MARION — It was a day of reigns in the rain at the 74th annual Marion Horse Show on July 3.

Over 75 horses and contestants trotted and walked through the mud of Washburn Park at the event, which was back on its regular weekend after being held in the fall last year due to covid.

Other than last year, it was the first time the show was held on a day other than July 4.

Horse show committee president Jeff Demoura said the change from an Independence Day show came “because everybody kind of wants to spend it with their family.”

But a few old traditions were restarted at this year’s show, too.

This year, the show was once again rated, meaning it’s part of a statewide circuit of horse shows, with contestants building an aggregate score from their placement at each show.

Demoura said participation in the circuit is a relic of his childhood.

“When I was a little kid, that’s what everybody did,” he said. “ So families would make a day of it.”

Demoura said this year’s show was put together in about one and a half months, with a good deal of help from the Marion Department of Public Works and its operation manager, Jody Dickerson.

Demoura said Dickerson and the Department of Public Works “really pulled the park together” for the show.

“They really came through for us,” he said.

Now, Demoura said, he and the committee are looking forward to the 75th show.

“It’s a beautiful tradition,” he said.