horse Show

Britt City Council - l - r: Curt Gast, Chad Luecht, Mike Ostercamp, City Clerk - Michelle Anderson, Deputy Clerk - Darcy Eisenman Dwight Leerar, Mayor - Marv Hillenga, Jay Ryerson

Whether it’s watching hitches compete, visiting with draft horse owners or visiting our unique shops and museums, the Draft Horse Show provides a fun-filled weekend away.

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Marvin Hillenga, Mayor of Britt Michelle Anderson, City Clerk; Darcy Eisenman, Deputy Clerk

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C4 • FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015 • 2015 BRITT DRAFT HORSE SHOW GUIDE

Single Cart:

BRITT NEWS TRIBUNE

The competition classes

since they do most of the pulling. The middle team is called the swing team and the team in front is called the lead team.

(In the four-hitch the swing team is eliminated). The lead team usually consists of the smaller and faster horses as they must travel a greater distance when the hitch is making a turn. In judging the combined hitches, the manner of going is of prime importance. The harness and wagon and conformation of the horses is taken into consideration, but they are not as important as how well the horses work. All the horses should be pulling equally so that all of the traces are tight, thus the skill of the driver is very important.

The single cart had many uses.

Farmers used it to take their produce to market; their wives used it as well to do their shopping or to go for an afternoon visit. It was also used for exercising stallions on breeding farms, so it is sometimes called a stud cart.

In judging the cart horse class (as well as all the harness classes), the judge takes into consideration both the conformation of the horse as well as its manner of going. A cart horse should have a good fast snappy trot and carry its head up, thus looking alert. When the judge calls for a walk, it should come down to a good flat-footed walk and stand quietly when at a stop.

Youth Competition

2-Horse Draft Team

In judging the team classes, the judge is looking for a team that works FILE PHOTO, Britt News Tribune well together. They should be closely Dean and Alli Woodbury of Winchester, Indiana, wait for their turn to compete. The matched as to their conformation and Woodburys are part of Blue Ribbon Farms of Farmington, Missouri. manner of going. In fact, they should come as close to working as one horse as is possible. being no sidewards pull.

This class is judged on conformation Playing a very important part in the of the horses, manner of going and a early days were beautiful four- and sixsmall percentage for equipment. This When the team couldn’t quite pull horse hitches as they were being used for class takes a skilled driver as the lead the load or would get stuck in the mud, show work about the cities, especially on horse must stay ahead of the team. On an extra horse was added to help the a brewery wagon. They were also used the other hand, he must not have to pull for the hauling chores on dray wagons. team out, thus adding an extra bit of horse power. This was called a unicorn. the whole load either. The team must Another team was added as more horse be well-matched in size and manner of The advantage of having the one horse power was needed. The team hitched going, and the lead horse, in particular, in the lead is that all the power is being directly to the wagon is called the wheel or pole team. They are usually the largest should be stylish and well-mannered. used to pull the wagon ahead, there

4- and 6-Horse Hitch

The Unicorn Hitch

The art of showmanship is such that the earlier you start, the better you will become. Many of our Youth Groomer and Youth Showmanship competitors started before they were even 10 years old. It takes a lot of practice at home in grooming and handling the horses before these Youth competitors reach the level of competence you see in these classes.

In the Youth Groomer competition, the young people braid the mane, tie the tail and decorate the horse. They then show the horse to the judge in the show ring in the Youth Showmanship competition. Our youth today are the teamsters of the future. There are three classes at the Britt Draft Horse Show for them to display their driving ability: the Youth Cart Class with a single horse, the Youth Team Class with two horses and the Amateur 4-Horse Class with four horses.

BRITT NEWS TRIBUNE

2015 BRITT DRAFT HORSE SHOW GUIDE • FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015 • C5

SHOW’S QUALITY, SUPPORT MAKES COMPETITORS RETURN YEARLY ALLISON ULLMANN 2015 Draft Horse Guide

BRITT - Tom Maher had a simple response when asked why he likes coming back to the Britt Draft Horse Show.

“It’s just fun,” Maher said in 2014 about the annual show, which ran through Aug. 31 at the Hancock County Fairgrounds.

“There’s nice support, it’s a nice facility and the people treat you darn good up here,” he said.

Maher is with Double M Belgians out of Delmar. He said their group has been coming to Britt since the beginning of the draft show.

The Britt show, an invitational show, has 18 hitches again this year.

Maher said the competition level is always high.

“It’s pretty cool to get 18 hitches here who are at this level of competition,” he said.

Many of the hitches compete against each other year after year, Kendra Bovard of Precision Percherons in Ava, Missouri, said.

“Britt has such a great tradition that everyone likes to get to come here.

The competition is always really tough,” she said.

Though Maher said those working on the other hitches are more than just competitors.

“They’re good friends and good competitors.

That’s what it’s all about,” he said.

Mary Maker of Maker Farms in Strawberry Point agrees.

“The competitors are so See RETURN, C6

FILE PHOTO, Britt News Tribune

Dale McMain, a competitor, washes a horse during the 2014 show.

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C6 • FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015 • 2015 BRITT DRAFT HORSE SHOW GUIDE

RETURN From C5 friendly. When it comes time to compete, we’re in there to win. But as soon as it’s over, we’re happy again,” she said.

Bovard enjoys seeing many of the same competitors and friends “Britt is a great at the different shows. town. They make “We all get along pretty well. you feel welcome.

On the show circuit, we see each And they make it other throughout the summer. It’s kind of like a big family,” she said such a pleasure about the draft horse people. to come back. We It’s not just the competitors enjoy being here who are friendly. Bovard said every year.” the people of Britt make it easy to keep coming back. “Britt is a Kendra Bovard great town. They make you feel welcome. And they make it such a pleasure to come back.

We enjoy being here every year,” she said. Maker said the members of the Britt Draft Horse Association are also very accommodating.

“The draft horse committee and the chamber take care of the competitors. The committee members work very hard to try to get the shows on,” she said.

Dale McMain of Double M Belgians appreciates all of the work the association members do for the competitors.

“The committee members take the time to put all of this on. They do so much and it’s all behind the scenes,” he said. The committee members were extra busy in 2014 on the Friday night getting the show ring ready for Saturday’s competition. Thursday’s rain left the horse show ring too wet for Friday’s youth competition. That competition had been pushed back until Saturday and Sunday.

Bovard had hoped for better conditions for the shows on Saturday and Sunday.

“It’s hard on the equipment and the horses when they’re knee deep in mud,” she said.

More rain was forecasted for that Friday night but the competitors knew the committee members work to have the shows go on as scheduled. “It’s always stressful thinking about the weather. But the show’s committee goes above and beyond,” Bovard said. “If there’s rain, they’re out there working in the arena. They try to make the ring as good as they can.”

BRITT NEWS TRIBUNE

Show Schedule Friday September 4 ■ 7 a.m. – Gates Open ■ 6 p.m. – Youth & Amateur Show

Saturday September 5 ■ 7 a.m. – Gates Open ■ 9 a.m. – Youth Groomer & Youth

Showmanship Classes

■ 10 a.m. – Halter Classes for Hitch

Horses: 4 yrs. & younger, 5 yrs. & older, and pairs

■ 2 p.m. – Draft Horse Grandstand

Show: Featuring Ladies’ Cart, Men’s Cart, Unicorn, 2-4 Horse Hitches, Classic Series 6-Horse Hitch

Sunday September 6 ■ 7 a.m. – Gates Open ■ 10 a.m. – Church Service ■ 2 p.m. – Draft Horse Grandstand

FILLE PHOTO, Britt News Tribune

Show: Featuring Ladies’ Cart, Men’s Cart; Unicorn, 2-4 Horse Hitches, Classic Series 6-Horse Hitch

Two competitors pass by the crowd.

Friday September 4

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BRITT NEWS TRIBUNE

2015 BRITT DRAFT HORSE SHOW GUIDE • FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015 • C7

DRAFT HORSE ASSOCIATION APPRECIATES YEARS OF SUPPORT The Britt Draft Horse Association would like to welcome everyone to the 34th annual Britt Draft Horse Show from Sept. 4-6 at the Hancock County Fairgrounds in Britt, Iowa. The show will again feature 18 of the finest Belgian, Percheron, Clydesdale and Shire six-horse hitches in the U.S. and Canada.

The Britt Draft Horse Association would like to thank everyone who helped in any way to make this show a great tradition in Britt.

Thank you to the original board members, area draft horse enthusiasts and businesses who originally sponsored the first show on Labor Day weekend

in 1982.

Thank you to the hitches and crews and families. Your performance in the competition each year really make this show an annual gathering of the very best.

Thank you to the Hancock County Ag Society for the use of the Hancock County District Fairgrounds. The fairgrounds are a great place to have this show each year.

Thank you to all those individuals, businesses and organizations who have helped support the show financially, as well as by providing hundreds of hours in donated time to put together and promote the show.

We appreciate all you have done

Welcome to the 34th Annual Britt Draft Horse Show

to make this one of the finest draft horse hitch shows in North America.

Thank to you to all the spectators who attend the show each year. We have welcomed many of you to several shows over the years. Some of you we have welcomed to all of the prior shows.

We look forward to seeing you again this year.

If you have never attended the show, we extend a special invitation to you to join us and become a part of our show family. The Britt Draft Horse Association looks forward to celebrating the annual Britt Draft Horse Show and continuing the tradition for many years to come.

FILE PHOTO, Britt News Tribune

The Britt Draft Horse Association appreciates the support of the fans.

WELCOME TO BRITT, HOME OF THE Britt Draft Horse Show

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BRITT NEWS TRIBUNE

Big horses, big appetites It takes a lot of food to fill up a 2,000 pound horse.

When not in the show ring at the Britt Draft Horse Show it is common to see the gentle giants nibbling on hay or chomping on some oats.

The reason for all of the food is so horses can look and perform at their best.

“We start the horses out in May on a high protein and high vitamin level diet because we are driving them every day,” said Jerry Maker of Maker Farms. “They are just like a body builder you have to eat the right things to keep them in shape.”

Maker’s Belgians eat double the amount of a normal-sized horse.

“They have a lot of body to keep going,” he said.

Shaun Bovard starts feeding his Percheron hitch a special diet in March to get the desired look of a big, strong horse.

“It’s just like a football player,” Bovard said.

FILE PHOTO, Britt News Tribune

Mitchell Maher gets a bale of hay for the horses during the 2014 Britt Draft Horse Show.

“They eat a lot of protein and energy and then they go work. They don’t want to tear their body down, they want to build it up.”

WELCOME

Bovard of Precision Percherons in Ava, Missouri, feeds his horses grass hay and a custom pellet mix. The mix is a

combination of soybean meal, minerals and oats.

“We feed about eight gallons of grain a day per horse,” he said.

“Morning, noon, evening and night.”

The extensive diet regimen would not be effective if the horses weren’t working hard in the show ring every day.

“You are pushing them harder to get more out of them,” said Chester Mast of Rock Creek Belgians.

“You up the intake of feed to do that.”

Dale McMain of Double M Belgians feeds his horses alfalfa and four gallons of oats on average per day. He adds minerals and salt to boost nutritional value.

“Some people feed a lot of supplements, but we don’t,” McMain said.

It’s common for a draft horse to eat a 45- to 50-pound bale of hay in one day.

Whatever the amount horses typically eat, the idea is to keep diets very similar throughout the show season.

“As much as possible, everything stays the same,” McMain said. “We want to keep the horses comfortable and keep them from adapting all the time.”

Competitors carry food in semi-trailers brought to the show so that the horse can maintain a regular routine.

“Our trailer allows us to be self contained,” McMain said. “We can fit everything on there and don’t have to bring two or three units.”

Many of the hitches said they give horses as much water as they want.

Depending on variables, a rough estimate puts water consumption anywhere between 25 and 40 gallons each day.

Sara Biren of Biren Family Belgians said during the hot summer show season, it’s important to keep the horses well hydrated.

“Water is a huge factor and we put electrolytes in it just like Gatorade,” See APPETITES, C9

Welcome to the 34th Britt Draft Horse Show

Welcome to Britt’s 34th Annual Draft Horse Show

to the 34th Britt Draft Horse Show

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2015 BRITT DRAFT HORSE SHOW GUIDE • FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015 • C9

HORSES TRAIN LIKE TOP ATHLETES fit so they can go out in 2015 Draft Horse Guide this kind of heat.”

Lori Hemmersbach of BRITT - Many colHemmersbach Perchelege football teams rons out of Wisconsin take the field on the said it’s important to start Saturday of Labor Day weekend just as the draft the training slowly.

“You have to ease them horses take to the show into it, work your way up arena at the Britt Draft and keep conditioning,” Horse Show. she said.

“The horses learn to That conditioning is work together just like important as the horses a football team learns to head into the jam-packed work in sync and know summer show schedule. everyone’s role,” FreeThe “horses are defiman Yoder said. Yoder nitely in shape” by the has driven Young Living Percherons out of Utah in Britt show, Hemmersbach prior draft horse compe- said, because “we run FILE PHOTO, Britt News Tribune them pretty hard from the titions in Britt.

Cadee Miller of Steffen Belgians puts flowers in a horse’s end of June.”

The road to the show mane before competition in 2013.

“Kind of like an atharena “started a long time lete, you have to keep ago” for these top aththem running,” she said. letes, he said.

Many of the hitches Spring training helped have competed in a numbuild their muscles up ber of shows over the and got them “worksummer. Teams put a lot ing together as a unit,” of work into getting the Yoder said. horses ready before each Renee Brown of Plum show. That work continCreek Percherons out of Illinois also started work- ued at the Britt show.

The horses were ing with the horses early washed the day before last spring. The early the show. Crews of five to training schedule helps 10 members then got to them get the horses into work grooming, vacuumpeak physical condition. ing, brushing, shining, “You have to get the horses in shape,” she said. braiding, painting feet and harnessing the horses “Just like an athlete, you have to start getting them See TRAIN, C10 ALLISON ULLMANN

APPETITES From C8 Biren said.

During the hot days it’s also important to monitor food consumption.

“They will probably eat whatever you put in front of them,” she said. “You have to be careful so they don’t become sick.”

Eric Martinson of Shining Star Percherons in Altoona pays close attention to individual horses diet needs to ensure sickness doesn’t happen. If a horse needs to bulk up or has a stomach problem, he provides the right nutrition.

“It is very specialized,” he said. “Some horses will get fat if they need to

“It’s just like a football player. They eat a lot of protein and energy and then they go work. They don’t want to wear their body down, they want to build it up.”

Shaun Bovard grow and others will get supplements.”

After the season, the competitors wean the horses off special diets and resume more of a normal feeding schedule.

“We turn our horses out to pasture,” Maker said. “I think they like that.”

Welcome to the 34th Britt Draft Horse Show

AG MUSEUM Welcome to the DRAFT HORSE SHOW!

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C10 • FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015 • 2015 BRITT DRAFT HORSE SHOW GUIDE

Washing a draft horse wagon.

BRITT NEWS TRIBUNE

TRAIN From C9 a couple hours before the show.

Yoder said the effort the teams put into getting the horses ready “shows in the show ring.”

“The guys back in the barn have just as much to do with the results as the guy in the seat,” he said.

“They have a bigger part than they get credit for.”

Those crews must also deal with the challenge of keeping the horses hydrated and cool before the shows. That was especially important with the hot weather the area experienced in 2014.

Brown said the heat definitely affects the horses.

“It zaps them,” she said.

“The heat and humidity is hard on them.”

She said they try to limit how many classes they do a day when it’s hot. Fans and water are also important in helping the horses handle the heat.

“When they come back from the ring, we hook them up and turn the fans directly on them to cool them down as much as possible,” she said.

“We keep them hydrated with lots of water,” Brown said.

The horses can drink anywhere from 10 to 20 gallons of water a day, she said.

Hemmersbach said they also add electrolytes to the water to help the horses

even more.

“It’s kind of like Gatorade, it makes sure they have enough salt and vitamins,” she said. “When they start sweating like today, we want to make sure they have enough nutrients.”

Yoder said the horses don’t let the heat bother them once they get into the ring.

“The horses are so trained that they have their game faces on and they know when they hit the show ring that they have to give it their all,” he said.

“Like all good athletes, they will give it all they got no matter the temperature.”

Welcome to the 34 Annual Britt Draft Horse Show th

Front row: Phyllis Schutjer, Susan Dietrich, Amy Madson, Laurie Burgardt, Ericka Johnson, Brandi Hadacek. Back Row: Jane Swenson, Linda Helsey, Eric Newton, Jordan Savoy, Misty Powers, Doug Weiland. Absent: Jan Nelson, Amber Hildman

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2015 BRITT DRAFT HORSE SHOW GUIDE • FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015 • C11

BRITT IS A PLACE TO CALL HOME

More than a century of small town living and friendly faces makes Britt, Iowa, a place to come home to.

As you visit Britt during the annual draft horse show, the community invites you to take a look at what Britt has to offer.

For history buffs, the town dates back to 1870 when a depot was built on the south side of the railroad tracks going through the area. This depot was named Britt after one of the railroad employees. Britt became an official town in 1878.

At that time, it consisted of 14 blocks. From a small and humble beginning came a town both locals and hobos have come to call home.

Every town has a history rich in tradition and hometown values. For members of this small community, a sense of pride and heritage is what makes its annual celebrations one-ofa-kind events including the National Hobo Convention that happens the second weekend

several years including a conversion to private patient rooms and areas for expanded specialty services.

FILE PHOTO, Britt News Tribune West Hancock Schools’ elementary and high school are in Britt.

The middle school is in The city has a stateof-the-art aquatic center, Kanawha. Students are part of a one-to-one a nine-hole golf course laptop initiative as well and other city parks as given opportunities for picnics and outdoor to participate in fine arts activities. and athletics.

Hancock County Have a great time at Health System with Hanthe draft horse show and cock County Memorial spend some time visitHospital is based in ing our businesses and Britt. The hospital other features while you has undergone major are here. upgrades in the past

The Easter Bunny arrives by fire truck each year for the annual Easter Egg Hunt in Britt.

in August.

When the Britt Draft Horse Show rolls around everyone in the community gets involved with the celebration including Britt businesses.

Britt’s hometown celebrations are just a few of the examples of how the residents of this progressive community and those who live in Hancock County work together to improve the lives of everyone.

The community of Britt offers a rich and

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proud tradition and also a vibrant and bustling business and industrial base.

Shoppers delight in all the local shops have to offer. From restaurants with hometown cooking to specialty shops, there are businesses in Britt to meet just about every need. Businesses provide quality service without the hassles of big town crowds and driving.

Small business owners and large industries have cooperated to make sure the community thrives

and is attractive to newcomers and visitors while also serving the needs of residents.

The Britt Industrial Corporation was organized in 1957. Its goal is to continue to improve the community of Britt by attracting new industry and business and assisting with existing businesses and industry.

It’s not just business and industry that make Britt thrive but also its parks and other amenities.

WELCOME TO BRITT, HOME OF THE 34TH BRITT DRAFT HORSE SHOW! Enjoy your stay & make plans to return next year!

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C12 • FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015 • 2015 BRITT DRAFT HORSE SHOW GUIDE

BRITT NEWS TRIBUNE

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