Crowd Adores Whipper Snapper
Published: Friday, November 15, 2024
Among the many moving parts of the recent Topeka Draft Horse Auction was a 4-year-old whipper named Benjamin Miller of Ligonier.
A whipper's responsibility is to keep the horse moving forward so buyers can see how the animal moves at a brisk pace. The person in that role will crack the whip to create a sense of urgency for the horse.
Carrying a whip in his hand, Benjamin followed along as his father, Myron, and uncle took turns leading a Belgian draft horse through the auction ring on Oct. 31. Myron said his son often does this at home when they are working with the horses.
Myron said he asked Benjamin to serve as a whipper about 15 minutes before they entered the ring.
One might question whether a 4-year-old is capable of doing an adult job, but then again, who would have thought it was possible for Judy Garland to sing and play vaudeville shows? For German composer/conductor Richard Strauss to play piano? Or for Spanish composer and piano virtuoso Albeniz to give his first public performance? All of those people started when they were just 4 years old.
It could be that Benjamin Miller is a genius in the making.
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