ERIN – The Erin Agricultural Society (EAS) and Erin Fall Fair will celebrate a milestone anniversary next year.
“(The fair) will be 175. That’s older than Canada, and older than our town,” said EAS Horse Heritage Committee chair Bridget Ryan.
“Horses were so integral to rural lifestyle, first for transportation and plowing and then later for recreation and entertainment,” she said.
“Now they are a bridge between rural and urban.”
Erin is one of the premiere “horse country” areas in North America, attracting top riders and horses to various equine competitions.
But for many in the community, it is and has been a way of life.
In 2010, EAS set up its first equine tent at the Erin Fall Fair.
“There was such interest, we thought, ‘why not capture that, capture some of these stories?’” Ryan said.
The Horse Heritage Committee was formed, and in 2018 the first Erin Fall Fair Heritage Awards were presented.
“The stories were so touching and so important, we ended up giving four awards instead of one,” said Ryan.
In subsequent years, there has been one recipient each year. And it is still a difficult task to choose.
“It’s not really a contest. It’s not comparing apples to apples,” Ryan said.
The nine-member committee looks at different factors and at which parts of the industry have been awarded.
“It’s not ‘are they the best in this category?’”, Ryan said.
“It creates another depth to the fair, and another interesting part to the spirit.”
The award is a celebration of the diversity of Erin’s horse heritage, Ryan said.
“The stories are rapidly changing as lifestyles change.”
Ryan added it is important to capture the stories to understand the important role the horse has played in the community.
The stories brought forward are from people “all with the love of horses. It’s the connector you know,” she said.
“The horse is the connector, it’s a big part of our history.”
As Erin becomes more urbanized, Ryan said horses are the common denominator and “a really identifiable icon.”
Award categories
– equine (horse): community contribution and mentorship of youth and others
– breed development
– equine industry leadership
– significant lifetime achievement (person or horse)
Submissions
Tell the committee about the nominee; why and how they contributed to Erin’s horse heritage.
Consider noting special awards, accomplishments and stories. Submissions should be limited to one page, should include a photo if possible, and can be hand-written or typed.
The nominee must have lived within the Town of Erin or have participated in significant horse activity within the community of Erin.
Monday, July 29 is the deadline for entry.
Submissions can be made via email or mail or can be dropped off at the Erin Fall Fair office, 190 Main St., Erin.
Horse Heritage Awards,
184 Main St., Box 906
Erin, ON, N0B 1T0
