Pea Ridge Mule Jump

The City of Pea Ridge runs a mule competition that opens with a ceremony, then splits halter classes by height and by john and molly mules. Speed events follow: barrel racing, flag racing, and pole bending for youth 16 and under, adults 17 to 49, and seniors 50 and over, plus a kids stick race for ages 3 to 7. Boot races in the same age bands carry no points. The jumps themselves are under 51 inches and 51 inches and over, with high-point awards for youth, adult, and senior. A pro mule jump, also unscored, does not start before 1:00 p.m. A lunch break of 15 to 30 minutes falls as close to noon as the card allows.

Our take: If the pro jump is the class you came for, do not expect it before 1:00 p.m., and use the near-noon lunch break to reset.