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Earlier this spring, the Missouri Horse Shows Association (MHSA) was presented with a golden opportunity to remedy the issue of horse show attendance beyond our close-knit equine community. The Executive Director of the Boone County Historical Society approached members of the MHSA Board and offered
a portion of the Museum galleries as a space for an exhibit about the equestrian history of Boone County, Missouri, to which they agreed.

Letters were sent to various information sources, help was recruited and the committee became a group of "hunters and gatherers" as they collected information, photographs and items for the display, which opened in time for the gala celebration of the Museum's 25th anniversary on Saturday, July 11, 2015. The exhibit traces the influence of the horse on the growth of Boone County, and it features some of the iconic figures in Boone County's equestrian history, including Tom Bass, Mrs. Claude Drew, and of course, Boone County's own Fern Palmer Bittner.

Other interesting items displayed are the sewing horse “Uncle Dick” Cook used for a lifetime, an original un-retouched picture of Rex McDonald and R.P. Glenn on the great five-gaited stallion, Peep Of Dawn. Two large pictures of Tom Bass were loaned to the Museum. The MHSA year-end awards for that association’s Medallion program are on display, as is the Jeff Shikles Distinguished Service Award Trophy and the Ruth Palmer Equitation Award.

The exhibit will run through the end of 2015 at the Boone County Historical Society Museum, which is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and Sunday from noon-4:30 p.m. The Museum is easily accessible from US Hwy 63, just south of I-70 in Columbia, Missouri. All horse enthusiasts, as well as all history buffs, are encouraged to visit and feast their eyes on this marvelous display.

Members of MHSA are encouraged to embrace the organization’s mission to promote the light horse industry. This exhibit, which will reach a broader audience than is typically enjoyed at our shows and events, is just one way to promote the horses and industry that so many enjoy. To become part of the outreach effort, contact Janet Thompson at janianfarm@aol.com or Lynn Frazee at terry661@centurytel.net.

MHSA would like to thank their committee, led by former MHSA President Lynn Frazee, for their contributions to this effort. The committee includes Sue Webster, Ann Cleek, Karen Shelton Rader and Janet Thompson. They have created a showcase of the horse that will benefit us all.

To get a glimpse of the exhibit, visit the MSHA Facebook page.