Our trip to Walnut Hill

[Sue_C.]

Amanda...I love your black hat...I have it in royal blue...now that I have seen the black, I might have to get that one too.

I too, am a confirmed hataholic.

Beautiful pictures guys.

 

[barnbum]

Hello! I spent one day at Walnut Hill--I think it was Thursday--forgot now.

I only live 40 min away--this was my 3rd or 4th year going. I met two forum folks there--we had a blast. It's an amazing show.

Amanda and amandasmom--I didn't even take my camera.

 

[amandasmom]

I did download the picture using your instuctions. Thank you! I never knew you could do that. I am not a good picture taker- Karla is!She would have had the whole horse in the picture not a kid driving a flower pot. I never thought Amanda would turn into a hataholic but she has.The ribbons were for the miniature pairs champion.That was taken before the parade of champions.Surprisingly I did get all in the picture with heads and hoofs!

 

[RhineStone]

The ribbons were for the miniature pairs champion.

Why are there two ribbons?

What do they say?

We just have one ribbon around here for Champion. Depending on the show, it is purple. The Reserve is lavender. There is one show that just gives a Champion, and it is a blue just like the class ribbons. The three color ribbons are cool though!

Myrna

 

[amandasmom]

Why are there two ribbons?

What do they say?

We just have one ribbon around here for Champion. Depending on the show, it is purple. The Reserve is lavender. There is one show that just gives a Champion, and it is a blue just like the class ribbons. The three color ribbons are cool though!

Myrna

 

[amandasmom]

Hi,I read the ribbons last night. One says Parade of Champions the other Champion.Sorry it took so long to get back to you. Amanda and Tony are headed for Nationals.They are just outside Indianapolis. Hope you have a good day!

 

[RhineStone]

So Champions get one ribbon after their last class and one on Sunday? With our 14-hour drive home, we didn't stick around for the Parade of Champions. We left right after the Presentation Drive on Sunday and got home just after midnight on Monday.

The Champions/Reserves here are awarded at the dinner/Awards Party on Sunday. That is also when they give out the obstacles ribbons, too. It is neat that at Walnut Hill the obstacles are pinned right away. Sometimes it is hard to figure out "who people are" when they aren't with their turnout and are just in "street clothes", but at WH, you know exactly who they are if you watch the pinning. And then the spectators know who placed, too. I remember looking at photos of people dressed with their turnouts wondering if they have to get all dressed back up to get their awards for obstacles!

Regardless, we fit thirteen divisions with 5-6 classes per division in 2-3 days, so I doubt there would be time to pin obstacles right after the classes. WH does push it right along though, so you really don't notice any delay in the show.

Good luck at Nationals! We are on our way to the Villa Louis Carriage Classic tomorrow.

Myrna

 

[bevann]

So Champions get one ribbon after their last class and one on Sunday? With our 14-hour drive home, we didn't stick around for the Parade of Champions. We left right after the Presentation Drive on Sunday and got home just after midnight on Monday.

The Champions/Reserves here are awarded at the dinner/Awards Party on Sunday. That is also when they give out the obstacles ribbons, too. It is neat that at Walnut Hill the obstacles are pinned right away. Sometimes it is hard to figure out "who people are" when they aren't with their turnout and are just in "street clothes", but at WH, you know exactly who they are if you watch the pinning. And then the spectators know who placed, too. I remember looking at photos of people dressed with their turnouts wondering if they have to get all dressed back up to get their awards for obstacles!

Regardless, we fit thirteen divisions with 5-6 classes per division in 2-3 days, so I doubt there would be time to pin obstacles right after the classes. WH does push it right along though, so you really don't notice any delay in the show.

Where is Walnut Hill?I missed it this year, but I would like to go next year if possible.I live about 90 miles south of Philadelphia,PA.Any other good driving shows in my area where I could see nice turnouts?

Good luck at Nationals! We are on our way to the Villa Louis Carriage Classic tomorrow.

Myrna

 

[Miss Gracie]

Fabulous pictures!!! Your turn-out is lovely!!! It looks like such a FUN event, does Walnut Hill hold an event every year?

Carol

 

[RhineStone]

Walnut Hill is in Pittsford, NY, near Rochester. This was the 39th Anniversary and they mentioned holding it again next year. Here is their website: www.walnuthillfarm.com

Maybe someone in the PA area can comment on where there are other carriage shows there. We are in the Midwest, and actually this was the first time since I was in 8th grade that I went that far East!

Otherwise, check out the American Driving Society website Omnibus for a listing of ADS shows around the country: www.americandrivingsociety.org

Myrna

 

[wingnut]

How many carts do you have? I *love* the one with the blue wheels!

Nice job and congrats!!! Can't wait to see the videos!

 

[RhineStone]

Thank you. Besides the blue Phaeton Cart, we have the B-sized Meadowbrook in the photos, an A-sized Road Cart, another mini cart I call my "crappy" cart (the first one we built) but we have shown ADS shows in it, a small pony Phaeton Cart, and for our big horses we have a four-wheeled Runabout, a Meadowbrook, a Spider Gig we just built this year (I took photos the other day, I will have to get them on our website soon), and a Marathon vehicle! Minis are like potato chips, but so are carriages!

Thank you for reminding me about the videos. We took my husband's computer with to New York and they are still on there. I have to take the time to download them to my computer or just use his when it is home to upload them to the web.

Myrna

 

[RhineStone]

I finally got a video uploaded to YouTube (wow, did that take a long time....about an hour and a half!). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyOJgKSCcQ8 This is my Progressive Cones go. In a Progressive class, they measure your wheel base and then mark the first set of cones at 20" wider than your wheel base, then 16", 3rd is 12", then 8", 4", and finally 2". We are used to driving Progressive on grass where about 6 people in the whole show make it through all 6 sets of cones because of the lumps and bumps in the lawn, so I didn't drive this remarkably fast because I wanted to get through clean. On the stone dust most of my class got through clean, so it is up to time. We are doing a slower Working Trot in the video. I have made it through clean on grass, but I take the last set of cones at a Slow Trot (or slower!), so we are less likely to be bopped around.

I hope to load my Reinsmanship class next, but Chad took his computer with him again.

That work stuff always gets in the way of fun stuff!

Myrna

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Yay, videos are so great!! They give a much more complete view of how a horse moves, the training he's had, the feel of an event, everything! Thank you for sharing that one and I look forward to the rest when you can steal that laptop back.

Leia

 

[LazyRanch]

OH! What wonderful photos and thank you for sharing!!

I had no idea these classes existed, so a great wealth of insight. OMG, SOOOO many carts.

I am out looking at my little Ram 1500 and 2-horse trailer. I HAVE to get out more!

Wonderful post!

Cheryl

 

[LazyRanch]

Myrna,

Sorry, but what are Progressive Cones?

 

[RhineStone]

Myrna,

Sorry, but what are Progressive Cones?

The description is in my post with the link. The six sets of cones are measured "progressively" narrower.

Myrna

 

[targetsmom]

Thanks so much for posting that. I find it so much more educational to watch a video of a horse moving rather than just still shots... Very nice mover!! I have a series of still photos from our one and only Progressive Cones Class (which we won because only 2 of us made it all the way through)and they are pretty useless at showing what the class is really all about. It was a fun class to watch and to drive!!

 

[RhineStone]

I find it so much more educational to watch a video of a horse moving rather than just still shots... Very nice mover!!

Thank you. I don't have much to do with Alax's motion, it's all him (and his breeder, I suppose...)

I have posted my Reinsmanship class. Here is the individual test. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OotmsY5_lXE Alax was a pistol in my opinion. Apparently the judge disagreed. The track was accurate, meaning that we made our marks and gaits, but his canter steps and "arguing" at the gates was totally annoying. The test was something like working trot to the back right corner, slow trot across the middle of the arena (we had to find the "middle"), working trot to the back left corner of the arena, strong trot across the back rail and right rail, working to the middle, and walk out at an angle to the out gate.

This is the rail work. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AofbSRJg-ps They only worked us one way of the ring. I LOVE the shot at about 2:10. Alax started to get elevation and strike before the corner. We are working to get this all the time. In watching the video, I also see him trying to "root", and I want to get his head up. He has the ability (he's not "low headed"), but that is the next step. I had a clincian tell me to drive him like a saddle seat horse, with high hands and lots of pop, but I don't know if that is the route I want to go. I want a "Dutch Warmblood", not a "Saddlebred".

By all means, tear these apart and analyze them. I know that this was NOT our best class, but it is the ONLY video I have of Alax right now.

We borrowed a friend's camera to get it!

Myrna

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Everything is just so elegant! It is motivational, and at the same time intimidating.

I think the blue wheels are stunning.