We have exciting events planned for 2025! Check Back Often!! Details will be posted as they are finalized. We have decided to also list some regional events that members may find interesting. Please email Chris at [email protected] if you want your event listed. Also check out the following organizations for their events. The American Driving Society (ADS) www.americandrivingsociety.org The Carriage Association of America (CAA) www.caaonline.com The Saratoga Driving Association www.saratogadriving.com The Colonial Carriage and Driving Society www.colonialcarriage.org Western NY Combined Carriage Association (WNYCCA) www.wnycca.org Gladstone Equestrian Association - Driving www.gladstonedriving.org Cherry Valley Carriage Association www.cherryvalleycarriage.com Genesee Valley Riding and Driving Club (GVRDC) [email protected]
January 2025
Sunday 01/26 Van Wyck Homestead Museum 5:00pm Silent Auction/ Potluck Dinner with Guest Speaker.
We are happy to announce Bobbi Jo Stone will give a presentation at our meeting. Bobby Jo Stone is a certified whole horse hoof care practitioner, providing trims boot services, glue on composite shoes and Scoot Boots stockist..Bobbi will demonstrate how to properly fit boots, boots vs shoes, types of boots and discuss hoof care. Bring driving/horse and household items... think Tag Sale!! This is our first of two fundraisers so remember to bring items to sell and money to spend!! We will have potluck dinner and coffee. So bring a dish to share!
Van Wyck Homestead Museum 504 Rte 9 Fishkill, NY 12524
February 2025 Sleigh Ride Raffle date TBD by Mother Nature (snow) The Cart Before the Horse Farm 1453 Salt Point Turnpike Pleasant Valley, NY
March2025
Spring Meeting (think green) Saturday 03/15 3:00pm-6-pm Stony Kill Farm 79 Farmstead Lane Wappingers Falls, NY 12590
Guest speaker Harold Fountain will give a 30 minute talk on his life with horses. Dick Lahey one of our founding members will discuss the clubs history and events. We are celebrating our 50th Anniversary with stories and of course Cake!
April 2025
Teamster Clinic With Don Hewes Sunday 04/06 10:00 AM Cart Before the Horse Farm 1453 Salt Point Turnpike Pleasant Valley NY
Monday 4/21 11:00 AM Rockefeller State Preserve/Drive 125 Phelps Way Pleasantville,NY 10570
May 2025
Sunday 05/04 11:00am Pleasure Drive at Stewart State Forest in Montgomery,NY Stewart State Forest is a great place to drive! Trails are wide and mostly flat but can be rough with crumbling blacktop. A nice mix of sun and shade and lovely swamp and forest line the trails. There are portions where the highway runs fairly close and can be noisy so be prepared for that.
Saturday 05/17 10:00am Our Second Tymor Park Fun Day. Test your Dressage Skills, Obstacle Course, Ground driving and more…. Tymor Park 8 Tymor park Road Lagrangeville, NY
June 2025
6/19-21
Club Camping Trip at Taste of Heaven Campgrounds 176 Kelly Road New Berlin, NY 13411 Get ready to have some rough and ready fun with friends. Campground amenities include full hook-up camping sites, primitive sites and a few cabins. There are box stalls and straight stalls available and portable paddocks are welcome on sites as well. Hot showers and bathrooms are located in a central location. Driving amenities include a large arena, obstacle course with some drivable elements and miles of Brookfield Trails adjacent. Roads are mostly little trafficked truck trails but some are gravel so boots or shoes are highly recommended.
June ? TBD Live Auction and Strawberry Festival with the HVDHA This fun, annual fundraiser is hosted by our friends at the beautiful Lawrence Farms Orchards. Our own Dick Lahey will be calling the auction. It is a major fundraiser event and relies on your donated items and deep pockets. Horse related items are preferred, but quality household items with lots of life and utility are accepted as well. There will be many cool and interesting items for sale. Start time will be 5 pm sharp and buyers will be asked to gather and load items promptly after the auction so the generous Lawrence family hosts can get to bed.
July 2025
Picnic with HVDA Last years’s picnic hosted by the Tetz Farm in Chester was enjoyed by both clubs. Stay tuned for time, location and event details.
August 2025 No club activities planned as it is FAIR month and we hope to see everyone at the fair. Dates are not posted yet for the fairs.
Ulster County Fair Driving Show
Ulster County Fair Draft Show
Duchess County Fair Driving Show
TBD Lori & Bruce Carlson’s Picnic
September 2025
Saturday 09/20 9:30 AM Fifth Annual MHDA Fall Combined Driving Event at Tymor Park Plan on attending, volunteering or participating. This is a single day event with Dressage, Marathon and Cones course. Entries will be limited to 12 and our Judge for the day will be announced. First Dressage test will begin at 9:30 am and participants will move directly into the marathon phase. Cones will take place following a short lunch break. Bring your own lunch. Sign up info available in June. Rain date 9/21/25.
October 2025
Saturday 10/04 10AM-3PM Beginner Driver Clinic At Thomas Bull Memorial Park Montgomery,NY Join us for a hands-on introduction to Horse & Carriage Driving. Meet a variety of horses from minis to draft crosses with the different carriages they use from a simple 2 wheel buggy to a 4 wheel wagonette. Followed by a demonstration of dressage and a cones course. Time to get to work learning to harness, ground drive and hook the horse to a cart focusing on safely working around these large animals. After you have mastered your skills it's time to take the reins and drive a horse. Before that we will have lunch and a safety review. Cost will be $60 for non-members (includes individual membership for this year) or $40 for current members. Registration will be limited to 10 participants. Saturday 10/25 10:30am Halloween Costume Drive White Memorial Conservation Center in Litchfield, CT. Prepare for an early afternoon drive through this beautiful preserve. The foliage will be spectacular!! We will picnic on the grounds afterwards so bring a basket. We will be reaching out to some fellow driving clubs to join us again.
November 2025 Friday 11/14 7:00pm Annual Election meeting and Quiz Bowl location tbd Brush up on your horse knowledge as our own Dick Lahey will be testing you in friendly competition. We will also be electing our new officer slate for 2024.
The Equine Affaire in West Springfield, MA Usually in November.