We had a wonderful time Sunday at the 82nd running of the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup races here in glorious West Marlborough.
When you're outside for the afternoon, the weather matters, and this year it couldn't have been better: it was wonderfully warm for early November, although on the top of the hill where we were parked it was windy enough to blow over our folding chairs (but nothing like the memorable wind a few years ago that blew over the portable toilets).
We caught up with lots of friends and neighbors, ate fried chicken and way too many desserts, said hi to lots of dogs (a big brown Newfoundland was my favorite this year), and cheered for the jockeys we knew.
This year a couple of friends from Kimberton were participating in the carriage parade, so we stopped by to visit and got a close-up look at the carriages, among them some grand four-in-hands and some simple and completely charming pony carts, with everyone in elegant costumes. Our friends told us that everyone met up at New Bolton Center, then drove their carriages over to Wayne and Marjorie Grafton's farm and then on to the Hunt Cup.
The sidesaddle race was great fun to watch, and I marvelled at the skill and grit of the ladies -- and one gentleman -- who participated. Afterward we saw our friend and physician Dr. Mary-Anne Ost, a sidesaddle enthusiast herself, and she said she hopes the sidesaddle event becomes a regular feature on the Hunt Cup race card.
No comments:
Post a Comment