By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent

LEBANON, Ohio — Mules and donkeys have historically been part of the Warren County Fair schedule. But the show’s popularity has earned it a day all its own.
Today, owners of these lovable long-eared creatures gather the day before fair opening ceremonies and are sponsored by the Midstates Mule and Donkey Show Society.

“What makes our show special is all proceeds benefit 4-H Camp Graham near Clarksville, Ohio,” show manager Karen Jackson said. “Everything is donated, from the trophies to the items for the silent auction. And all benefits head to Camp Graham.”

More than $30,000 has been raised at this gathering since it began 28 years ago. “This show was the first mule and donkey show in Ohio for 4-H. It all started right here,” Jackson said. “We were once embedded in the Warren County Fair, but we got so big that 10 years ago we started having our show a day ahead of the fair’s opening day.”

There were 44 participants at this year’s gathering, attracting owners and their animals from Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.

“We pride ourselves on the youth we have participating,” Jackson said. “Our judges work particularly well with the kids and take the time to show them what to do and what not to do. At times we even hold up a class to help instruct the kids. We like to consider ourselves a family-oriented show.”
One of the regulars to the Midstates Mule and Donkey Society Show circuit, and certainly a mainstay at the show in Lebanon, are Jerry and Betty Thomas of Winchester, Ind. The couple have been owners of miniature donkeys since 1996.

“I used to raise horses all my life, but I got out of the hose business in 1993,” Jerry said. “If you get a good donkey, it’ll cost as much as a horse but the maintenance is a lot easier with these little fellows.”

Jerry and his wife, Betty, are owners of Thom-Ass Donkeys. “We had Quarter Horses and Paints at one time, but when our kids got out of school and lost interest in the horses, we got into the donkeys,” Jerry said.

“Now we go all over the country with these things. We probably log about 9,000 miles per year competing in shows and we compete in 20 shows at one time.”

The couple have owned as many as 35 donkeys at one time. Today they have 20.

On a much smaller scale but just as enthused are the brother and sister team of Luke and Ella Sizemore. It’s their first donkey show. Ella has hopes of owning a horse, someday.

“Mom said if I can take care of the donkey, I can work my way up to a horse,” she said.

Donkeys are native to the Mediterranean Islands of Sicily and Sardinia, but have been in the United States for more than 50 years. Today there are an estimated 6,000 donkeys in the U.S.

Other upcoming donkey shows in the Midstates Mule and Donkey Show Society circuit are as follows:

•Aug. 6 – Ingram County Fair, Mason, Mich.
•Aug. 10-12 – Indiana State Fair, Indianapolis, Ind.
•Aug. 20 – Allen County Fair, Lima, Ohio
•Aug. 21 – Good Old Days Show, Swanton, Ohio
•Sept. 10 – Huntington Mule and Donkey Show, Huntington, Ind.
•Oct. 7-9 – Brown County Mule Days, Nashville, Ind.