Dick Sparrow - 40 Horse Hitch, and Neil Dimmock's 46 Percherons

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Here's a clip of Dick Sparrow driving 40 horses. It's an amazing sight, particularly when the shot changes to show the team from the rear and you get the great incongruity of modern American corporate architecture as a background to the wagon and horses. I love the anticipation in the video: the sense of something amazing being just round the corner is palpable.



Thanks to Christina Wilsdon for telling me about this world record 46 Percheron hitch (alas just stills) but you get the idea.

Comments

Braymere said…
Funny you should post this today. I attended the Draft Horse Show at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado yesterday and there was a moment of silence for Dick Sparrow. Also, a lot of the drafters wore a ribbon on their hames in honor of his memory.
22 January 2011 at 16:25
Anonymous said…
i had to find out about the family and more of the 40 horse hitch..original 40..as my grandmother lived by them and was a friend of "Dick" Sparrow and i remember him signing a hat for her when i was a child and came to the farm to see the horses and rode on the "bandwagon" that day! I will never forget this and as i saw the commercial on super bowl it brought back those memories and i hope the family and the horses that had followed in their steps are all doing well..WHAT A FANTASTIC MEMORY OF YOU ALL! so sweet and special..if you only knew!we still have the hat and treasure ALL OF IT!!







4 March 2013 at 06:22
Unknown said…
It's too bad Neil Dimmock is even included with Dick Sparrow. Neil uses running W's to yank his young horses hoofs out from under them when he trains them to drive. I've seen the videos.
6 July 2022 at 21:18
Jane Badger said…
Do you have links for these? It's concerning if so and obviously I will amend the blog if you can provide the evidence.
8 July 2022 at 09:17
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