WAVERLY - The Waverly Midwest Horse Sale pulls an international crowd to Bremer County each spring because, well, there are a lot of horses. Belgians, Percherons, Clydesdales, Haflingers, Fjords and Shires started going on the auction block this morning. The action continues through Saturday.

The sale, however, parades more than just well-groomed animals past bidders; owning a horse, whether for draft or pleasure, requires a certain amount of equipment - bridles, halters, saddles, stirrups.

Those immersed in the equine culture can go much farther, though, if they want: Coffee cups imprinted with the word COWBOY. Boots in blue. Belt buckles almost as big as license plates. Horns attached to fake leather cow heads for roping. Plastic models of favorite breeds, and T-shirts of any color with personalized messages about, what else, horses …

All of it - and more - is available this week in and around the Waverly Sales Barn.

"I'd like to bring my wife down to this. There's no way to explain what it is like," said Gerald Liddle of Tripoli.

For the past three years he has hired on as one of many who help keep the auction moving. Wednesday behind the scene and accompanied constantly by an auctioneer's rolling cadence, Liddle shuttled harnesses, collars and bulky leather contraptions known only to those who love horses.

"There's a lot to this," he said.

Russ Bruns of Waverly, a former partner in the sales barn, said the horse sale typically attracts from 2,500 to 4,000 items. That's not counting horses, horse-drawn implements or goods available from independent vendors who set up shop.

Keith Brubaker, owner of The Leather Guy in St. Charles, Minn., brought a trailer filled with tanned skins and related products.

"There's people that come here from all over the United States. For me, it's very good exposure," Brubaker said.

Nearby, Jessica Korleski of Humboldt started with a 32-foot trailer then adds several tents. Her mobile enterprise winds up covering about 2,000 square feet, about a fourth the size of the family's permanent Western Edge stores in Ames and Humboldt.

"We bring an assortment of what is available," Korleski said.

She would like to repack as little as possible.

"That's always our goal, to sell all of it," Korleski said.

With a nasty chill in the air, the hot merchandise Wednesday was clothing.

"Today it's been gloves and stocking caps," Korleski said.

The horse sale over the years built up a devoted following, and a little inclement weather barely slows their gait.

"Your regulars are here. That pretty much doesn't change," Korleski said.

Edwin Buls of Denver falls in that category. He celebrated his 80th birthday on Wednesday in the "customer service" department near an open window in an unheated pole building. His job was checking paid receipts against tags identifying merchandise. He keeps a chair handy now as he greets bidders.

He used to chase cattle in the arena for the owner of the sales barn, Ron Dean. He gave that up a few years ago.

"I can't get up them gates quite like I used to when the wild ones come around," Buls said.

There were easily warmer places to hang out Wednesday in Northeast Iowa.

"Not a better place, though," Buls said.

Contact Dennis Magee at (319) 291-1451 or dennis.magee@wcfcourier.com.