LYNDEN - A bevy of draft horse breeds will be showcased at the Northwest Draft Horse Spectacular July 15 and 16 at the Northwest Washington Fair and Event Center, 1775 Front St.

Along with log- and wagon-pulling, the event will be highlighted by two performances from Whatcom County's Draft Riders Enthusiastically Accomplish Maneuvers Team, better known as the D.R.E.A.M. Team. For months, the drill team of 10 horses and riders has been working on its four-minute routine.

Monica Henken, who helped to organize the team about two years ago, explained what the team will do: The horses come into the stadium at a trot in single file, then split off into a "right flank," split into pairs, perform a figure eight, pinwheels, a few other tricks and finally return to single file.

It takes a lot of time to prepare for the routine, because the trouble with draft horses, by Henken's admission, is that while they're great for hard labor, they aren't exactly the brightest animals. But maybe that's a blessing in disguise.

"In my experience, smarter isn't necessarily better," Henken said, "because they're not over-thinking. They don't seem to be as excitable because things are simpler for a draft horse."

That simplicity is paired with their famous size and pulling power - real horsepower. The best-known images of the horses are likely those of the Budweiser Clydesdales. But across the United States, including farms in Lynden, Blaine and Ferndale, the horses are used for carriage rides, as well as pulling milk wagons and vegetable carts.

The point of this exhibition, Henken said, is to give people a taste of the horses' versatility.

A century ago, draft horses did the bulk of the plowing and mowing on many farms, and in some places, they still do.

But now that they aren't in the public eye as often, Henken said, a lot of people seem to have forgotten just what they're capable of, and a lot of people don't even realize the horses can be ridden.

"Some of our friends are trail-riding with them," she said, "and one of them is even using one of the horses to do fox hunting (in Canada)."

The draft horse show is a good time for owners to market their stock to potential buyers, a big reason why it takes about two hours per horse to groom and prepare it for the show, Henken said. The going rate of a good draft horse is between $2,500 and $8,000, depending on its quality.

In addition to Clydesdales, the D.R.E.A.M. Team uses a couple of Percherons and spotted drafts (a mix of a painted horse and a draft horse). None of the horses are male - they're mares and geldings from farms scattered across the county. All but one of the riders is from Whatcom County.

The Henken family, led by Monica's father-in-law Edwin Henken, has showcased its horses at the Northwest Washington Fair in Lynden for the past 40 years.

Whatcom County has a flourishing draft horse population for this part of the country, said fair manager Jim Baron, and dozens of horses will be at the event.

Admission for the Northwest Draft Horse Spectacular is $10 for adults, $5 for those 60 and older and free for children 12 and younger.

The schedule is as follows:

• The fairgrounds open at 11 a.m. July 15 and 16. The D.R.E.A.M. team performs at 7 p.m. both days.

• On the first day, judging of halter classes begins at noon and the competitions for four classes start at 3 p.m. Free horse-drawn wagon rides will be offered in the afternoon.

• On July 16, events start at noon with a log skidding demonstration, where horses will pull logs through an obstacle course. Competitions start at 2 p.m.

For more information, call the Northwest Washington Fair and Event Center at 360-354-4111.