08/17/2026
Thackery Earwicket Jumps to Victory at the 2026 Missouri State Fair
SEDALIA, MISSOURI — The Mad Hatter Mules brought a little Hoppin’ Mad magic to the Missouri State Fair this year, as Thackery Earwicket captured the win in the 38-Inch and Under class during the 2026 Missouri State Fair Mule Jumping Competition.
Held August 15, 2026, in the Mathewson Exhibition Center arena, the mule jumping competition brought jumpers of all different sizes together for a showcase of one of Missouri’s most unique and deeply rooted mule traditions.
When it was Thackery Earwicket’s turn to step into the jumping box, the little mule with the unmistakable personality was ready.
Standing just 36 inches tall, he may be small in stature, but there was absolutely nothing small about his performance.
The winning effort came against a full field of competitors. The class included both donkeys and mules, meaning the little mini had plenty of competition standing between him and the win.
But Thackery Earwicket did exactly what was required clearing the rail and securing the top spot.
A Little Mule With a Very Big Personality
Thackery Earwicket joined the Mad Hatter Mules Jumping Team in March 2026 as the team’s only mini, and it did not take long for the newest member to establish a place among the team’s standout competitors.
Athletic, determined and unquestionably unique, Thackery Earwicket possesses a personality every bit as memorable as the name.
Perhaps the best description is an eccentric recluse.
While some competitors enjoy greeting spectators and soaking up attention, Thackery Earwicket has other ideas.
Given the choice between visiting with spectators and quietly standing behind his owner and handler Mary Smith, Thackery Earwicket is perfectly content to choose the quiet, zen space found alongside this one particular person.
Competition day also comes with some very definite preferences.
While waiting for a turn in the jumping box, Thack prefers the security of Mary, often choosing to remain tucked quietly behind her rather than mingling…with the exception of his best buddy, Mater, a mini jumper of Diamond N Equine. Yet when it is time to compete, Thackery performs with an entirely different handler.
He has even developed some very specific little rituals about how to approach a jump. Those who spend time around this little mule quickly learn that he likes things done a certain way.
Apparently, thats just the way it works and It is exactly that combination of personality, athletic ability and determination that makes him such a perfect representative of the Mad Hatter Mules team motto:
“Our Mules are Hoppin’ Mad.”
And when it comes to Thackery Earwicket, there really may be no better description.
This little guy is Certifiably “Hoppin’ Mad!”
A Winning Road to the Missouri State Fair
The road to the Missouri State Fair had already been an impressive one.
Only a couple of months after joining the team, Thackery Earwicket secured first place at Rendezvous on the Ridge on May 19, 2026, in Jadwin, Missouri.
From there, he went on to win the 38-Inch and Under class at the Beaver Creek Mule Days mule jump in Taneyville, Missouri.
Then came Sedalia.
In the span of only five months, the 36-inch mini mule went from being the newest and smallest member of the Mad Hatter Mules Jumping Team to walking into the Missouri State Fair arena and jumping out as a State Fair Jumping Mule Champion.
A Mini Mule Carrying on a Missouri Mule Tradition
Mule jumping has long held a special place in Missouri’s mule heritage.
The sport traces its roots to the coon-hunting mule, when the ability to clear a fence from a standstill was practical rather than competitive. Over time, that ability evolved into the organized mule jumping competitions spectators know today.
That tradition continues through competitions across Missouri and through the North American Mule Jumping Association (NAMJA), with several Missouri mules and even some coming from out of state to compete.
Coming in as a newbie to the sport and an underdog perhaps the best part of the State Fair victory is not simply the ribbon or even the title. It is watching a 36-inch mule demonstrate that size has very little to do with determination.
Thackery Earwicket may be peculiar and particular, but when it comes time to perform, he is proving to be remarkably consistent and determined.
For the Mad Hatter Mules, the 2026 Missouri State Fair will hold a special place in the team’s story as it marks the team’s first year of competition producing a win at the Missouri State Fair from its smallest member.
And Thackery Earwicket proved something along the way:
Champions don’t have to stand very tall to make a very big impression.
Thackery Earwicket of the Mad Hatter Mules - 2026 Missouri State Fair 38-Inch and Under Mule Jumping Champion
Next Stop -
The Crane Broiler Festival Mule Jump
in Crane MO August 22, 2026.
Come cheer on the Mules!
