WELLINGTON — “Look at the pony!” is the wrong thing to say to a miniature horse owner like Heather Kuepfer, who will be showing a 5-year-old miniature named Dunkin Dun It Again this year at the Lorain County Fair.

Miniature horse owners “hate that,” she said.

Commonly mistaken for ponies, these horses generally range in size from 28 to 38 inches in height and have become a favorite at the Lorain County Fair, with about 100 expected to be shown this year and perhaps even outnumbering the saddle horses.

Their origin is a bit disputed because independent breeding programs have been established on every continent, but one early account takes the horses back to 1650, where King Louis XIV kept a zoo of unusual animals, including miniature horses. What is not disputed is that these horses are adorable and always a fair favorite, according to those who love them.

The Lorain County Miniature Horse Program also will crown the Lorain County 4-H Miniature Horse Prince and Princess.

The winners of the competition, which has been going on since March, will be announced 6:30 p.m. Monday in Ring A at the Lorain County Fairgrounds with the prince and princess being the male and female who accumulate the most points through events, including showmanship, a written test on miniature horses, essay, interview, public speaking, skill-a-thon judging, sponsorship and sportsmanship.

Vying for the princess crown this year will be Heather, 17, a graduate of Keystone High School; Heather Pataky, 16, a junior at Amherst High School; Tara Smith, 15, a junior at Amherst High School; and Rachel Tipton, 17, a senior at Amherst High School and a Post-Secondary Enrollment Options student at Lorain County Community College.

For Kuepfer, this will be her third time competing. She was first runner-up last year and feels the competition is character-building.

“It shows the strength and courage of an individual who enters the competition — you can do whatever you make up your mind to do,” she said.

She has been a member of the Desperado 4-H Club for nine years and has shown Dunkin Dun It Again for five of those years. She said that they “started out as beginners together,” and that she has, “trained him, I have known him since birth.”

Kuepfer plans to attend the ATI Branch of Ohio State to study horse science.

Pataky hopes to follow in her sister’s footsteps and take home the crown that her sister won in 2006. In attempting to do so, she said she has enjoyed the entire process and is “ready to take on more responsibility.”

She believes that the interview and public speaking are her best events because they allow her to use her communication skills. She will be showing an 11-year-old named Twin Hickory’s Midnight Star.

Smith has been in 4-H for six years and is a member of the Royal Renegades Club. She will be showing her 3-year-old miniature named Grahams Blazin’ Glory.

A member of the Amherst Critters and Such 4-H Club, Tipton is showing her 2-year-old named Karla, who measures 28½ inches tall. She said when she saw Karla, she “had to get her.”

She also said that comparing miniatures horses to dogs might be a bit misguided. “Some people compare them to dogs, but they need what a big horse needs,” she said. “They are quite a bit of work.”

Her speech was on the horse-and-human relationship, and she plans to attend The Ohio State University to study veterinarian medicine.

For prince, the only contestant is Luke Hyer, 15, a junior at North Ridgeville High School. Despite being the only male, Hyer, who is also a football player for North Ridgeville, still has to compete in all of the events in order to secure the crown and score 80 percent or higher of the total possible points in order for final placement.

“No, I don’t think so,” he said when asked if he thought he would have difficulty accumulating enough points.
Hyer, who has been in 4-H for 12 years and will be showing a 2-year-old named Lollypop, said he entered the contest because he “likes to have fun with the animals” and that he enjoys hanging out with friends.

He said he likes showing the horses and did his speech on how to prepare a horse for show. Hyer, who does not have any other horses, said that he likes his horse’s “young attitude” and that she is easier to take care of than a full-size horse. He also said he likes “messing around with them (because) they are not as temperamental.”

In addition to the placement awards, winners in several of the categories will receive additional recognition. The prince and princess will be expected to represent the Miniature Horse Program in the Junior Fair Parade as well other parades and activities over the course of the year.

Contact Rob Swindell at 329-7155 or ctnews@chroniclet.com.