2017 Chesterville Derby Trophy

•July 19, 2017•

The Belgian Draft Horse Rock Stars of the Illinois Amish Heritage Center’s Yoder house pull team in the fall of 2016 are back by popular demand.

The Chesterville Derby is 4 p.m. Friday, July 21, when eight Belgian draft horses will race two furlongs in the first draft horse race in the United States.

From the Kentucky Derby styled parade of the horses with their jockeys before the crowd, to singing of “My Old Kentucky Home” by Nashville artist Rebecca Moreland the race atmosphere builds to the run for the Chesterville Water Tower trophy. Moreland will also sing “My Old Chesterville Home” with a reference to Cadwell.

“Because of the enormous interest generated last September by the eight-horse hitch of Belgian draft horses towing the two story 1865 Moses Yoder house, we felt it important for those fans to have a second chance to see these beautiful animals at work (or play)”, said Wilmer Otto, chairman of the Illinois Amish Heritage Center. It was an idea sparked by an annual UK race of Clydesdale draft horses.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.