30 Years of the Ox Teamster’s Challenge
by Nan Clark of Chesterfield, MA
At Cummington Fair 2025 will mark the 30th year for the Ox Teamster’s Challenge event. How can that be? It means that I was only 65 years old when my husband (Mernie Clark) and I presented the very first Challenge to public scrutiny. Long-time Journal readers might remember that the Fair officials were skeptical of this new event and gave us no money for the teamsters who participated. Mernie’s own pocket provided something for each team that day.
The Challenge was Mernie’s idea because he wanted a new way to show off the intelligence of oxen beyond their power in the pulling ring. He had raised and trained oxen all his life so he designed an obstacle course, which he also judged for many years. He set up pylons topped with tennis balls as teasers. There was a log to drag and tight turns to be taken, as if the team was working in the woods. Next the log had to be loaded onto a woodshod sled which was then hauled back through the pylon path to the finish line where the log was left for the next team.
All of this was to be done with the teamster using voice commands and very little traditional twisted whip or wooden goad. Plastic whips were not allowed, then or now. Mernie provided his own sled, skids for loading and chains to tie the log. The event was timed, which was often the deciding factor between teams.
My job was (and still is) on the mic talking about each team, their age and breed and how they were used at home or in special shows. Back then (and even now) many folks don’t know that an ox is a castrated bull calf from any bovine breed. They are steers until age 4, when they become oxen. Mernie wanted to see teams that were well fed, well watered and clean. We still do. There were 10 or 12 teams in that first event. Spectators loved it!
In fact, a short time later the Fair officials received a letter from the Kners of NYC. They have a summer camp in the area and always attend the Fair. Their letter was specifically about our Ox Challenge. The Kners called it the “most educational and interesting event at the Fair” and they hoped it would continue. As a result of that letter (and maybe more such comments) the Ox Teamster’s Challenge became an ongoing part of Cummington Fair for 30 years so far. The Fair provides money and beautiful rosette ribbons and a plaque for the winner.
For 10 years Mernie judged his show and right away we were given more space, which we still use in the Outdoor Arena, also used by the skillful Lumberjacks on Sundays. These kind folks let us use their 3 timbers as part of our obstacle course. When Mernie’s son Steve Clark took over the judging, he wanted more money for the teams. So he and I found 10 or 15 businesses and families who were happy to become sponsors with money or gifts.
Our Challenge Crew consists of Judge, Gate Man, Time Keeper, Photographer, Super and Assistant Super. I have always been on the mic and was Super with Janet Pixley as my Assistant. She and I have now switched places. Janet’s husband, Buz Pixley, is our Gate Man. Forest McSweeney is Time Keeper. We have had several judges and for the last two years our judge has been Josh Sampson, who, as a teenager, won the Challenge years ago with a pair of twin Holsteins. So we are thriving and growing. Even added some funny stuff about 10 years ago. There are now 2 buckets of water on stumps waiting to be spilled by one end of the log dropped by the team. A spill will get the teamster 20 dollars, or maybe more this year! The standing room only crowd sure loves a spill and cheers like crazy for their favorite teams.
In the past 2 years there have been a few surprises for spectators as well as teamsters. In 2022, the winner was D.J. Clary with his 9 month old pair of Randalls. “Josh” and “Henry” were smart, capable and listened well to Clary’s voice commands. They even spilled two water buckets! Clary’s smile tells it all and the crowd couldn’t stop cheering for D.J. and his young, beautiful bovines.
In 2023 we had a new winner, Donnie Bisbee with “Taco” and “Loki” age 6 and 7. They are a cross between Belgian Blue and Milking Shorthorns, very pretty dark Blue-Black. Donnie has been with us several years and he deserved to win! Also, this is the year of our new Judge: Josh Sampson from Worthington, who knows the event very well. He often takes the time to make helpful suggestion to the youngest participants.
In 2024 another pleasant surprise. Our winner was Tom Jenkins from Westhampton, who has been so close for several years. This time he was guiding 5 year old Milking Shorthorns: “Oak” and “Birch.” These beautiful boys were raised and trained by Chris Lorenzo. This year 8 buckets of water were dumped, so several careful teamsters were happy to earn extra money. Maybe in 2025 the bucket money might be 30 dollars in honor of our 30th Challenge year.
Beverly Moulton was with us again and the audience is always glad to watch her. For 3 generations her family has been pulling oxen at many fairs. Her team this day is 3-year-old Devons, but Beverly has owned them only 1 month. She wonders how “Red” and “Rock” will do in the Challenge. They are wearing screens on their faces which do not hurt but do keep them from eating the grass in our area. Beverly hopes the team is really paying attention to her as she gets the log ready to load on the sled. “Red” and “Rock” have other ideas. Quite suddenly they turn and head for the exit gate, hell-bent-for-their-trailer! They bamboozle the Gate Man and run out onto the Fair Walkway. They do know where their trailer is parked. Beverly drops the cant hook and runs lickety-split after them. As soon as she stops them she turns them around and brings them back into the Challenge area. She makes them finish the obstacle course with her voice commands. All this happened so fast our Photographer missed it! It is possible that this team was known to run away and Beverly was not told when she bought them. She’s a capable and kind teamster so she probably knows how to break this bad habit without abuse.
As if this wasn’t enough excitement for spectators, a short time later Brian Mollison was working with his 10 year old Swiss team that has been in the Challenge many years. “Odin” and “Thor” decided to leave Brian and amble slowly up the hill where so many folks were sitting under the trees. These big guys were stopped easily and nobody was hurt. Enough of these kind of surprises, I think!
This is 3 years worth of stories and pictures from the Ox Teamster’s Challenge. By now you readers are all caught up with us and our brainy, beautiful bovines. Come see us this year on Saturday August 23rd at the Cummington Fair in Cummington, Mass. Help us celebrate our 30 years. We promise to educate and entertain!
