Steer wrestling, a practice credited to legendary cowboy and rodeo star Bill Pickett, usually involves leaping onto a steer from the back of a specially trained horse. At the Madison

Put ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until puffed and golden. Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. With a flexible spatula, remove strata to

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A Year-Round Guide to Franklin and Nantahala

In 1928, two boys sat in a workshop in Tryon, huddled over a toy horse. Tryon Toymakers had become known across the state for creating miniature horses on wheels, known as

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Madison County Championship Rodeo

In 1928, two boys sat in a workshop in Tryon, huddled over a toy horse. Tryon Toymakers had become known across the state for creating miniature horses on wheels, known as

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Rosemary and Goat Cheese Strata

In 1928, two boys sat in a workshop in Tryon, huddled over a toy horse. Tryon Toymakers had become known across the state for creating miniature horses on wheels, known as

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Tryon’s Morris the Horse

This larger-than-life toy in the heart of horse country is also at the heart of a beloved Christmas tradition.

by Eliza Wireback

In 1928, two boys sat in a workshop in Tryon, huddled over a toy horse. Tryon Toymakers had become known across the state for creating miniature horses on wheels, known as Tryon Horses, but the boys imagined something bigger — much bigger. Under the direction of owner Eleanor Vance, they crafted a massive version of the town’s signature horse for the annual Tryon Horse Show parade. The towering toy was a hit: Each year, it was proudly paraded down the streets, until a fire destroyed it in 1939. Now, the fifth and final Tryon Horse has made its permanent home in the town center, where a new tradition was born: During the annual Christmas Stroll, the town gathers to lay a wreath on Morris the Horse — the centerpiece of Tryon Christmases past, present, and future.