Picture Courtesy of Jim Kuntz

Picture Courtesy of Jim Kuntz

The Best Colt in the County
"I've got the best colt in the county," bragged Frank Richards one summer's day in 1902. "I don't know so well about that," challenged Bud Garret. "I've got a couple of pretty good ones myself. Bring your colt in and we'll compare." With this exchange of words, the Calhoun Colt Show was born. The Clarion, Calhoun's newspaper, announced the pending exhibition, and local businesses contributed the purse. In the end, Frank Richards was right. Three judges declared his colt the best in the county.

Since then, except in wartime, the Calhoun Colt Show has been held annually in September. The event has grown to include competitions in 4H exhibits, livestock, produce and the selection of Colt Show Queen. Competition for the queen's crown began in 1957.

[Upper Photo:The Calhoun Colt Show, as shown here, in 1907, was and is the town's most popular social event.]
Photo courtesy of Tom Colwell

[Middle Photo: (on photo) Calhoun Pottery Workers. "Calhoun Pottery Co." (under photo) The Calhoun Pottery Co. was one of eight that operated in Calhoun.]
Photo courtesy of Tom Colwell

[Lower Photo: The Gutridge clay pit and others supplied the raw materials for a thriving pottery industry in Calhoun.]
Used by permission, State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia.

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