Yukkon Jack, a saddle type john mule competes in Coon Jumping Saddled/Pack.
Rusty Banjo, a Draft type john mule competes in Coon Jumping Saddled/Pack.
Coon Jumping
Mules have a sport all their own called The Coon's Jump or Coon Jumping. It stem from hunter's moving their mules through other people's property. Wooden or stone fences could be taken down but wire ones can not. So the hunter would flag or cover the wire with his coat or a blanket and jump the string of mules over one by one. In the longear arena of showing, mules or donkeys jump a single rail standard with the height increasing in a jump off until the one who clears the highest jump is the winner. Some mules that are around 50" at the withers have been known to jump clear heights of up to 72" from a stnad ing postion! The jumps are not from a galloping approach but from a marked area of a box just next to the jump. The mule or donkey is allowed one step but most just leap from a stand still. The box is marked, the rail is covered with a saddle blanket or other similar size cloth. There are two different classes of Coon jumping, Saddled/Pack and Bareback. A halter is normally used in bareback. A halter or bridle may be used in Saddled/Pack. Stirrups should be tied up if a saddle is used. Jump must be a free standing jump with sliding knock-down-bar set up (cups or pegs facing away from animal) sp to lessen chance of injury should animal not clear jump. The rider may stand on either side of the jump on next to the side of the jump.
The attire is pants or levis, long sleeved shirt, boots belt, tie and cowboy hat. Even youngstock and miniature mules or donkeys compete in Coon Jumping with much smaller jumps of course.
Tukkon Jack competes in Camp Draft.
Elvis Impersonator, a OF #747 Breyer Saddle Mule, John competes in camp draft.
Camp Draft
This is another sport for mules. Donkeys do not compete in this class. The idea is to race a cow around a barrel in a kind of gymkhana and stock horse competition class. The mule may not pass the cow at any point and must turn the cow aroud the barrel and not lose control over the cow at any point. They may race behind the cow or next to the cow but not so far as to pass the cow. Western saddle and bridle or hackamores are used. Leg protection is often seen.
Attire for the rider is pants, chaps, boots, long sleeve shirt, cowboy hat and belt.
Photo Credits:
All mules owned by Cynthia Jameon, dolls, props and tack made by Cynthia Jameson.