FARMINGTON — Ryan Glover checked the gear on Sis, an 8-year-old Welsh pony, on Monday morning as he waited their turn in the pulling ring.

Glover, 17, of Mexico took the day off from school to go with his family and their horses to the Farmington Fair to compete.

Monday was the second day of the fair. Neal Yeaton, secretary of the Franklin County Agricultural Society, said attendance was better than last year for Sunday’s opening day. So far, the events and activities have gone well, Yeaton said.

Glover gave a last tug on Sis’s bridle to make sure it was secure.

The pony would pull a large log through an obstacle course in an event called the farmer’s horse twitching. Sis’ pulling partner, Don, a 10-year-old Welsh pony, would sit this event out. Together the pair weighs 1,335 pounds. A pair of the family’s horses seemed to tower above the ponies standing next to them. Tom, 13, and Jim, 6, weigh about 3,000 pounds combined. Tom would also do the single log twitch.

The Glovers use their horses in the woods to drag out logs so Sis was used to the exercise. They’ve already participated in pulling events during the fair circuit this year.

Sis is basically a pasture horse, said Glover, a sophomore at Mountain Valley High School. “We start them when they are 3,” Glover said. “You pull on the reins to slow them down or steer them.”

You have to have patience when you work with horses, he said.

“They know when you’re upset . . .  The nicer you are to them, the better they will cooperate,” Glover said. “It’s fun. I took a day off from school to come here.”

There are not as many horse pulling events as there used to be, he said. The family had previously entered horses into the professional classification but now they just compete in the farmers’ pulling events.

It was time for the twitch to begin.

The announcer explained the points. For every wooden cone knocked over, they would get 10 points. For every cone the horse touched but didn’t knock over, it would be five points. Zero points is a perfect twitch, but speed is also a factor in winning.

“It’s just fun to see how good they maneuver the horses through the course,” bystander Don Pease of Jay said as he watched Glover and Sis go through.

It’s about who can do it in the shortest time and who knocks down the fewest cones.

Sis knocked down some cones as she weaved through the course but kept on going with the log dragging behind her and Glover trying to guide her. Glover held onto the reins as he tried to steer her clear of the cones.

By the time he was done, Glover had a smile on his face. The pair received 78 points in a time of 2.44 minutes.

“I guess it was good for me,” Glover said. “I tried to slow her down but these guys move so fast.”

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Farmington Fair Senior Citizens Day Schedule for Tuesday, Sept. 22

 9 p.m. – 6 p.m.: Western Maine Blacksmiths

10 a.m.- 6 p.m.: Wester Maine Beekeepers

10 a.m.: Steer and oxen pull

10:30 a.m.: Exhibition of best oxen and steer teams; exhibition registered cattle

11 a.m.: Dedications at Red School House for former students, Lt. Earl
Ellsworth and PFC. Robert DeRoche, who died in World War II, and former
substitute teacher, Mildred Ross.

12 p.m. – 2 p.m.: Barry Wood

12:30 p.m.: Best and best matched oxen and steers

1 p.m.: Steer and oxen pull open to world

1 p.m.: Baking competition

2 p.m.: Midway opens

2 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Debbie Myers

2 p.m.: Para Mutual Racing

4 p.m. – 6 p.m.: The Crosby’s

6 p.m. – 7 p.m.: Lori Pelletier

7 p.m. – 9 p.m.: Atlas Pro Wrestling

Ryan Glover, 17, of Mexico, tries to guide Sis, an 8-year-old Welsh pony dragging a log, through an obstacle course Monday in the pulling ring at the Farmington Fair.

Ryan Glover, 17, of Mexico, smiles as he holds on to the reins of Sis, an 8-year-old Welsh pony, on Monday as she drags a log through an obstacle course in the pulling ring at the Farmington Fair.

Ryan Glover, 17, of Mexico and Sis, an 8-year-old Welsh pony, rest after the farmers log twitching event Monday at the Farmington Fair.