By By Sheila Blackmon/The Meridian Star
May 4, 2001
The 2nd Annual Mississippi Mule Festival is set for Saturday at the Lauderdale County Agri-Center.
The Mississippi Mule Festival is scheduled for the first Saturday in May every year, but but the mule-pullers have pulls all over the state between April and November.
At least 25 teams are expected to participate here and will come from as far away as Tennessee and Louisiana. Robb said similar mule-puller organizations host events in Tennessee, Texas and Louisiana.
The 2nd Annual Mississippi Mule Festival kicks off with Andrea Williams singing the national anthem. Williams is scheduled to perform in the youth talent competition of the Jimmie Rodgers Memorial Festival the same day and may sing additional songs at the mule festival.
Robb said Harmony Baptist Church members from Clarke County will be selling hamburgers and hot dogs.
A competition for show mules begins at 9 a.m. Mules are judged on size, weight, height, body style and appearance. Cash prizes will be awarded in several categories.
At 2 p.m., a pulling competition begins. Mules will be divided into eight classes based on weight. They will pull sleds filled with railroad ties, beginning with weights of 500-1,000 pounds. Additional ties will be added until mules are unable to pull the sleds, and the team pulling the most railroad ties wins the grand prize. The top finishers in each weight class will win cash prizes.
Tickets are $3; children 6 years and under will be admitted free. For more information, call Grace Robb at (601) 659-7965, Jerry Hamrick at (601) 727-3193 or Marion Bentley at (601) 727-5541.
Sheila Blackmon is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call her at 693-1551, ext. 3275, or e-mail her at sblackmon@themeridianstar.com.