JULY 1, 2024 Check out the daily schedule timetable here!
Welcome to Horse Progress Days 2024
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you back to eastern Pennsylvania once again for this important event. This is where it all started, in 1994 just down the road and around a few corners. We in PA feel especially privileged to host the event for its 30th year. Once again, we will be out on the farm. We thank the Fisher family for their hospitality and for being willing to adjust their farming and family plans to accommodate us. To show our gratitude, let’s be very diligent in putting all of our trash in receptacles and not on the ground!
The purpose of Horse Progress Days is to demonstrate newly manufactured horse drawn farming equipment behind real horses in real field conditions. While this has been true from the very beginning, the event has changed over the years to make it more interesting for all of the members who live on the kinds farms that are represented; fathers, mothers and children.
As farming practices change around us, we find that we need to adjust. However, the commitment to animal traction farming remains constant. This is the defining character of this event.
In the fields you will see many different kinds of horses and mules. As you know, mules are very popular with the plain farmers in Lancaster County, its surroundings, and in farther scattered settlements. In keeping with what has now become an important tradition, each day will begin with the Pony Express, which shows the youngsters handling their ponies. Then there will be the large equipment field demonstrations; starting with manure spreaders, tillage equipment, things like sprayers, and then the haying equipment.
Things planned and carried out by the experts in their fields include homesteading seminars (rather new to Horse Progress Days, but planned by a very enthusiastic group) the homemaker seminars/workshops, produce equipment demonstrations and workshops, other seminars of interest, children’s play areas and lots of good food all day. You will want to be sure to stay for the end of the day breed presentation, tailor made for Lancaster County, and you!
If you are coming from a distance you may want to come a few days early and/or stay a few days late. There are many interesting things to see and do in Lancaster County, the Garden Spot of the world.
Drive slowly and patiently on your way to and at the event. Pay attention to the car parkers, and ride the shuttles if the walk from your car to the event is rather far. Most of all, we hope that you have a very good time and that you learn something, make a purchase of a piece of equipment, or something else that improves your lot in life to take along home with you.
Stephen Esch,
General Coordinator