LITCHFIELD — The youth horse show was one of the many agriculture-related events Saturday at the annual Litchfield Fair, which kicked off Friday and continues through Sunday. 

Emi Jensen, 8, of Pittston rode her Shetland pony, Sparkles, through the obstacle course in the horse show ring, while her 6-year-old brother, Thomas, watched from atop the family’s blonde Haflinger horse, Gypsy, following his turn in the ring.

Dorothy Jensen, 13, rides Question Mark during Saturday’s youth horse show at the Litchfield Fair as judge Bob McDonald observes in the background. Keith Edwards/Kennebec Journal

Their mom, Liz Jensen, held onto Gypsy with a lead line and cheered on Emi on her pony, which was dwarfed by the large horses and older girls who rode in the event.

The petite girl, on her likewise petite equine, took home the sportsmanship award, netting a bucket and brush for Sparkles, and prize money for their show of sportsmanship.

Emi and her siblings competed in several judged youth horse show events, including pleasure riding, the egg and spoon contest, and trail riding — which saw youths and their mounts weave through an obstacle course.

Liz Jensen with her son, Thomas, 6, on the family’s horse Gypsy, take part in Saturday’s youth horse show at the Litchfield Fair. The fair continues on Sunday. Keith Edwards/Kennebec Journal

“They all started on horses,” Liz Jensen said of her children, Emi, Thomas and 13-year-old Dorothy Jensen, who competed with 15-year-old quarter horse, Question Mark. “But riding on the pony, Emi can be independent and ride on her own, with someone on a lead line for safety.”

When Thomas competed, he wore a helmet and steered the horse with its reigns as Liz Jensen walked alongside holding onto a lead line in case she needed to take control of Gypsy.

The Pittston siblings all started riding around 4 years old, and their family has three other horses on their farm, Morton Brook Ranch. Their father raises grass-fed cattle and Dorothy collects eggs from their chickens to sell at farmers markets.

Their horses are not just for horse shows, they are also part of the family’s homeschool curriculum, assisting with science lessons such as biology, physical education, and field trips in nature while trail riding.

Dorothy Jensen said she does chores including caring for their horses every day, and rides three or four times a week, usually for about an hour.

“I’ve always really liked horses, even when I was little,” she said. “You really get to connect with the animals.”

She said Question Mark, named after a question mark shape on his face, is a very calm horse which helps at events at fairgrounds where there are lots of distractions and noises. Dorothy also said he loves her.

Lilah Ryan rides Harley on Saturday in the 18 and under division of barrel racing at the Litchfield Fair. Barrel racing is a where horse and rider maneuver around three barrels in a cloverleaf pattern, aiming for the fastest time without knocking over any barrels. Ryan won the division. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Other features of the fair this year include pulling events, from massive horses to miniature horses, beef and dairy cattle shows, and pig races and scrambles.

Amanda Smith of Litchfield, a fair director with numerous family members involved with the fair, said Friday’s turnout was good and the good weather is expected to remain strong for the rest of the weekend.

Sunday’s highlights are expected to include a demolition derby in the morning, pig racing and pig scrambles, a draft horse show, an antique car parade, and kiddie pedal tractor pull.

“It’s like old home days. You see people you haven’t seen since, maybe, last year’s fair,” said Smith, whose husband’s grandfather, Richard C. Smith, was fair president for 26 years.

Sarah Chadbourne of West Gardiner has worked the microphone at the horse show for some 20 years, starting well before Saturday’s competitors were even born.

Lilah Ryan rides Harley on Saturday in the 18-and-under division of barrel racing at the Litchfield Fair. Barrel racing involves a horse and rider maneuvering around three barrels in a cloverleaf pattern, aiming for the fastest time without knocking over any barrels. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Chadbourne said she usually demonstrates, on foot, not on horse, how horse show competitors are supposed to go through the obstacle course but this year, due to a broken ankle, she could not. Amanda Smith filled in for her, doing her best galloping, on foot, through the course, as Chadbourne urged her on by saying, on the mic, “Trot, trot, trot.”

The youth horse show judge, Bob McDonald of North Berwick, said he’s been judging such shows since the 1980s. He said some classes are judged on how the horse performs, others are more focused on the riders and some, like the egg and spoon event where competitors carry an egg in a spoon as they ride, are just for fun.

He said precautions are taken at fairs to ensure horses are vaccinated and tested before they are allowed onto fairgrounds for events.

Miller Amusements provided the midway rides for the fair, while numerous food vendors sold sausages, fries, seafood, fried dough, pies, wraps, burgers and other fair fare.