NORWICH – Although tractor pulls and demolition derbies are synonymous with the Chenango County Fair, Mark and Sandy Kent make their way to the fair every year to show off a completely different and much more literal kind of horse power.
For years, the Kents have traveled up and down the east coast from Maine to Florida, touring county and state fairs to show-off and possibly even sell percheron horses from their hitch team, named Sen-Diron Percherons. The team consists of 6-8 Percheron horses from Sennett Livestock Sales based in Sennett, NY and for the fifth year, these massive horses are drawing eyes upward in the horse stables at the Chenango fairgrounds.
“Once you get horses in your blood, it’s hard to get out,” said Mark Kent, who purchased the sale barn and auction business from its former owners in 1987. Kent has been immersed in horse farming since childhood. His father was a horse farmer and more recently, his son took over the business, rounding out four generations of horse farming for the Kents. “It’s always been a family function for us,” he said.
Mark Kent began showing the six-horse hitch with is father in 1996 in Perry, Ga. Since then, they have been involved with county fairs all over the east coast and worked their way to showing at larger events including the New York State Fair. “It’s an interesting life but we really enjoy what we’re doing,” said Mark Kent.
The Kents certainly have their work cut out for them keeping and feeding eight of the Goliath-sized horses. Each horse can weigh anywhere between 1,800 to 2,100 pounds, Kent explained; the tallest horse of his team measures approximately 19 hands (which translates to nearly six and a half feet from hoof to shoulders). Of course, an animal so big is no stranger to food either, Mark Kent added. Each horse eats about 20 pounds of oats and another 30-40 pounds of hay each day.
The team made its local debut in the 4-H and Firemen’s Parade Tuesday night, catching cheers and applause as it marched down East Main. “They seemed to get a nice response from the people,” noted Steve Eaton, a friend of the Kents who traveled with them to lend a helping hand. “There aren’t a lot of people who do a six-horse parade anymore,” he said. “It’s a lot of responsibility.”
Managing a large hitch can be a bit unsettling at times, added Sandy Kent. “There’s a lot of horse power there.”
While their sheer size is intimidating, percherons tend to be gentle giants, said Mark Kent. Most are like well-behaved children with differing personalities. Finding the right personality for the right position in the hitch can be a real challenge, he explained. Kent sold an entire six-horse hitch in 2007 and it’s been taxing to “start all over again,” he said.
“They’re just like people. Some are born to be leaders and some are born to be followers,” he said. “It’s not easy finding the right lead horse. They have to be smart, loyal, fearless to lead ... You have to have some horses that are in the lead that you can really trust.”
The Kents’ team of six Percheron horses, along with additional information about Sen-Diron Percheron, can be seen during the fair in the horse stable located at the west end of the fairgrounds near the grandstand area.