Two horses bred and raised in Freeborn County are pulling buckboard wagons for cheering crowds.

Dale and Barb Jensen sold two quarter horses to Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede, a dinner show in Branson, Mo.

The show is a Civil War-era variety show with competitions between the North and the South.

The two had attended the show for about four years, and Jensen said he decided to bring the registration papers for two of his horses with the idea of trying to sell them to the show.

“When I saw the shows other years I thought, ‘I’ve got horses that could probably do this,’ and I’d like to one day see if they’d buy them,” Dale Jensen said.

After they attended the show in April, Jensen asked the production manager if he needed more horses.

The production manager called Jensen three weeks later, traveled to Minnesota May 7 and took the horses on a 30-day trial. The trial period determines if the horses can withstand the atmosphere and noises of the show.

Much of that noise is from the audience. The audience is separated on opposite sides of the ring — one side represents the North and the other represents the South. As the actors compete in different events, the audience cheers, boos and kicks the back of the seats.

Jensen’s two horses, Misty and Rosa, race pulling buckboard wagons. The horses are both about 7 years, and both have birthed colts. Such horses are usually calmer, which Jensen said the production manager liked.

“He wanted a good muscular horse — a strong horse. And he wanted gentle horses, and something that could take the noise and the music that’s going on during that time,” Jensen said.

Well-trained horses are needed to perform in a show like Dixie Stampede, and Jensen said a young Amish man from St. Charles trained his horses.

While Parton owns the show, she does not perform in the show, but Jensen said she makes an appearance on the video screen and sings a few songs.

“It was her money that bought my horses. I sold my horses to Dolly,” Jensen said with a laugh. “But she didn’t sign the check though. She’s got people who take care of that stuff.”

Aside from Parton’s cameo, the show also features music, covered wagons, a longhorn cattle drive and a horse roundup. There’s also a horseshoe competition using toilet seats and chicken, ostrich and pig races.

The audience eats a meal without silverware that includes a rotisserie chicken, a pork loin, vegetable soup, biscuits and a turnover.

After the show, the audience can view the 38 horses from the show in stalls outside the theater.

Dixie Stampede runs from later February through early January. Jensen said he and Barb plan to travel to the show again soon. Jensen said he’d like to go to the Christmas show, which he’s heard positive things about.

Jensen is not a full-time breeder, and he farms land he inherited from his father, and he lives in the home he grew up in east of Geneva.

“My love is horses,” Jensen said. “I’ve always loved horses.”

Jensen has raised horses since he was about 15, and he’s bred more than 20 horses. However, Jensen said he didn’t sell his horses to Branson for money or to improve his breeding business.

“I’ve got too many horses, and I wanted them to have a good home, and this is the best home they can get. They’ll be treated like queens down there,” Jensen said.