Sunday, March 29, 2015

AT THE RACES: The Cheshire Races, a springtime ritual

We just got home from a glorious afternoon at the 70th running of Mr. Stewart's Cheshire Foxhounds Point-to-Point Races at Plantation Field in Unionville. True, the temperature didn't get much above 40, but because I wore so many layers, I was perfectly warm (really, I was). The bright sun felt heavenly, especially compared to last year's horrendous, character-testing sleet and mud.
The races were exciting --- in one, the horses were so close together at the finish line that, as the announcer said, you could throw a net over them. It took a few minutes before they were able to sort out the winner.
Best of all, there were no injuries to humans or horses. I'm told that the condition of the racecourse was excellent and fast.
What's great about the course is that you get a close-up view of the horses and jockeys -- you can watch the horses jumping over fences right in front of you, and then racing to the finish.
Our jovial party of four (the usual suspects) brought along sandwiches, fruit, vegetables and a giant urn of hot tea (which was very welcome). The steeplechase is always a beginning-of-spring social event, and we saw lots of friends and neighbors, including a couple who make it an annual ritual to hike to the course from their home in the middle of Unionville (a healthy walk indeed!).
Everyone was so wrapped up in hats, scarves and sunglasses that I know for a fact I greeted some total strangers. Umm, sorry about that.

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