June 21, 2011
As we all know, the Royal Ascot races in England are known for the ladies’ stylish, even outlandish, hats.
Here is a photo from this year’s installment, which took place last week: friend-of-the-CAA George Bowman, driving his team up High Street to Ascot.
That’s George’s daughter, Kathleen, seated next to him. Check out her fabulous hat!!
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on the way to the 2011 Royal Ascot (photo courtesy of Tommy Fawcett)
June 20, 2011
For everyone (me included) having a busy Monday: Here’s our moment of zen.
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I took these photos one evening last week. They are both of the field across Ironworks Pike from the Kentucky Horse Park.
June 19, 2011
In the office last week, I was pretty well consumed with laying out this year’s edition of the CAA’s annual journal, World on Wheels.
One of the articles is about the popularity of coaching among members of New York “society” during the Gilded Age. Coaching at the time was not just a sport for the idle rich; it was quite a “spectator” sport as well, with thousands of people lining the streets to watch the New York Coaching Club’s parades. According to contemporary newspaper reports, the onlookers gathered to admire the vehicles, the horses, and the fancy outfits on display.
It’s difficult to imagine that happening now, I thought: so many people avidly watching that sort of parade … not horses and/or horse-drawn carriages IN a parade, but a parade OF horse-drawn carriages.
But then I remembered that it’s really not such a strange thought in this day and age after all. When our CAA group was in Sevilla last month, the annual carriage exhibition in the bullring didn’t take place as planned. Instead, it morphed into a carriage parade, with thousands of people crowding the streets and sidewalks to see nearly a hundred horse-drawn carriages and coaches. In a way, it was like stepping back in time.
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June 18, 2011
In early July, Team Bowman (legendary four-in-hand driver George, his brother Robert, and his sons Barnaby and George) will take part in the Chuck Wagon races at the Calgary Stampede.
Back in 2009, by way of contrast, they completed a magnificent coaching run from Limerick to Dublin, Ireland.
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We wish them the best of luck in Canada!
June 17, 2011
In honor of the weekend, let’s find (and don) our sepia-toned glasses and head west …
Here are some wonderful old photos of “Wild West” cowboys … having their portraits taken and both at work and at rest. And, don’t worry, there are a few vehicles in there, too! I counted three Chuckwagons.
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The Slower Road 