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Learning Weekend 2023 Review and Pictures
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 educational 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 and lodging were very comfortable and attractive with a view of Narragansett Bay.
The adventure began on Friday afternoon with a tour of the Breakers 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 the artist.
Saturday’s program began via Zoom meeting with Wilson Groves of R & W 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 the 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 on the process of importing horses from overseas—specifically her Shetland Ponies from the Shetland Islands, Scotland. She spoke on all aspects of co-ordinating the different legs of the trip, transportation, quarantine practices and expenses. Anna remarked on how well the ponies were treated by the transport professionals. She also spoke about importing a meticulously restored antique pony dogcart 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 and 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 to 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, dinner and a live auction. Our auctioneer, Nick Buck, was very animated, cajoling 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 of two brothers, Tony and Jeff Whittemore, ages 11 and 9, who embarked on an adventure driving their 10 year old Shetland pony, King, from their home in Needham, Massachusetts to Expo ’67 in Montreal - incredibly about 315 miles, all on their own! Now, 56 years later, Tony and Jeff joined us along with the film producer, Eric Stange, and retold this amazing story and answered questions. It 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 time in 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 stagecoach, 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 restored. 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!
And now we’re on to next year’s program . . .
