Black Swamp Driving Club Events for 2012
(*) Are BSDC Events, other dates with events are for information only.
Contact a board member if you'd like to host a BSDC drive. The activities that don't have an (*) in front are not BSDC activities, so feel free to use those dates to host a club activity. The other activities listed are to let our members be aware of what driving activities are going on in Ohio or adjoining states that they may wish to attend.
* January 15: Meeting from 2:00 - 4:00 at Hope Lutheran Church on State Route 68, in Arlington, OH. Bring treats. After the meeting we will have a talk on the upcoming Maumee Bay Sleigh Festival
January 21: ADT (Arena Driving Trial) Windy Knoll Farm, Sullivan, OH .
February 4 th & 5th. Maumee Bay Sleigh Festival, at Vail Meadows, Oregon, OH, see website at www.sleighfestival.com
or call Jackie at 734-856-6122 if you need the information sent by snail mail.
* February 12: Meeting from 2:00 - 4:00 at Good Hope Luthern Church in Arlington, Oh.
It is located on State Route 68 near the school on the south end of town. Bring your treats. Roger Murray will speak about the CAA/CWF Carriage Symposium in Colonial Williamsburg, VA
February 19: Horseman's Swap Meet: BSDC will have a booth there.
Directions: University of Findlay (Western Farm), 14700 US 68, Findlay, Ohio 45840. South of Findlay on US 68: From I-75, take exit 156 (St. Rt. 15 and US 68). Follow Route 15 approximately 2.5 miles until US 68 exit. At the end of the exit, turn right and go approximately 2.5 miles south on US 68. The university farm’s new entrance is on right just past County Road 40.
March 6: Mid-Ohio Draft Horse Auction, Carriages at 2:00 pm, Mt Hope, OH http://www.mthopeauction.com/
March 10: 1st Annual Carriage & Tack Auction, Clinton County Fairgrounds, 958 West Main St, Wilmington, OH 45177
* March 11: Meeting from 2:00 - 4:00 at Hope Lutheran Church on State Route 68, in Arlington, OH
March 13: Topeka Draft & Carriage Auction: Topeka, IN http://www.auctions-usa.com/schedule_events.html
March 17: ADT Windy Knoll Farm, Sullivan, OH
April 12 – 15: Equine Affaire, Columbus, OH http://equineaffaire.com/ohio/ Saturday & Sunday Driving Clinics with Andy Marcoux at Equine Affaire:
Driving From The Left Hand and Other Exercises at the Rein Board
Saturday, April 14th 11:00am-12:00pm Demo Ring (Celeste Center)
The rein board is a learning apparatus that has been used since the coaching days to teach new drivers how to handle the reins. Learning the coordinations of handling the reins while away from complications brought on by the horse, carriage and world around, can be an invaluable tool. I’ll be teaching students different rein handle techniques as well pointing commonly made errors. I’ll also teach the English and Hungarian rein handling positions, and teach students why hold the reins in one hand gives them 4 times the options.
Proactive Driving for Better Bending and Accuracy
Saturday, April 14th 2:30pm-4:00pm Covered Paddock (Bricker Building)
Proactive Driving is the ability if the driver to influence the horse’s next movement before it has begun. While the reactive driver is simply responding to the horse’s movements after the fact. We’ll explore ways to become a Proactive Driver, and realize the net results of influencing each of the horse’s movements to come rather than trying to correct movements that have already started. Your horse will begin to arrive at movements better prepared, balanced and engaged to create supple, fluid changes in gait and bend. The Proactive Driver will experience accuracy to with in a fraction of an inch as second nature to good driving.
Improve Your Transitions for Better Balance and Gaits
Saturday, April 14th 5:15pm-6:45pm Covered Paddock (Bricker Building)
A transition is the moment between gaits for example; moving from the trot to the walk. Good transitions are a great building block for good gaits and movements. Transitions have the greatest influence over the resulting gait transitioned into, and often can affect the gait transitioned from. Cleaning up these movements between the movements allows the horse to better manage it’s balance from one movement to the next. The result is a more confident, rhythmic and engaged horse.
Carriage Driving Derby Competition & Clinic
Sunday, April 15th 9:30am-11:00am Voinovich Arena
The Carriage Driving Derby is one of the most exciting up and coming equestrian sports on 4 wheels. The competition combines the accuracy of driving a cones course with the speed, thrill and excitement of a combined driving hazard. Drivers will compete over a course of 8 to 12 pairs of combined driving cones, and a combined driving hazard. There will be two heats followed by coaching and exercises for cones and hazards. Finally, the fastest 50% of the drivers will compete for the win. This is not your grandfather’s horse & buggy driving. It’s high speed dirt tossing fun!
Driven Dressage Times 2: Critiques & Exercises to Improve Your Test Scores
Sunday, April 15th 2:30pm-4:00pm Covered Paddock (Bricker Building)
This is one of my favorite clinic formats. Each driver will drive a dressage test, which I will score. In a regular clinic, I would do this silently the first time through. At Equine affaire I will be informing the spectators of the movements the driver is performing as well as leaving the mic open while I dictate to my scribe. At the conclusion of the test I will discuss the test with the driver, work through a few exercises toward improving the test, then have the driver do the test again. Once again, I will score with an open microphone, but will offer coaching while they are driving the test as well. The improvements that can be made with small changes in this format are always impressive!
* April 21 Clinic with Anita Alden of Odyssey Training Stables , Free Carriage Clinic open to the public from 2:00pm to 4:00pm at the Hancock County Fairgrounds, 1017 E Sandusky St, Findlay, OH.( Private lessons available with Anita from 9:00am to 1:00pm ( $20.00 for 30 minute private lesson for you & your horse, if you aren't a member a $25.00 membership fee to BSDC will be added to the lesson fee)
April 27 & 28 Martin’s Auction, Lebanon, PA. (BSDC members are planning a trip to the auction leaving on April 26th ) More information as we get it.
* May 12 Tentative trip (BSDC car pooling to Holmes County to visit harness, carriage, and other shops.) More information to follow.
June 1 - 3, Carriage Roundup, Kentucky Horse Park, 4089 Iron Works Pky, Lexington, KY, (Must have a registration sent in before the event). www.kyhorsepark.com ,( If you don't receive a registration letter, ask a BSDC board member)
June 15: Topeka, IN Carriage & Antique Auction
June 29 - July 1: CAA Carriage Festival: In the Alltech Indoor Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. This festival will include the carriage driving horse show, PLUS an antique car show, carriage showcase, eduational seminars, social activities.
July 28 & July 29, Ohio CDE, Windy Knoll Farm , Sullivan, OH
* July 7 , Wyandot Historical Society, Static display of carriages, South Johnson Street, Upper Sandusky, OH
* September 16: Parker Bridge Drive, Potluck is at 12:00. Directions: US 23 at OH 53 turn right to 67, turn right at the brown Parker Bridge sign, turn left at TH37, go to TH40 (1st road to the right), covered bridge parking is on the left in the big field. Watch for BSDC signs. Contact Julie Emmons: 740-361-3885.
* September 23: Coon Hunters Lodge 7575 TR131, Tiffin, OH
Joint drive with WRCA
Meet @ 11:30 Potluck @ noon in the lodge
Contact: Roger and Sue Murray 44883-9342 419.447.0076 ram2andsue@thewavz.com
Driving is on public roads so a SMV (Slow Moving Vehicle) sign on the carriage/cart is required. Plenty of parking,
restrooms etc. The drive will be between 4.5 and 6.5 miles (your choice of routes) along the Sandusky river on country roads.
Directions: From US 224. Go south on SR 53 for 5.0 miles to CR 6 and go .8 miles to TR 131. This will be the second right. You will see Camp Glen signs, plus a Walnut Grove Campground sign. Travel on TR 131 for 1.5 miles. Sandusky River Coon Hunters Lodge (7575 TR 131) is the big barn on the left.
*October 6: Tenative, Log Cabin, Kenton, OH
October 9 - 14: National Drive, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY http://www.nationaldrive.net/
October 18 - 21: CAA Conference, Mullet Hall Equestrian Center in Charleston, SC.
November TBA: Annual Banquet