Villa Louis Carriage Classic

Carriage Driving

Registration and Schedules

Villa Louis Mansion

Classes

Cones - Pick Your Route Each competitor must pass through all the paired cones. The driver may choose which route to travel, usually the one that the driver feels is fastest, being careful not to pass through any pair of cones more than once. The winner is determined by the shortest time, after adding penalty time for any dislodged obstacles (tennis balls dropped from atop of the cones).
Concours d' Elegance The word "elegance" is the essence of this competition. The winner will be the turnout that presents the most elegant effect (vehicle, harness, appointments, horses, driver, passengers, groom, etc.). Performance will not be judged unless it detracts from the elegance of the turnout. Each division will have a representative who has been invited to enter this class.
Cross Country - Pace This class is driven at a trot around the island estate. The driver must follow a designated course; the driver completing the course with the time closest to the "target time" after considering faults for disturbing obstacles is the winner. The obstacles are both artificial and natural and are designed to simulate those that might be encountered on a country drive including bridges, water crossing, laundry, and trees.
Gamblers' Choice The driver who compiles the most points during a two minute time period is the winner. There are several obstacles and each is given a certain point value based on it's degree of difficulty, each obstacle may only be driven twice and not in consecutive order. When the two minutes are up, a signal will be sounded and the driver must cross the finish line. Fastest time will decide ties.
Turnout This class is judged primarily on the appropriateness of horse, driver, harness, and passengers. To be shown both ways of the arena at a walk, slow trot, working trot and strong trot. To stand quietly and rein back. All entries chosen for a workout to be worked both ways of the arena at any gait requested by the judge and may be asked to execute a figure of eight. To be judged 70% on condition, fit and appropriateness of harness and vehicle, neatness and appropriateness of attire, and overall impression. 30% on performance, manners and way of going.
Reinsmanship The primary judging for this class is the work of the driver, or whip. This class is judged 75% on the way the driver handles the reins and whip, controls the horse, his or her posture and overall appearance; 25% on the condition and fit of the harness and vehicle and neatness of attire. The driver must work the horse at a walk, slow trot, working trot, and strong trot and maybe requested to back their horses and vehicles or execute a figure of eight.
Working Pleasure The horse(s) are the object of judgement in thew working class. This class is judged 70% on the performance, manner and way of going of the horse; 20% on condition and fit of harness and vehicle and 10% on neatness of attire. The judge will be looking at the way the horse moves while working at a walk, slow trot, and working trot.
Sporting Tandem This class features two horses driven in front (leader) of the other (wheeler). After being judged while being driven together (the lead horse with the saddle on), the leader is unhitched and shown while being ridden. The riders may be asked to jump low fences. The combination of the two parts will determine the winner.
Drive and Ride Single horse or pony to be shown first as a driving horse, then under saddle at a walk, trot and canter. To be judged 50% on performance, manners and way of going under saddle. The same person need not show the horse/pony in both sections of the competition.
Picnic The entries in this class are judged primarily on performance and quality of turnout, dress of passengers and presentation of the picnic itself. Competitors will be asked to briefly work their turnout in the arena. The horses will be expected to stand quietly during the picnic and must be removed from the vehicle. All picnic participants and their amenities must be part of the turnout during the arena portion of the class. They will be dismissed to travel on the Villa Louis property to the assigned picnic "location". Placing will be based on the following: 20% on performance, manner and way of going; 20% on condition, fit and appropriateness of harness and vehicle; 60% on overall impression including presentation of the "picnic" (the food itself will not be a factor).
Combination Hunter A single horse to be shown under harness to a suitable pleasure driving vehicle in the arena. It will then be shown over a hunter course of at least four fences. To be judged 40% on performance, manners, way of going, and suitability in harness, 30% on performance, manners, and way of going under saddle, and 30% on performance over fences.