Wis. farmer has world's tallest horse

[April 20, 2010]  POYNETTE, Wis. (AP) -- When people tell Jerry Gilbert to get off his high horse, they will mean it -- literally.

His 9-year-old Belgian gelding named Big Jake is the Guinness World Record-holder for world's tallest living horse at 20 hands, 2.75 inches or one quarter inch short of 6-foot-11. That's 2.75 inches taller than the previous record-holder, a Clydesdale from Texas named Remington.

Gilbert is co-owner of Smokey Hollow Farm near Poynette. He said he received notification from the Guinness World Records in England in late March.

Jake's coronation as a world record holder was expected Friday night at the Midwest Horse Fair in Madison.

Gilbert told the Portage Daily Register that people can take Jake's picture, but probably won't be allowed to stand next to him because Jake is not accustomed to strangers.

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Information from: Portage Daily Register, http://www.portagedailyregister.com/

[Associated Press]

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