The Slower Road

Here’s our last look at the ring classes from last weekend’s CAA Carriage Festival.

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Karen Waldron’s pair emerged victorious (again) in the Performance class

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Misdee Wrigley Miller drove a pair in the first class of the evening …

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… and then drove her team into the arena for the evening’s final class

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Mark Schofield drove the Park Drag (put to a team of Hackneys) of Glenn A. Werry, Jr.; here, they’re making final adjustments before entering the arena

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Misdee Miller and her team won this final class at the Carriage Festival, the HorseShow.com Coaching Division: Best Team class

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another view of Glenn Werry’s team of Hackneys, being driven by Mark Schofield

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… and yet another view; this turnout won the Tom Ryder Award for the most elegant turnout at the Festival

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Several commenters, here on the blog and on the CAA’s Facebook page (where I’m also posting a few photos), have wondered why several of the ladies aren’t wearing hats in some of these Festival photos. Have you been wondering about this, too?

This happened only in the evening sessions and is, in fact, allowed. According to Appendix A (which discusses turnout and appointments) of the American Driving Society’s rules for pleasure-driving competitions: in Formal or Park classes … “If the class is in the evening, ladies may opt not to wear a hat and may wear a formal gown.” This hats-optional-in-the-evening rule applies to ladies driving Park Drags, Road Coaches, Breaks, Mail Phaetons, Stanhope Phaetons, Demi-mail Phaetons, Spider Phaetons, Stanhope or Park Gate Gigs, etc.

One of the non-traditional (but undeniably adorable) classes at the Carriage Festival was Saturday evening’s Carriage Dogs class. This year’s installment of the class had, sadly, only two entries. But what they lacked in numbers, they made up for in sheer cuteness, wouldn’t you agree?

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the Jack Russell terrier called Katie sat on the lap of Sterling Graburn’s passenger

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Kathy Smock’s dog won the class, which was judged by audience applause. Everyone was clearly won over by this shy but adorable doggy face.

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In an effort to celebrate today’s holiday, and to continue my reporting on the Carriage Festival, here’s one of the festive centerpieces from the Festival’s awards lunch on Sunday:

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These championship awards were presented at the luncheon. As soon as we can, we’ll post the full results on the CAA’s website.

Junior Division —
Champion: Avery Wilson, driving Dollhouse Shananigans (Welsh) to a Gig
Reserve Champion: Olivia Smock, driving My Shakespeare (Welsh) to a Meadowbrook

the Driving Essentials Single Pony Division A — 
Champion: Jeffrey Kohler, driving Synod Lord Percival (Welsh pony of Cob type)
Reserve Champion: Jean McLean, driving Bet-Lar Royal Thomas (Welsh Cob) to a wicker Phaeton

the Driving Essentials Single Pony Division B —
Champion: Katie Whaley, driving Mooney (Welsh) to a 1905 Park Gate Gig
Reserve Champion: Nicole Cable, driving Laurel Highland’s Duke (Fell) to a Queen Anne Phaeton

Single Horse Division —
Champion: Sterling Graburn, driving Ulano (Dutch Harness Horse) to an Alexandra Dog Cart
Reserve Champion: Jim Leo, driving Willem (Friesian) to a Phaeton

Pair Pony Division —
Champion: Katie Whaley, driving Mooney and Tucker (Welsh)
Reserve Champion: Vicki Nelson Bodoh, driving Ghost and Magic (Welsh / Arabian) to an antique Slat Side Phaeton

Pair Horse Division —
Champion: Marilyn Macfarlane, driving a pair of Friesians
Reserve Champion: Dr. Thomas Burgess, driving Ekke and Doeke (Friesians) to a Stanhope Phaeton

Very Small Equine (VSE) Division —
Champion: Mary Baillie, driving Arrow Warrior (Shetland / Miniature Horse) to a 1905 Walborn & Riker Village Cart
tied for Reserve Champion: Eve Dexter (driving Miniature Horses Rocky and Dezi) and Jenna Gibson (driving a Shetland / Miniature Horse named Blues Clues)

Tandem Division —
Champion: Katie Whaley, driving Mooney and Tucker (Welsh)

the HorseShow.com Coaching Division —
Champion: Misdee Wrigley Miller, driving Dutch Harness Horses to a Park Drag
Reserve Champion: Gerben Steenbeek, driving Friesians to a Park Drag

Park Division —
Champion: Karen Waldron, driving Isde and Lieuwe (Friesians) to a Brewster George IV Phaeton
Reserve Champion: Dr. Thomas Burgess, driving Ekke and Doeke (Friesians) to a Stanhope Phaeton

Utility-vehicle Division —
Champion: Jennifer Harber, driving GVF Maja (Fjord)
tied for Reserve Champion: Deborah Lawrence (driving Lodestar) and Cynthia Bellis-Jones (driving Nistar Blazing Kansas, a Welsh pony)