EXHIBIT · MINNESOTA STATE FAIR
Horses
From thundering six-horse hitches to pint-sized miniatures, the Minnesota State Fair Horse Show fills the Horse Barn and the historic Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum with hundreds of horses across 12 days. Powerful draft breeds like Belgians, Percherons, and Clydesdales compete in halter and hitch classes, while the beloved Aisle of Breeds (presented by the Minnesota Horse Council) lets fairgoers meet light and saddle breeds up close. When the barn is full, it can hold up to 500 horses at one time!
The 2026 Minnesota State Fair ended on Monday, September 7, 2026. Everything below describes the 2026 fair, which is the most recent one I hold — stands, buildings and rides carry over year to year, but dates, prices and schedules do not. I update it when the fair publishes for 2027. The 2027 fair runs August 26 – September 6, 2027 — 293 days away.
- Building
- Horse Barn
Which breeds are in the barn?
16 breeds are shown here: Belgian (draft), Percheron (draft), Clydesdale (draft), Shire (draft), Miniature Horse, American Quarter Horse, Arabian, Morgan, American Paint Horse, Appaloosa, Tennessee Walking Horse, American Saddlebred, Welsh Pony, Haflinger, Friesian, Norwegian Fjord.
When is the judging?
- Draft Horse Show — Thu 27 Aug, Fri 28 Aug, Sat 29 Aug, Sun 30 Aug, Mon 31 Aug
- Light Horse Show — Thu 3 Sep, Fri 4 Sep
- Miniature Horse Show — Thu 3 Sep, Fri 4 Sep
- WSCA Games Show — Thu 3 Sep, Fri 4 Sep, Sat 5 Sep, Sun 6 Sep, Mon 7 Sep
When are the animals actually in the barn?
2026 Horse Barn hours: Aug. 27 8 a.m.–1 p.m.*, Aug. 28 8 a.m.–4 p.m.*, Aug. 29 8 a.m.–5 p.m.*, Aug. 30 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.*, Aug. 31 8 a.m.–1 p.m.*, Sept. 1 CLOSED, Sept. 2 8 a.m.–9 p.m. (fewer horses due to horse arrival), Sept. 3–6 8 a.m.–9 p.m., Sept. 7 8 a.m.–5 p.m. (early close for livestock departure). * Barn closes on select days during competition preparation but may reopen after competition concludes. Light horse/miniature/WSCA arrival Wednesday, Sept. 2, 4-8 a.m. and Sept. 2, 8 p.m. to Sept. 3, 9 a.m.; departure Sept. 3, 8 p.m. to midnight and Sept. 4 (vacate by midnight). WSCA also arrives Sept. 4, 9 p.m. to Sept. 5, 8 a.m.; departs Sept. 7, 3-8 p.m.
Worth knowing
- A single Belgian or Percheron draft horse can weigh over 2,000 pounds, about the same as a small car, yet they are known for their calm, gentle temperament.
- A six-horse hitch is a team of six giant draft horses pulling one wagon together, and keeping all six perfectly in step takes years of training for both horses and driver.
- Clydesdales are famous for the long, feathery white hair around their lower legs, called 'feathering.'
- Miniature horses stand under 34 inches tall at the shoulder, smaller than many dogs, but they are true horses and not ponies.
- At the Aisle of Breeds you can pet a horse and ask the owners questions for free, and a horse can see almost all the way around itself because its eyes are on the sides of its head.
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Last verified against the fair's own listing. Anything I cannot source I leave blank rather than estimate.
Compiled and checked by Keith Gulbro, who has been going to this fair for thirty-odd years and builds MN Fair Guide on his own — why he does it. Spotted something wrong? Tell him and it gets fixed.
MN Fair Guide is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the Minnesota State Fair. Browse the whole fair in the guide, read about the app, or send a correction.