Soil curls into fragrant furrows as plow blades powered by teamwork turn the earth. Nowadays, many people rarely see acres of open ground, never mind a team of draft horses, mules, or a Mammoth Jack and driver working a field. But each spring, members of the Eastern Connecticut Draft Horse Association (ECDHA) and draft devotees gather for a plow match at the University of Connecticut.

That's Jennifer and Nick Vaccaro of Higganum with “Tank” – reins held steady by Crystal Morelli of East Hampton (her hands and boots appear at far right). Joey Davis of Higganum (center) drives his very own “Tank” – a scaled-down hand-crafted draft horse and cart, complete a distinguishing mark/brand and feathered fetlocks. Jill, who is Jennifer and Nick's mother, is not shown in the photo as she was competing on the field.
John Lavoie and his handsome Blue Hills Jassper, an American Mammoth Jackstock, were a special treat to see. Jassper's ears swiveled like furred radar beacons as he checked out every direction as the team paused momentarily en route to competition.

Field segments are marked off with stakes and paper plates that display numbers as each team is assigned space to show what they can do. With an occasional jingle of harness or a melodic clip clop of hooves on pavement in the parking lot, teams got into place. Adjustments fine tuned, it's time to plow.

Tillage readies land for planting. Plowing a straight furrow is not as easy as it looks – as with many things in life. Each animal has a distinct personality and a driver must maintain communication as he or she sizes up the ground ahead, adjusts the angle of a plow blade for depth and condition of the soil. On a turn the blade is lifted, then lowered as work continues.

An up-and-coming generation of drivers plowed the earth in parallel to drivers with acres of time behind a team half a field away. Judges, all business and no nonsense, paid sharp attention to technique and results, then jotted down notes for scoring.

Events coming up include (weather permitting) ECDHA “Plowing the Community Garden” in Wilbraham, Mass., Saturday, May 19; information linked here. Teamsters will plow the town's three-acre community garden with horses and oxen. Open to the public.



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