LYMAN — The ride down Duke’s Lane was a muddy one Sunday, as the above 40-degree weather made the dirt road wet and mucky. It was a road better suited to horses than cars ”“ and that was just fine with the guests at the Abenaki Draft Horse Club, as horse-drawn wagon rides were the main attraction at the clubhouse.

Sunday was the annual winter festival for the club, which celebrated its 25th anniversary just last year.

The group, made up of draft horse lovers and/or owners, is an informal one that holds monthly meetings during which they enjoy fellowship with those of similar interests, share tips and information, and sometimes host guest speakers, said Leo Ruel of Lyman, club treasurer.

In addition, several times a year they host events to bring friends, old and new, together, offering family friendly food and activities.

The event didn’t draw as big a crowd as in the past, said Nancy Ruel, Leo’s wife. However, she said, people streamed in slowly but steadily from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Usually there’s snow on the ground for the February festival and the draft horses pull sleighs rather than wagons. Ruel said she thinks people didn’t realize the event was still taking place.

But the Martel family knew there was fun to be had at the club on Sunday.

Cali Martel, 9, of Biddeford, was one of those who took a wagon ride, pulled by her uncle’s horses, Goldie and Thunder.

She had fun on the ride, said Cali, and enjoyed the sights.

“I saw a huge rock that my cousin would like,” she said.

In addition to wagon rides, there were games and sledding for children.

Another draw was a demonstration of blacksmithing, using a coal-driven forge by Nathan Cole, a farrier from Sanford.

Cole said he prefers the coal forge to the propane one he normally uses for shoeing horses. The coal forge, which reaches a temperature of 4,500 degrees, allows him to make stronger items, such as nearly seamless circular horseshoes rather than the usual u-shaped form.

Besides the blacksmith tools, Leo Ruel said the club has a number of antiques in its collection, some of which club members demonstrate at their other events.

For instance he said, at the club’s Octoberfest, members bring out their apple cider press and also perform rock cutting using feathers (made of metal, not from a bird) and wedges and a hammer.

“The kids enjoy trying that,” said Ruel.

For more information on the Abenaki Draft Horse Club, visit the website at www.abenakidrafthorseclub.com. The club’s next event, the Maple Breakfast, is March 18. It holds meetings the last Saturday of the month at 7 p.m.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.