The Story Of My Life In A Photo

Timeless: Tyngwndwn Lovespoon of Here Be Dragons Welsh Ponies and me on the 2011 Metamora  Pleasure Driving Show Country Drive.  Photo by Peter Gilles

Every once in a while, something perfect happens.  

In 2011, I journeyed to Metamora, MI to show a pony for Martha Stover and Cynthia Laurence of Here Be Dragons Welsh Ponies www.herebeponies.com

Tyngwndwn Lovespoon, aka Lisa, and I had a very good show with several memorable moments.  I had only driven her a handful of times before the show, but she was a great partner.  On the cones course, there was a small failure of communication between us and instead of trampling the left hand cone on a right hand circle, Lisa saved the day, jumped over the cone for a clear round and much cheering from the spectators.  What a pony!  We very proudly presented Here Be Dragons with a reserve championship ribbon.

But that is just the beginning of the story.  Local photographer, Peter Gilles www.metamoraphoto.com was on hand at the show, snapping mementos.  After the show, he chose the above photo, his "very favorite", to put on show at the Merge Gallery in Oxford, MI.  This autumn, when asked to donate an auction item to the Metamora Driving Club's annual event, he chose the mounted photo again.

Long Story Short: Cynthia and Mack Laurence [co-owners of Lisa] were at the fundraiser and bought the photo, which they in turn sent to me as a gift.  I generally regard sentimentality as an affliction, but when I held the photo in my hands, I cried.  The combination of the memories of the show, my affection for Lisa and her owners, the Laurence's generosity, the virtuosity of Mr. Gilles' lens was a perfect storm of sentiment. 

If one photograph can tell an entire story, it is this one.  It is a sublime representation of why I drive and show horses: a beautiful summer day, a happy pony, moving gloriously through time.  One hundred years from now, I will not be surprised if people are cooing over it on whatever social forum exists for driving enthusiasts.  But it tells a still bigger story.  Lots of people do lots of really brilliant things for me, and I try to be worthy of all of them.  If you are one of those people, gaze upon this photo and see your own reflection in it.  Whether you have lent me a book, helped me unload a carriage, given me a kind word or saved me from certain death: you are in this photo.  This photo is for you.  This photo  is something perfect.

I wish you all enormous returns on the riches you have bestowed upon me.  [And... if you are looking for a present for a horse lover, you just might find something perfect from Peter Gilles' camera.]

Kind Regards,

Michelle Blackler

www.hossbiz.com

Sleigh Bells Ring: Columbus Sleigh Rally

A Beautiful Sight: Martha Stover of Here Be Dragons Welsh Ponies of Incomparable Wonderfulness, Mattawan, MI gives us a preview of what's in store for the Columbus Sleigh Rally

Columbus, Wisconsin will host a Sleigh Rally on February 11, 2012 beginning at noon with a Currier & Ives class, cones course and cross country course.  Fireman's Park is the locale which also hosts Columbus Horse & Carriage Festival over Father's Day weekend.

What is deliciously exciting to me is that the cross country course will run both at the park and on the Golf Course.  I have always wanted golf courses to be multi-use, it is such a shame to waste all that open grass and landscaping on just golfers.  Golf carts are mulit-use: carriage drivers use them, too, why not the fairways as well?  My hat is off [I am full of puns this morning] to the organizing committee for introducing this excellent dual purpose idea to the golfing fraternity.

Columbus always puts on a good show for exhibitors and the Sleigh Rally should prove no exception.  It is an ADS sanctioned event with the colorful Mary Ruth Marks officiating.  Entry fees are $45 for ADS members, $65 for non members.  There will be plenty of cold weather warming comfort food: chili, pies, hot cocoa available through the Columbus Equestrian Club.  Need to know more?  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Columbus-Wisconsin-Sleigh-Rally-Weekend/227415907585?sk=info

Other activities include a Model Horse Show, live music, photo ops for kiddies in a mini sleigh with a Very Small Equine, bob sled rides for the public, cookie decorating contest, and more.  The event is sponsored in part by the Wisconsin Horse Council Equine Foundation, whose HQ is in Columbus and some of the proceeds will go to the Wisconsin Equine Hay Bank Program which assists private individuals facing financial difficulties to feed their horses.  Need to know more? http://www.wshcef.org/

Columbus is a rocking little town and everyone should visit it.  It is full of wonderful people trying to keep Small Town USA viable.  Notable Columbutonians [yep, I made that up] Todd and Cheryl Fry have made a big impression on Main Street, not only with their business Frey Carriage Co, but also with groovy renovations of a number of properties.

Visit Hydro Street Brewing company, located in Frey Carriage's former showroom, for a Bitter Woman with some Loaded Pots.  Seriously, where else can you get that?  Need to know more?  http://hydrostreetbrew.com/our-menu/

No sleigh, you say?  No problem.  Todd Frey can fix you right up in style.  Frey Carriage Co currently has, among others, a  Kimball Bros [Boston] Portland Cutter, Two Park Bob Sleighs one by Kimball Bros [Boston], the other by Edward McGraw [NY],  an a-dor-a-ble Hooded Cutter, and a Frey Portland Cutter for sale.  Need to know more?  http://www.colonialcarriage.com/category.cfm?id=4&start=1

Kimball Bros [Boston] Portland Cutter:  buy this!

[Whatever you do, though, Do Not buy the Albany Cutter.  That is all I'm saying: Don't do it.]

Albany Cutter:
Do Not Buy

No snow?  Still no problem: just bring the carriage instead.  Carriage all packed away for the winter?  You guessed it: no problem there either!  Stop in at Frey Carriage Co and get yourself a new one: order a Frey Sprint Cart for a spring delivery.  The Frey Carriage Co's Dos A Dos will look lovely put to your horse, you know it will.  Or how about a new old one: nothing says Arriving In Style like a Skeleton Boot Victoria.  No coachman?  Removable seat turns this beauty into a George IV.  [That C P Kimball  & Co Tandem Gig?  Forget it.  Walk away.  Or I will never speak to you again.  OK?]  Need to know more?  http://www.colonialcarriage.com/category.cfm?id=3&title=Antique%20Carriages

JB Brewster Skeleton Boot Victoria: with bloodlines like that, you  barely need a horse.  Buy This!

What did I tell you? Walk away. Do not buy.  Nuff said.

Go to Columbus, WI on February 11, drive your horse on the GOLF COURSE, have a Bitter Woman and Loaded Pots at Hydro Street and buy a vehicle from Freys.  [Just not the Albany Cutter or the Tandem gig, or you'll have to deal with a Bitter Blogger.]  I will be here in spirit, [just to make sure] with bells on, wishing you a marvelous rally hosted by even more marvelous folk, in an equally marvelous town.

Kind Regards,
Michelle Blackler
Serendipity
www.hossbiz.com
Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation company.

Michigan Carriage Driving Tour

If you ever find yourself in Michigan and want to meet some of the most wonderful carriage driving folk, look up Martha Stover. Martha was host to Michael Scott and myself for a weekend of superlative carriage driving stuff. Martha and Cynthia Lawrence of Here Be Dragons breed some of the finest Welsh ponies this side of Wales: spring coils concealed in their hooves, invisible harnesses suspending them weightless from the heavens, with artists' favorite muse chiseled beauty. Yep, these are some fine ponies. Of course, they are but a mere reflection of their owners' outstanding temperament, warmth and generosity. [I am not shamelessly campaigning for President of the Stover/Lawrence Fan Club, but should I be asked...]

And there's more. We were welcomed at Tim Wright's Win A Gin stables to see Synod's Wrought Iron Ringlet going over fences after a couple of weeks of training. This exquisite black mare from Here Be Dragons is so perfectly feminine athletic, I got goosebumps watching her. If anyone knows a child who is intent on conquering the show jumping world, this pony will do it for him or her. You can see more of her and all the exquisite Here Be Dragons Welsh ponies at: www.herebeponies.com

After watching Ringlet, we ventured next door to see the Wasserman carriage collection and fit one of Here Be's superstar carriage ponies to a gig that was for sale. It was a treat to see the carriage house, resplendent with old photos of the carriages in action set in the impeccably beautiful grounds. We each had a go driving Tyngwndwn Lovespoon [have Martha pronounce that for you, it is like a love song] which was sublime. Truly, there is nothing like driving a supreme mover put to a gig in a lovely outdoor arena on a crisp, albeit warn autumn afternoon. Ahhhh...

Oh, but there's more. We supped at the White Horse Inn at Metamora, which completely

transported us straight back to Olde England with rough hewn wood everything and charm

oozing out every rafter. Could it get any better? Oh, I say. Yes. The company was beyond compare. I was seated with Cynthia and her lovely husband, Mack, Barb Chapman and her engaging former Iowan husband, Frank Andrews, our gracious host, Ms. Stover and after dinner Micheal Scott and the excellent raconteur, Tim Wright. The meal/conversation/good cheer was an instant favorite memory.

And then I woke up from my dream? Not a bit of it. There's more. The following day, Martha, Michael and myself were invited to Barb and Frank's Windrush Farm for a tour of the facility and the advanced level CDE course and hazards. I don't think in my wildest dreams could I conceive of a farm more perfect than Barb & Frank's. Everything was exactly as it should be: gorgeous but not lacking in humility, grandiose but not intimidating, stately but welcoming. As Lucy put it, "Can we stay? Please? Please? Please can we stay? This is the very best place we've ever been! Ever!"

Barb gave us a tour of the course via her pair of Dutch Warmbloods, with a variety of hounds, Lucy included, gleefully romping in pursuit. She regaled us with a story of a floating bridge over Michigan quicksand on the property which is sure to become a legend. It was a thrill to see the home of the Metamora CDE and Pleasure Show in this way and I thank Barb for her generosity in accommodating us. For more information on these shows: www.metamoracarriagedriving.org

And to cap it all off, Michael Scott has loaned me a marathon vehicle and today gave me a vertical learning curve option for readying myself and the horses for 2010 combined driving events.

Well, I did promise to return to Michigan soon. And I can hardly wait.

A big thank you to everyone who made the Michigan trip a true to life illustration of the reason I love carriage driving so much. Bless you for your kindness, hospitality and devotion to our shared beloved sport.

Kind Regards,

Michelle Blackler

Serendipity

www.hossbiz.com

Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation company.