I’m proud to share that my Jackson Fork Ranch team has won the 2023 World Championship Six Horse Hitch competition. The championship competition, which took place in September in Shipshewana, Indiana, is the culmination of the Six-Horse Hitch Classic Series. This prestigious final has grown to become the “Triple-Crown” of draft horse competitions. 

The world champion Jackson Fork Ranch team is made up of Percherons, a truly beautiful and powerful breed of draft horse. I’m thrilled to say we’ve won three of the past four competitions (we also took home World Six-Hitch Championships in 2020 and 2022). 

Each year, Six Horse hitches across the continent compete at state and county fairs and agricultural exhibitions to accumulate points for the Classic Series. Close to two hundred hitches travel within their region and beyond to compete. It all builds to a climax at the end of the series, when the five highest point hitches in each of three breed classifications are invited to compete. 

(Ross Honsberger, Jackson Fork Ranch’s equine manager and hitch trainer, pictured with the world champion Jackson Fork Ranch hitch)

So much of our success is due to the excellent work of Ross Honsberger, Jackson Fork Ranch’s equine manager and hitch trainer. With the assistance of Reece Mangels, Ross has trained the hitch since 2019. The Jackson Fork Ranch is currently breeding the show horse mares on the ranch with the intention of producing future champions. Several foals have been born on the ranch and geldings retire there as well.

Winning the 2023 World Championship is an incredible accomplishment, one that is the result of years of hard work and these amazing horses. I’m proud of the entire Jackson Fork Ranch team.