The family of the late George Barhorst, daughter Elaine Honerlaw, wife Helen, daughter Annette Baker, son Don Barhorst and daughter Cynthia Plas with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine after George was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Courtesy photo
By Melanie Speicher
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FORT LORAMIE — A hobby for two brothers from Fort Loramie has led them to the Ohio State Fair Hall of Fame.
Ted Barhorst and the late George Barhorst were inducted into the Hall of Fame during the 2023 Ohio State Fair. The brothers are internationally known for their Belgian Draft Horses.
The brothers were nominated for the award by Ron Mack, Ohio State Fair Draft Horse superintendent. He nominated them in 2019, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, no one was elected into the Hall of Fame. He renominated them for the award this year.
In his nomination letter, Mack wrote that the brothers had been involved with showing and breeding the Belgian Draft Horses for more than 58 years.
“The Barhorst family has been raising registered Belgian Draft Horses since 1926,” Mack wrote. “Ted’s (and George’s) father, Urban, and Uncle Joe imported two Belgian stallions from Belgium; one in 1934 and the other in 1938. Urban and Joe were always trying to improve their herd. Ted and his brother, George, continue to follow in their father and uncle’s footsteps today.”
The elder Barhorsts first came to the Ohio State Fair in the 1930s. Ted and George came to the fair for the first time in 1949. Ted was six years old, while older brother George was eight. Both brothers helped their dad and uncle with the horses at home and when they were showing at the fair. After the family truck was backed into the barn, they would unload the straw and hay for their fair.
Ted’s favorite memory was eating the food and visiting the exhibits at the fair.
The family showed their Belgian Horses at the state fair until 1959 when Uncle Joe passed away. Ted and George decided to return to the fair in 1974 and have been showing them every year since then. The family tradition of showing the animals continues with George’s children and grandchildren. George passed away in July 2022.
“Uncle Joe was the main horseman,” said Ted. “He never drove the tractor.”
After Joe passed away, Ted said he and George had to “grow up” and then they got back into the horse showing business.
As adults, Ted and George attended the annual meetings to help plan for upcoming horse shows. Both men were ambassadors for the Belgian Draft Horse community. Ted said exhibiting horses at the fair always brought him joy, especially when he was with his brother. Over the years, they won many ribbons, awards and titles for their stallions and mares.
Ted was honored for exhibiting Belgian Draft Horses at the Ohio State Fair for more than 50 years. They have also donated a trophy for the Champion Gelding Class in memory of their father, Urban, for 35 years.
Today, the Barhorst family has a herd of 10 Belgians, which includes their own stallion.
“The horse market is very good,” said Ted. “Some people have sold their horses for $100,000. Some show their horses and then sell them. For our family, it’s a big hobby.”
The Barhorsts have sold their horses to people in 35 states and three provinces in Canada. Two of their mares — which were pregnant — were sold to owners in Japan.
“They were part of a 20 herd of Belgians,” said Ted. “Each mare had to be pregnant with a single foal. There were also two stallions as part of the herd.”
Before the horses were sent to Japan, they were quarantined at the Barhorsts’ farm for the summer. Then they were quarantined for two weeks in Indiana.
“Then they were shipped to New York where they were loaded in crates of four horses each. They were put onto a cargo plane and flown to Japan,” he said.
During the Darke County Fair — which is the last fair of the season they show their horses — their mares brought home the Junior Champion, Senior Champion, Overall Champion and Supreme Champion trophies.
“George’s granddaughters and grandsons are continuing the family tradition and show with me,” said Ted.
The family shows their horses at local fairs and at state fairs in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. The farthest away they’ve shown the horses is in Toronto, Canada. They have been participating in parades for 24 years and have been awarded 450 trophies from the parades and shows.
“I’d like to thank all my nieces and nephews and friends who have helped us through the years,” said Ted.
Reach the writer at 937-538-4822.
