Each year the Iowa Draft Horse & Mule Association inducts a few outstanding members of our industry to the Iowa Horseman’s Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is in the southwest corner of the lobby of the Jacobson center at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. The display consists of large horse-head banners and plaques with the names of the inductees. A QR code will take you to a website with pictures and biographies of the inductees. Not all of our earlier inductees have biographies written for them. If you have a family member in the Hall of Fame without a biography, we would appreciate it if you would jot down a few lines about their life and draft horse experience and send it to us.
Nominations for potential Hall of Fame members can be made by filling out the nomination form and sending it to the association’s secretary. All those nominated will be put on a list and the directors of the Iowa Draft Horse & Mule association will choose from that list the people who will be inducted each year.
Our History
Established 1957
The IDH&MBA originated in the early 1960s. With about 100 member families, it continues to be one of the prominent draft horse and mule associations in Iowa. This association funds a yearly scholarship for young Iowans who are interested in working within the draft horse and mule industry.
In 2017 the association encouraged the start-up of local chapters of the state association. The Southwest, Northwest, Southeast, and East Central chapters were established. The South Central Iowa Draft Horse & Mule association has been an active club since 1984 and had cooperated with the State association on several projects to promote drafts. In 2018 the SCIDHMA voted to become a chapter of the Iowa Draft Horse & Mule Association.
The Iowa Draft Horse and Mule Breeders Association was founded in 1957, with the invaluable help of Dick Sparrow. At our initial meeting, we had 56 passionate individuals present who were excited to build the numbers of draft horses at the Iowa State Fair and other shows across the state. Our organization is dedicated to preserving the use and history of draft horses, promoting their versatility and abilities, and educating the public on the importance of these strong and reliable animals.
The Iowa Draft Horse & Mule Association offers a scholarship to Seniors in high school and students in a 2 or 4 year college program related to Ag or equine. The Applicant must be a member of the association.