The Association preserves and promotes the American cream draft horse, which originated in central Iowa, including in Hamilton County.

It is the only true American draft horse.

Better known draft breeds Shires, Percherons and Belgians come from Britain, France and Belgium, respectively.

American cream draft horses trace their origins to a mare “Old Granny” who, beginning about 1911, despite the color of her Belgian, Percheron, Dunn and other sires, consistently gave birth to foals with a pink skin, cream coat and while tails and manes.

American cream draft horses originated in central Iowa, including in Hamilton County.

Her ability to pass along these unique characteristics made her the foundation of a new breed. The horses were briefly popular as farm work horses in central Iowa, until tractors steadily replaced them beginning in the 1920s.

Today, the horses are used in farming, logging, historic interpretation, to pull carriages, trail riding, dressage, and even jousting.

A special feature created just for the meeting and open to the public at the Equestrian Center all three days this weekend is an exhibit of photos and information placards entitled “The Charter Horses.” Meticulously assembled over the last nine months by Barbara Knox-Homrighaus, of Madrid, it tells the story of the first 126 American cream draft horses to be registered in the breed’s official directory.

“My mission is to find photos of those 126 horses,” said Knox-Homrighaus. “I have 40 and am looking for the rest.”

Many of the horses, born between 1904 and 1944, worked on farms in central Iowa, especially in Story, Hamilton and Hardin counties.

-Messenger photo by Robert E. Oliver
Barbara Knox-Homrighaus, of Madrid, was busy installing "The Charter Horses" display for the annual meeting of the American Cream Draft Horse Association, to be held in Iowa Falls today and Saturday. The display is a historical timeline of the development of the horses, which are the only true draft horse breed to originate in the United States.

If you have a photo of horses working on your family’s farm, especially if they appear to be light or fair in color, Knox-Homrighaus hopes you’ll bring them in to see if she can help you identify them. Tantalizingly, no known photo of the original charter horse — “Old Granny” — is known to exist.

About 50 ACDHA members are expected to attend the Iowa Falls meeting.

To qualify for membership, you must own an American cream draft horse. Asked why, Wendell Lupkes, an ACDHA director from Waterloo who owns the horses, answered: “They’re a very adaptable horse. Our members use them for carriage work, trail riding, exhibition and competition, and, of course, for farming — the reason for the breed in the first place.”

There are American creams across the United States, a few in Canada, and six in Germany.

Only an estimated 400 to 500 American Creams exist today. Both the Livestock Conservancy and Equus Survival Trust rate the breed “endangered” due to low breeding activity.

“There are about 150 members in ACDHA today,” Clair Rierson, grandson of C.T. Rierson, who established the breed on his farm near Radcliffe, said. “We’re optimistic for the future as more and more younger breeders join the association.”

Anyone interested in buying or breeding American Creams will find a wealth of information and experts at the meet and greet and show Saturday afternoon in Iowa Falls.

The gathering of horses for these events is expected to be one of the largest concentrations of American Creams in the United States this year.

All events are free, open to the public.

Here’s the schedule:

Today

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. — “The Charter Horses” photo and artifacts exhibit, at the Equestrian Center.

Saturday

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. — “The Charter Horses” photo and artifacts exhibit, at the Equestrian Center.

10 to 11 a.m. — Summerfest Parade will feature American Cream horses, downtown Radcliffe.

1 to 2 p.m. — Meet and Greet American Creams Up Close, Equestrian Center, Iowa Falls.

2 to 5 p.m. — American Cream Draft Horse Show, at the Rierson Arena, 709 Ellsworth Avenue, Iowa Falls.