Past Events:
Over May 3rd, 4th and 5th, 2024, the New England Region of the Carriage
Association of America, held its 55th Learning Weekend. This year it was
held in the Berkshires at Orleton Farm, the home of Harvey and Mary
Waller.
The weekend began with a lively social hour and a Horse Trivia Game led
by Dick Lahey, a former director of the CAA and long time member of the
NER. Dick brought his game buzzers and plenty of trivia questions and a
very good time with lots of laughs was had! It was a great way to reconnect
with old friends and make some new ones.
NER member Heather Hull-Colby began our Saturday morning program
with a very informative talk about working with draft horses Heather has
had a lifetime of showing and training event horses, show hunters, fox
hunters, dressage horses, showing and hunting sidesaddle and driving
horses in the show ring and at ADT’s and combined driving events. A
highlight of her equestrian career was riding a draft horse sidesaddle in the
inaugural parade for George W. Bush!
Our next speaker, a good friend of the Wallers and a local historian, author
and expert on the Gilded Age in the Berkshires, was Richard Jackson.
Richard co-authored a book with Cornelia Brooke-Gilder entitled Houses of
the Berkshires: 1870–1930 and gave an excellent talk on the history of the
Berkshires during the Gilded Age. His slide presentation showed the
spectacular estates that that were built in the late 19th century, many of
which still stand today.
In the afternoon we boarded a bus to travel to nearby High Lawn Farm
which is now a working dairy farm and creamery. As with any Learning
Weekend there are highlights. Two of those highlights were Orleton Farm
and High Lawn Farm. Orleton is the home of Mary and Harvey Waller and
their impressive collection of Brewster and Bugatti sporting Vehicles. A road
coach and mail coach were very nearly perfect. Most of the vehicles
restored are in superior condition and ready to put to. Of course it helps
when putting to such vehicles that you have a stable of fine coach horses -
some Dutch, some German, and several teams of Canadian sport ponies!
The harness rooms and coach house provide enough to all at one time to
put a couple of four in hands together as well as a pair or two and several
singles. It is easy to imagine a party of whips deciding to go on a drive
heading out to the stable and grabbing harnesses, horses and ponies,
randomly picking out their favorite Gig or Phaeton and heading down the
wooded lanes of Stockbridge.
One anecdote about a restored sleigh comes to mind: apparently in need
of a pony sized sleigh in a hurry, a young and precocious Mary chain
sawed it into a shorter version of itself! Later on in life having held on to
both halves, she sent it off to be restored to its original configuration. If
wishes were offered, that would be the pick of the lot. All the finery and high
stepping of the coaching world is aways trumped by the love of a child for
the pony and the opportunity to find freedom in the New England winter
landscape.
The genteel nature of the back lanes of Stockbridge with the Berkshires
as a backdrop, the pastures, fields and stone walls that remain from the
summer coaching past that still lingers on is present in the setting of High
Lawn Farm. All of these places were backdrops to aristocratic families,
their history noted in registers and books. What is interesting is what still
stands today because of them. Their passage is embedded in the
landscape.
High Lawn’s carriage collection is also impressive with the quality of the
recent restorations. Three Jubert and White vehicles hold center stage.
Bright work buckboards of a summer tradition, one can see a quick
stepping Saddlebred with a russet harness trotting down a shaded lane.
The gaiety of a late nineteenth century picnic outing, straw hats and linen
blouses were on display. Those of us that are still fortunate to know the
feel of the reins in our hand, that have smelled a soft summer evening
behind a well conditioned horse, can feel the gratitude that only comes
through our senses where imagination intersects with reality.
After our tours, we returned to “the Party Barn” at Orleton. The meeting
rooms were decorated with a nice collection of Charles Cooper Henderson
prints, creating a well themed atmosphere for the assembled carriage
enthusiasts.
As it happened, the running of the Kentucky Derby coincided with dinner
and we all joined in the excitement of watching the photo finish. When we
settled back down to finish dinner, Nick Buck led the live auction with his
usual good humor and cajoling. The silent and live auctions brought in a
good amount of money for the Club. Club member Boo Martin generously
donated a three day weekend at Stepping Stones Retreat where one can
bring their horse and ride, drive and relax. Joan Scialdone was the lucky
bidder on that. And perhaps the most interesting and unusual item was
donated by Mary and Harvey’s son, Harley Waller. It was a ride in his
Lamborghini! It may not have had four legs but it had four tires and a
whole lot of horse power! Tim Butterfield was the very lucky winner of that
item!
Our evening presentation was the showing of a film about an amazing 14
month cross country adventure driving six Belgian horses from the Atlantic
Ocean clear across to the Pacific Ocean. Our main speaker, David E.
Helmuth, drove his beautiful Belgians from Kennebunkport, Maine to San
Diego, California in 1993 and 1994. David was born into the Amish
community but at age 13 he was recognized by Dick Sparrow as a born
horseman and was offered a job to work with Sparrow and his 40 horse
hitch. At 16 years old, he left Amish life and began working for Dick
Sparrow. David went on to big first place wins with his 6-8 draft horse
hitches in the US and Canada and for 12 years drove the Wells Fargo
Stage Coach.
After his first place US and Canada wins with his 6-8 horse hitches, he was
approached by Country Reminisce Farm and Ranch Magazine to drive his
horses coast to coast. David and his horses and crew were greeted
wherever they went by throngs of people lining the streets to cheer them on
and to have an opportunity to meet the horses and go for a carriage ride.
The young were excited to witness these magnificent horses and ride in the
carriage and the older people wistfully remembered when they used horses
growing up. At one point, David and his wife brought Firestone, his star
Belgian, right into a senior living center where Firestone was able to visit
with some of the seniors in wheelchairs or bed. Can you imagine having a
giant Belgian draft horse walk right into your house to visit you? “Reminisce
Hitch, Vol 2” is a remarkable film about a once in a lifetime adventure and
can be seen on YouTube. David Helmuth now has a transport business
out of Ocala, FL, delivering horses and/or carriages and hay all over the
country and up to Canada and down into Mexico and beyond. David plans
to return to Maine with his horses in 2025 and we can’t wait!
The weekend came to an end with a talk by Holly Pulsifer on the CAA
Driver Proficiency Test, followed by a short informational film made by Dick
Lahey about the Carriage Association of America. We closed with a
general membership meeting. Voted into office were Nick Buck, President,
Sarah Isham, Secretary, and Heather Hull-Colby and Joan Scialdone as
Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer. We want to thank Greg Cuffey, Joanie
Mitchell and Alan Retter for their years serving as President, Secretary and
Treasurer. It was an extraordinary weekend. Thank you to all who
attended the weekend and a grateful salute to those who sponsored us.
Association of America, held its 55th Learning Weekend. This year it was
held in the Berkshires at Orleton Farm, the home of Harvey and Mary
Waller.
The weekend began with a lively social hour and a Horse Trivia Game led
by Dick Lahey, a former director of the CAA and long time member of the
NER. Dick brought his game buzzers and plenty of trivia questions and a
very good time with lots of laughs was had! It was a great way to reconnect
with old friends and make some new ones.
NER member Heather Hull-Colby began our Saturday morning program
with a very informative talk about working with draft horses Heather has
had a lifetime of showing and training event horses, show hunters, fox
hunters, dressage horses, showing and hunting sidesaddle and driving
horses in the show ring and at ADT’s and combined driving events. A
highlight of her equestrian career was riding a draft horse sidesaddle in the
inaugural parade for George W. Bush!
Our next speaker, a good friend of the Wallers and a local historian, author
and expert on the Gilded Age in the Berkshires, was Richard Jackson.
Richard co-authored a book with Cornelia Brooke-Gilder entitled Houses of
the Berkshires: 1870–1930 and gave an excellent talk on the history of the
Berkshires during the Gilded Age. His slide presentation showed the
spectacular estates that that were built in the late 19th century, many of
which still stand today.
In the afternoon we boarded a bus to travel to nearby High Lawn Farm
which is now a working dairy farm and creamery. As with any Learning
Weekend there are highlights. Two of those highlights were Orleton Farm
and High Lawn Farm. Orleton is the home of Mary and Harvey Waller and
their impressive collection of Brewster and Bugatti sporting Vehicles. A road
coach and mail coach were very nearly perfect. Most of the vehicles
restored are in superior condition and ready to put to. Of course it helps
when putting to such vehicles that you have a stable of fine coach horses -
some Dutch, some German, and several teams of Canadian sport ponies!
The harness rooms and coach house provide enough to all at one time to
put a couple of four in hands together as well as a pair or two and several
singles. It is easy to imagine a party of whips deciding to go on a drive
heading out to the stable and grabbing harnesses, horses and ponies,
randomly picking out their favorite Gig or Phaeton and heading down the
wooded lanes of Stockbridge.
One anecdote about a restored sleigh comes to mind: apparently in need
of a pony sized sleigh in a hurry, a young and precocious Mary chain
sawed it into a shorter version of itself! Later on in life having held on to
both halves, she sent it off to be restored to its original configuration. If
wishes were offered, that would be the pick of the lot. All the finery and high
stepping of the coaching world is aways trumped by the love of a child for
the pony and the opportunity to find freedom in the New England winter
landscape.
The genteel nature of the back lanes of Stockbridge with the Berkshires
as a backdrop, the pastures, fields and stone walls that remain from the
summer coaching past that still lingers on is present in the setting of High
Lawn Farm. All of these places were backdrops to aristocratic families,
their history noted in registers and books. What is interesting is what still
stands today because of them. Their passage is embedded in the
landscape.
High Lawn’s carriage collection is also impressive with the quality of the
recent restorations. Three Jubert and White vehicles hold center stage.
Bright work buckboards of a summer tradition, one can see a quick
stepping Saddlebred with a russet harness trotting down a shaded lane.
The gaiety of a late nineteenth century picnic outing, straw hats and linen
blouses were on display. Those of us that are still fortunate to know the
feel of the reins in our hand, that have smelled a soft summer evening
behind a well conditioned horse, can feel the gratitude that only comes
through our senses where imagination intersects with reality.
After our tours, we returned to “the Party Barn” at Orleton. The meeting
rooms were decorated with a nice collection of Charles Cooper Henderson
prints, creating a well themed atmosphere for the assembled carriage
enthusiasts.
As it happened, the running of the Kentucky Derby coincided with dinner
and we all joined in the excitement of watching the photo finish. When we
settled back down to finish dinner, Nick Buck led the live auction with his
usual good humor and cajoling. The silent and live auctions brought in a
good amount of money for the Club. Club member Boo Martin generously
donated a three day weekend at Stepping Stones Retreat where one can
bring their horse and ride, drive and relax. Joan Scialdone was the lucky
bidder on that. And perhaps the most interesting and unusual item was
donated by Mary and Harvey’s son, Harley Waller. It was a ride in his
Lamborghini! It may not have had four legs but it had four tires and a
whole lot of horse power! Tim Butterfield was the very lucky winner of that
item!
Our evening presentation was the showing of a film about an amazing 14
month cross country adventure driving six Belgian horses from the Atlantic
Ocean clear across to the Pacific Ocean. Our main speaker, David E.
Helmuth, drove his beautiful Belgians from Kennebunkport, Maine to San
Diego, California in 1993 and 1994. David was born into the Amish
community but at age 13 he was recognized by Dick Sparrow as a born
horseman and was offered a job to work with Sparrow and his 40 horse
hitch. At 16 years old, he left Amish life and began working for Dick
Sparrow. David went on to big first place wins with his 6-8 draft horse
hitches in the US and Canada and for 12 years drove the Wells Fargo
Stage Coach.
After his first place US and Canada wins with his 6-8 horse hitches, he was
approached by Country Reminisce Farm and Ranch Magazine to drive his
horses coast to coast. David and his horses and crew were greeted
wherever they went by throngs of people lining the streets to cheer them on
and to have an opportunity to meet the horses and go for a carriage ride.
The young were excited to witness these magnificent horses and ride in the
carriage and the older people wistfully remembered when they used horses
growing up. At one point, David and his wife brought Firestone, his star
Belgian, right into a senior living center where Firestone was able to visit
with some of the seniors in wheelchairs or bed. Can you imagine having a
giant Belgian draft horse walk right into your house to visit you? “Reminisce
Hitch, Vol 2” is a remarkable film about a once in a lifetime adventure and
can be seen on YouTube. David Helmuth now has a transport business
out of Ocala, FL, delivering horses and/or carriages and hay all over the
country and up to Canada and down into Mexico and beyond. David plans
to return to Maine with his horses in 2025 and we can’t wait!
The weekend came to an end with a talk by Holly Pulsifer on the CAA
Driver Proficiency Test, followed by a short informational film made by Dick
Lahey about the Carriage Association of America. We closed with a
general membership meeting. Voted into office were Nick Buck, President,
Sarah Isham, Secretary, and Heather Hull-Colby and Joan Scialdone as
Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer. We want to thank Greg Cuffey, Joanie
Mitchell and Alan Retter for their years serving as President, Secretary and
Treasurer. It was an extraordinary weekend. Thank you to all who
attended the weekend and a grateful salute to those who sponsored us.
Memories from Learning Weekend 2024:
The New England Region held their Annual Learning Weekend in Newport, RI on March 3-5, 2023. It was our 54th Anniversary of putting these education weekends together and never disappoints. We were honored to have Frank Moore, an original charter member, attend! While Newport was enjoying spring and forsythias in full bloom, the rest of New England was dealing with snow and cold. Amazing weather difference only two hours away. Our chosen venue an lodging were very comfortable and attractive with a view of Narraganset The adventure began on Friday afternoon with a tour of the Breaker Stables once owned by the Vanderbilts where some famous coaches, particularly the Venture, are housed. The beautiful stalls are used for guest horses when the coaches come to Newport in August every three years for Coaching Week. It is also the site of the welcome party that launches Coaching Week. The Breakers Stables is now owned and managed by the Preservation Society of Newport. There is a tack room with some of the livery worn by the coachmen and grooms, as well as other carriages and commercial vehicles that were used in Newport back in the Gilded Age in the 1800’s. We also toured the conservation lab where the conservators restore the many treasures from the mansions. Floor to ceiling shelving in three rooms border work tables featuring gilded mirrors, a mother-of-pearl tea box and bronze fireplace tools with a broom made of horsehair. Also undergoing a delicate restoration was a gorgeous Chinese hand embroidered fireplace guard with not less than eight different bird varieties on it , signed by artist. Saturday’s program began via Zoom meeting with Wilson Groves of R & Horsedrawn Services out of Brownsville, VT. Wilson gave an informative and very entertaining presentation from the barn at Black Prong where he spends the winter training horses. He spoke on what to look for in a driving horse and trainer. The next speaker was Walter Eayrs who has extensive experience in restoration, conservation, and architectural history. He was Chairman for 2022 Coaching Week in Newport and is a member of the Coaching Club, a US based four-in-hand driving club. Walter is an avid polo player and all of his polo ponies are trained to drive as part of a four-in-hand as well. They are Thoroughbred/Grillo crosses that are bred for stamina and stable temperaments. He also coordinated the entire Coaching Week event and all the logistics required to put it together—the drive through Newport, lunches, balls, review and parade at the Elms, and all the events that take place during Coaching Week every 3 years. The next Coaching Week in Newport is slated for August 2025. The morning’s third speaker was Anna Bigelow, President of the Maine Driving Club, who gave a very interesting and informative presentation o process of importing horses from overseas—specifically her Shetland Ponies f the Shetland Islands, Scotland. She spoke on all aspects of coordinating the different legs of the trip, transportation, quarantine practices and expenses remarked on how well the ponies were treated by the transport professionals. She also spoke about importing a meticulously restored antique pony do from Wales and how it was prepped and crated for shipment to Maine. After lunch we boarded a bus for a guided tour of the Breakers Mansion an Kingscote Stables in Newport and Glen Farms in Portsmouth, RI. At the Breakers Mansion, it was pointed out that some of the scenes from the TV series “The Gilded Age” were filmed in and around the Breakers. We were proud t acknowledge that two of our Club members who were present, Armistead Wellford and Carrie Wind, actually drove horses and carriages in the series. After our tour, the group enjoyed a social hour with a silent auction, din and a live auction. Our auctioneer, Nick Buck, was very animated, cajole members into bidding on some very nice items. The evening’s highlight was an award winning short documentary film entitled “Pony Boys”. It tells the story two brothers, Tony and Jeff Whittemore, ages 11 and 9, who embarked on adventure driving their 10 year old Shetland pony, King, from their home in Needham, Massachusetts to Expo ’67 in Montreal - incredibly about 315 miles, al on their own! Now, 56 years later, Tony and Jeff joined us along with the f producer, Eric Stange, and retold this amazing story and answered questions. I was great to hear about such a heartwarming tale. The trip earned the boys a guest appearance on “To Tell The Truth” and King lived on to be 37 years old! There were a number of “small world” connections with some Club members and the Whittemores, most particularly the fact that the Whittemores spent the summers at Silver Ranch in Jaffrey, NH. The late Alfred Sawyer, owner of Silver Ranch, an original NER member and father of Lee Sawyer, past president of NER/ CAA, worked with King and the Whittemores. Sunday morning was the annual meeting and breakfast after which we proceeded to Michael Ward’s Field of Dreams Farm in Stonington, CT. We viewed his lovely horses and private carriage collection housed in Amish built, post & beam barns smartly placed on a gently landscaped hillside. Some vehicles of note: an early Abbot/Downing Yellowstone touring coach, large city omnibus, Henderson stage coach, Hansom Cab, roof seat break, president Lincoln’s private carriage and an oil delivery wagon. There was a nice selection of commercial vehicles and sporting vehicles, some in remarkable original condition & others tastefully restore We had boxed lunches prepared by the hotel which we enjoyed eating inside an Amish built carriage building before departing for home after a truly wonderful Learning Weekend!
Memories from Learning Weekend 2023:
Joanie Mitchell - Co-program Chair, Jeff & Tony Whittemore, Judy Ballantine - Co-program Chair and Eric Strang, film producer of "The Pony Boys"