Conference noted::equitation

84.0. "Competitive Driving" by MTBLUE::BUTTERMAN_HO () Fri Aug 28 1987 13:19

    
    
    Thought there might be some interest in the results from the World
    Pairs Driving Championships, which just finished in Germany last
    Sunday...  There were over 175 pairs who started the competition
    (I don't have info on exactly how many completed the whole thing)..
    
    What I do know about is the Morgans from Maine who represented the
    U.S. (along w/2 other teams).  They were Kennebec Count, Kennebec
    Russel (counts son) and Come Spring Jess.  The 2 Kennebec horses
    are owned and were bred by Miss Margret Gardiner and the 3rd horse
    was bred by the Harrimans and owned by MaryEllen Moore.  These three
    horses were trained by Larry Poulin of Cumberland, and together
    they have done the United States and the Morgan breed proud....
    
    There are four divisions which the horses compete in.  The 1st is
    the grooms presentation where the turn-out of the whip (driver)
    the horses, the vehicle and the footman (groom) are judged for clean
    liness, appropriate appointments for the type/vintage of the vehicle,
    dress of the attendees, etc...  The Poulin team won this division.
    The 2nd division is the dressage test (which speaks for itself)
    and the Poulin team placed 2nd.  The 3rd division is the marathon,
    which is a grueling test of endurance and ability...  the obsticles
    for the marathon are all perminent in nature (ie; they don't move
    
    
    are perminent in nature (ie they don't move if you hit them).  The
    temperature were extremely hot and humidity high so conditions were
    less than perfect.  The team placed 23rd in this division.  The
    last division is the cones - where the team is driven through a
    course of road cones w/tennis balls balanced on top.  The cones
    are set so that there is 2" of width on either side of the hub of
    the vehicle - strategic
    vehicle .. the team tied for 1st on the 1st go around but missed
    one on the 2nd go around and ended up 9th.  OVERall they were in
    the top 20... a VERY impressive finish, tho I suspect that Larry
    will be disappointed that they did not do better in the marathon.
    
    There has been quite a bit of promotion for the "Morgans for America"
    team, through the sales of t-shirts and polo shirts w/a nice emblem
    on the... as well as benefit suppers and the like.  If anyone is
    interested in one of these send me a note on the mail and I'll be
    happy to get you a contact and further information.
    
    Hurray for the Morgans from Maine!!  We're very proud of them and
    all the folks who helped both in Germany, and keeping things running
    at Larry's Training facility back home.
    
    smiles - holly         (DNEAST::BUTTERMAN_HO)

    Just out of curiosity, is Larry Poulin any relation to Michael
    Poulin (the Dressage instructor from Maine) - If so, I'm not
    surprised that the team did well in the 1st two phases of
    the event.
    
    Do you have any information on the types of breeds that competed
    at that event, and did it seem that a pair was always made up
    of the same breed of horses (ie. two Morgans vs. an Arab and a Morgan)?
    
    

    
    
    Michale is Larry's uncle...  and Larry has as much interest in being
    on the top of a horse as he does in driving, but he's gained so
    much popularity in the driving field that he focuses his work there.
    
    As I understand it (and I'll seek out more info) there were almost
    every breed imaginable there! From my own experience (watching carriage
    driving) most pairs are made up of the same breed.. probably because
    it is easier to match them - especially from the physical perspective.

    Does anyone know anything about a cross-country cart either made
    by the Duval (sp?) company or called the Duval? It has been suggested
    to me that this type of cart would be better than a Meadowbrook
    because it is a little bit lighter and therefore less weight to
    drag around on the marathon..
    
    If anyone knows of this cart, please either reply here or send mail
    to STNDUP:FOX.
    
    Thanks in advance for any information!
    
    Linda
    

    Anybody out there doing Combined Driving or Driving Dressage? If so, I
    recently read an article you may be interested in reading. It's
    entitled "Shafts, Poles and Bending", written & illustrated by Heike
    Bean.
    
    The article discusses the difficulties in getting a driven horse to
    bend properly. It shows how even well trained horses driven by a
    knowledgeable driver are UNABLE to bend correctly if their equipment is
    faulty. 
    
    The article was published in The Whip, June 1990. It was reprinted in
    the March 1992 issue of Morgan Horse. So, if you know anybody who
    subscribes to either of those magazines, perhaps they'll let you borrow
    a back issue.