Each year, a rarefied group of history buffs and horse enthusiasts meets in upstate New York for a celebration of horses and carriages from a bygone time.
In June, the Carriage Association of America held its 60th-anniversary gathering on the Wethersfield Estate & Garden, near Millbrook, New York, for a weekend of lighthearted competition. One could argue, somewhat reductively, that these pseudo-aristocratic games are the fancy person’s version of Civil War reenactments you can catch on TV. It costs a lot to house, train and groom horses, after all, not to mention maintaining the carriages themselves. But that wouldn’t be quite fair in terms of the hard work, the discipline and, most of all, the consuming passion for historical accuracy that goes into carriage driving, which is both an international sport and a private, obsessive pastime.
Women at carriage association events typically wear long pastel dresses and flowery hats, white string gloves in rainy weather, and brown or black leather ones to match the reins at other times. Men are outfitted in crisp waistcoats, polished knee-high boots and black silk top hats.
Though the competition is fierce — competitors are judged on things such as presentation, their carriage-driving skills, the cleanliness of the horses and the dress of the driver, grooms and passengers — there are no real “winners” in this egalitarian-minded event, except for a cascade of awards that are given for specific carriage traits. No one seems to be left out, which is perhaps part of the pleasure in “pleasure riding.”
Tap the link in our bio to ride along with these carriage enthusiasts. Photos by @strange.victory
Location: Millbrook, New York
