The Laurels at Landhope CDE

The Laurels, now re-named The Laurels at Landhope, began with the small seed of an idea. It has evolved over the years, has flourished and grown into this wonderful competition which today encompassing three days of excitement by the best drivers in the country, executing their superb driving skills.

During the mid-eighties, two excellent long-time, sport-carriage drivers, Mickie Bowen and Mary Lane Wark hoped to promote the fledgling sport of Combined Driving in southeastern Pennsylvania. Following a few meetings at Mary Wark’s Woodcock Farm, in West Chester, The Brandywine Valley Driving Club was formed for this purpose. It rapidly attracted a growing number of members with similar interests.

The first kindling for the Laurels was laid with a series of three BVDC clinics, held in 1986. Member, Martha Barbone, proposed the clinics which would then culminate in a small, “Fun CDE,” (Combined Driving Event) for the participants who had been coached in Dressage, with Lore Homer; Marathon, with Lisa Singer and Cones, from Mary Wark. Twelve brave participants accepted the challenge for this first in-area CDE and the spark from this idea ignited the flame that became today’s brightest national Combined Driving Event’s star, The Laurels at Landhope.

On a clear, crisp November day, following a “teaching Presentation,” as last minute harness adjustments were suggested by Lisa Singer, the first fledgling CDE competition in Pennsylvania began.

Dressage was held in a hastily prepared, somewhat bumpy, dirt dressage ring at Maresfield, in Unionville, Pennsylvania. The judges were: Lisa Singer, Presentation and Marathon; Lore Homer, Dressage; Gabrielle Taylor, Cones; and Jeanne Braceland, Secretary. There were four hazards with three gates. The distance of the marathon was slightly over six kilometers. Everything in this little starter CDE: markers, cones and hazards was “homemade,” somewhat primitive and “non-regulation,” excluding the delicious soup and hot drinks provided by Eunice Marvel and Jean Miller. Members of the Brandywine Valley Driving Club volunteered as hazard judges, scribes and out-riders. Many of them still volunteer today; more have joined those early volunteers, and all, past and present, are an integral part of today’s fine competition.

The trip through time, from then to now, has seen the Laurels CDE experience daunting downpours, leaky tents, trucks slipping sideways down muddy slopes, horrendous winds, dust, and the “no stay” of the only food vendor during the second year. Through it all, the core group of volunteers pulled together; pulled at their hair; weathered through; fed, sheltered and cheered for the competitors. Gabrielle and John Taylor raided the Miller’s pantry and made trips to a near-by deli for competitor and volunteer sustenance when the food vendor left before lunch. There are so many to thank over the years for their dedication, time and effort!

This little CDE got a huge boost when Betsy Cowperthwaite and Kelly Valdes undertook the management of this neophyte competition. From the first, Frolic Weymouth, founder of the Brandywine Conservancy, supported the Laurels Combined Training Event, often driving his coach and four, accompanied by his friends, to the presentation area to observe and applaud the efforts of the BVDC. The Laurels Conservancy gave the driving event permission to use the Laurels Conservation Land. By virtue of the prevalence of laurel shrubbery throughout the area, Fredda Pennock, sketched a simple laurel leaf. This was adopted as the event’s logo and name. “The Laurels,” had quietly and competently accomplished another giant leap forward.

The second event boasted five hazards, including crossing the unusually high Buck Run, which feeds the Brandywine River. Heavy rains had proceeded the event and the ponies waded through the nearly chest high water. A welcome catered dinner for our sparsely fed, damp competitors and volunteers followed the conclusion of the day’s competition.

In 1990, Mary and Jamie O’Rourke, who had a long history with CDE competitions, moved from Long island to Unionville. Organizing the Paumonock Combined Driving Event topped the list of their many impressive credentials. The Laurels emerged the following year with new sophistication. With their expertise, the Laurels began to move smoothly into becoming one of the major combined Driving Events on the East Coast. The format was changed to a two-day event and sponsors were enlisted.

        1992 - Laurels became a Selection Trial for the USET (United States Equestrian Team)

        1993 - World Pairs Championship Selection Trial

With the move to Landhope Farm, another era began. The Ed Browns sadly bid farewell to the CDE they had inherited from the William Millers. The event had outgrown the space afforded by Maresfield and their generous neighbors, who had graciously allowed the use of their land for the competition, stabling and hazards.

Re-named The Laurels at Landhope, the new venue was initiated by mowing down an enormous cornfield to make way for a very different kind of crop, the growing Laurels Combined Driving competition. Months of work followed from an army of creative, industrious and dedicated volunteers. The new facilities include a dedicated stabling area with electrical and water hook-ups for campers; room for two hundred horses; eight wash stalls for them; a permanent office building and an announcer’s enclosed tower. This was a far cry from the humble beginnings, when the announcer sat on top of a stack of hay bales, and the secretary sat in the back of a horse trailer.

For the people who flock to watch this exciting event, two hundred and ninety feet of retaining wall was added in 2006, doubling the viewing area to 400 feet. Occupants of the Patron’s Tent will have improved views of the two full sized dressage rings, plus five of the seven hazards, including the spectacular water hazard in the forefront. Reserved handicapped parking, as well as an expanded food area for non-patrons is also available.

With the vigor and enthusiasm of everyone involved in this event, the “Laurels,” in its infancy into the present, has always been and will continue to be dedicated to the well-being, comfort and enjoyment of the competitor, their horses and the spectators.