Laurels At Landhope, Sunday, September 13, 2009

James Fairclough had a comfortable lead going into the cones phase of The Laurels At Landhope, and retained it to win the Advanced Four-in-Hand class. Faced with torrential rains and deep mud for dressage and the marathon, Fairclough was one of only four entries that completed all three phases out of eleven starters in the class.

Fairclough had been second behind Chester Weber after a rain soaked day of dressage, but Weber opted to withdraw rather than use his horses on the marathon in deep mud. Of the four-in-hands, only David Saunders driving Alan and Maureen Aulson’s Morgan team, and the two Canadian entries - Eugen Hug and Deb Laderoute – tried the marathon with Fairclough.

Show organizers made many changes to the original courses in efforts to compensate for the exceptionally deep mud and rain, including moving one dressage arena after pairs so that the pony entries would have fresher footing.

Almost all of the Preliminary and Intermediate entries were able to handle the marathon course, but the four-in hand entries faced larger issues with the weight of their vehicles, heading into the national championships in Lexington, KY is just a month away.

Planning to retire his horses if the mud was too much for them, Fairclough approached the marathon as a schooling event, yet found himself with a lead of nearly twenty points going into the cones. He remained careful in his approach to the cones course. “There wasn’t much warm up area, and I didn’t want to warm up much,” he said. “I’ve learned over the years anything can happen.”

Normally, the dressage area is converted to part of the cones course, but it was so heavily damaged by the mud that the course was greatly condensed. “It was very tight for a team,” Fairclough said, noting that he trotted the entire course. “I didn’t try to gallop or turnaround (tight).

Other Advanced level winners were Rochelle Temple -single pony, Jennifer Matheson - pony pair, Lisa Stroud - pony multiples, Lisa Singer – pair horses, and Robin Groves – single horse

In spite of the adverse conditions, The Laurels drew spectators in the rain, and a bigger crowd on Sunday when the sun brightened the day. In addition to the driving competition, visitors had a chance to enjoy terrier races, antique cars, live music, and activities for children. A popular new to the event this year is a juried art show and sale featuring 80 pieces by talented local artists.

Proceeds from the event raise funds for the Brandywine Conservancy and Cheshire Hunt Conservancy, which preserve open space and support the Brandywine River Museum, CC2020, and also The Large Animal Protection Society and New Bolton Center, which improve the lives of horses.             

END

Laurels At Landhope – Sat. Sept. 12, 2009
Jimmy Fairclough leads after muddy marathon

After completing the marathon, James Fairclough leads the Advanced Four-in-Hand division at The Laurels At Landhope, driving Jane Clark’s warmblood team. Fairclough turned in the best marathon score of the class, which added to his dressage score of 61.87 for a two-day total of 137.96.

Following a trying day of dressage in heavy rain and deep mud, more than half of the original field of 11 four-in-hands dropped out of the competition, including Chester Weber, who had a large lead at the end of the first day. Gavin Robson, who had a dressage score that would have put him in second place, was eliminated following his test for a wheel measurement that was 2 cm under the minimum allowed.

Staying in the competition were Fairclough, who was second after dressage, Doug Saunders driving Alan Aulson’s team, and the two Canadian entries - Eugen Hug and Deb Laderoute.

With the National Championship at Lexington, KY coming up next month, drivers were cautious about taking chances with their horses in the mud of the marathon, but Fairclough decided to drive, approaching the course as a schooling situation. “I had concerns today too,” Fairclough said “I respect the decision the other drivers made. There’s a lot of risk out there,”

Two of Fairclough’s horses are relatively new to the team and had only done two marathons with him, so he wanted to see how they would go. Because of the heavy going, he was prepared to drop out of the marathon if his horses got tired, but they didn’t. “Whatever they gave me was fine. It was a school,” he said.

The Morgan team Saunders was driving were the smallest horses entered in the division, but they were up to the challenge of the deep footing, moving into second place behind Fairclough with a two-day total score of 156.77.  “They’re typical Morgans. The more work you throw at them the more they give you,” Saunders said.

The Laurels At Landhope will conclude Sunday with the cones phase. In addition to the four-in-hands, nine advanced single entries finished the first two days of competition, lead by Robin Groves of Brownsville, VT driving Lana Wright’s Connamara Thoroughbred Cross, Thor’s Toy Truck.

Advanced Single Pony, Pair Pony, Pony Multiples and Pair Horses classes have one entrant each going on to cones. Intermediate and Preliminary divisions for horse and pony pairs and singles round out the event.

The Laurels At Landhope – Friday Sept. 11, 2009

             Chester Weber of Ocala, Florida, leads a spectacular lineup of eleven four-in-hands competing at The Laurels At Landhope this weekend. Drivers from across the United States, as well as two Canadian entries and an Australian are taking part in the event, which is a qualifying event for the 2010 WEG and a selection trial for the United States team.

In spite of a day filled with torrential rain and the deep mud that accompanies it, Weber was able to turn in an outstanding dressage score of 70.0%, which translates to only 48 penalty points. That puts Weber’s warmblood team at the top of the standings going into Saturday’s marathon.

Gavin Robson was the second place finisher after dressage with a score of 61.65, but there was cause to believe he may have been eliminated based on his wheel measurement, which was 2 cm under the minimum 158 cm.

Robson is driving a Dutch harness horse team for owner Larry Denny, and representing Australia in international competition.

James Fairclough is the closest American to Weber, with a score after dressage of 61.87. Fairclough, who has extensive European experience is not new to driving in the rain, but he noted that there, the rings usually have a sand base so the vehicles don’t sink as far.

“In the one corner it had to be ten inches deep,” he said following his test. The test required a shoulder in, which was made difficult by the conditions, as was the rein back. “In the back I got a foot and a half, maybe two, and I was lucky,” he said.

Fairclough drove Coletto, Caletta, Celina, and Kavango Van Faulkenstein CH for his dressage test, but had not yet decided which horses from his mixed warmblood team he would use for the marathon.

Drivers who have not already qualified for the WEG were looking for a score of 70 or less in Dressage, but that was hard to come by, particularly with the rain and mud.

Just behind Fairclough are Bill Long, David Saunders, and Josh Rector, all scoring below 70. Canadian drivers Deb Laderoute and Eugen Hug are starting in seventh and eleventh place in the standings with dressage scores of 70.19 and 77.44 respectively. Rounding out the field are Americans Gary Stover in 8th, Cindy Jo O’Reilly in 9th, and Casey Zubek in 10th.

As of Friday afternoon, show management was working with competitors to improve conditions for the marathon as much as possible. Section A may be shortened, and hazard #5, “The Steeplechase” is being removed from the course. For dressage, the management took the unusual step of moving one arena following the pairs division’s tests, so that the pony entries would have fresher footing in what was the practice area.

Competition continues at The Laurels At Landhope tomorrow with the marathon phase for horses and ponies in Advanced singles, pairs, and multiples, as well as Intermediate and Preliminary single and pairs for horses and ponies.

In addition to the driving competition, visitors can enjoy terrier races, antique cars, live music, children’s games, crafts and face painting. New to the event this year is a juried art show and sale featuring 80 pieces by talented local sporting artists.

Proceeds from the event raise funds for the Brandywine Conservancy and Cheshire Hunt Conservancy, which preserve open space and support the Brandywine River Museum, as well as CC2020, The Large Animal Protection Society and New Bolton Center, which improve the lives of horses.      

END

For Immediate Release
Date:  August 5, 2009
Contact:  Stephanie Shertzer Lawson
(717) 509-9800 / (717) 203-5525 cell / steph@paequestrian.com

Brandywine Valley Event Highlights Horses and Sporting Art

Great artists and great horses both call the Brandywine Valley home.  September 11-13, artists and equestrians will join forces to present an international equestrian competition that features a juried show and sale of original works of local sporting artists.  The Laurels at Landhope International Combined Driving Event & Autumn Celebration, one of only two international events of its kind in the US, benefits from and also contributes to this unique culture that makes the Brandywine Valley a stunningly beautiful place to visit. 

Famous for its artists, including three generations of Wyeths and Howard Pyle, who established the Brandywine School of American Illustration, southern Chester County, PA is also horse country.    Horsemen and artists, including Jamie Wyeth and George “Frolic” Weymouth, are often one and the same, and as a community, they have permanently protected and preserved more than 32,000 acres of the spectacular rural landscape so that horse sports can continue to flourish.  Among this gorgeous open space is the 44 acres on which The Laurels is held.  Proceeds from the event raise funds for the Brandywine Conservancy and Cheshire Hunt Conservancy, which preserve open space and support the Brandywine River Museum, as well as The Large Animal Protection Society and New Bolton Center, which improve the lives of horses.           

 Visitors to The Laurels at Landhope International Combined Driving Event & Autumn Celebration will see the best drivers from Canada, Mexico and the United States compete in an exciting, three phase event.  Combined driving requires a unique partnership between horse or pony and driver that relies on training and trust. An offshoot of ridden three-day eventing, it features the elegance of dressage, the excitement of cross-country and a cones course, an intricate test of skill and precision.  Dressage is held Friday, Marathon on Saturday, and Cones on Sunday.

                Concurrent with the equestrian competition is the juried show and sale of original art, featuring nearly a dozen accomplished local artists, many of them also equestrians.  Among the artists are:

• Sculptor George McMonigle, former Senior Director of Sculpture for the Franklin Mint and elected member of the National Sculpture Society and the Society of Animal Artists, who now works mainly in bronze.
• Gordon Allen, illustrator of more than 20 books on fishing, hunting, waterfowl and other sporting subjects, whose etchings and paintings en plein air are shown and collected nationwide.
• Laurels at Landhope board member and lifelong equestrian Jean Dunphy, whose return to painting coincided with her move to Unionville, PA, where she and her husband ran one of the country’s most prestigious thoroughbred nurseries.  Having studied in Rome, she specializes in murals and paintings of horses and dogs.
• Beth Secor, a lifelong equestrian whose passion for art has taken her to England and Africa.  Reviewers have praised her “rich, vivid use of color and sense of fun.”
• Sandra Severson, whose award winning paintings have been exhibited at the Kentucky Derby Museum, International Museum of the Horse, and Museum of Hounds and Horses, and which reside in public and private collections in Europe, Brazil and Morocco as well as North America.
• Photojournalist and artist Ray Lawler, whose works in a variety of media are inspired by his travels to more than 50 countries.

Beyond horses and art, The Laurels offers jazz, antique cars, terrier races, activities for kids, shopping and even a luau.  Kids Corner, with games, face painting and crafts, runs Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm.  The Trade Fair runs throughout the weekend and features a variety of vendors offering jewelry, art, antiques, collectibles, equine/canine inspired giftware, equine and equestrian equipment, elegant country-style apparel, farm equipment, carriages, and carriage appointments.  The Barbone Street Jazz Band plays throughout the day Saturday and Sunday.  Members of the Chester County Antique Car Club will display their vintage automobiles both days.  Local author Kathleen Hood will sign copies of her new book, Echoes in the Glen: St. Malachi’s of Doe Run, a history of the Doe Run area of Londonderry Township, PA and of the 170-year-old St. Malachi’s Church.

Sunday's activities include Jack Russell terrier races at noon and a parade and display of antique coaches pulled by four-in-hands. 

The first glimpse of the art show will be in conjunction with a wine and cheese reception Friday night, September 11, from 5-7 pm.  Admission is free, and the Trade Fair will be open for shopping.   The driving competition begins at 8 am each day.  The art show and sale will be open from 10 am to 4 pm and 6-9 pm Saturday.  The evening hours coincide with the Luau at The Laurels, featuring island food, exotic drinks and surf music by The Clams (a ticketed  event open to the public).  Sunday’s art show hours are 10 am – 3 pm.  Hosting the art show and sale will be staff and veterinary students of the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center, a beneficiary of the Laurels at Landhope event.

Admission to The Laurels at Landhope Combined Driving Event is $5 per car, which includes admission for all occupants. Tickets for the patron tent, which includes daily preferred parking and lunch Saturday and Sunday, are $85. The event is held on Woodview Road, 2/10 of a mile northeast of the intersection of Rts. 1 and 41 in West Grove, PA.  For more information and directions, visit the web site, www.laurelscde.org or phone (610) 486-0710.

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