On May 28 and 29, Richard and Susan Arthur of Elk River Canadians in Barriere, under the sponsorship of the Canadian Horse Heritage and Preservation Society (CHHAPS), hosted a Spring Carriage Driving clinic with Equine Canada Certified Driving Coach, Elisa Marocchi of 100 Mile House. Six participants attended from the B.C. communities of Surrey, Vanderhoof, Kamloops, and Clearwater, with one participant from Calgary, Alberta.
This weekend was a chance for participants to work on advanced driving manoeuvres.
After private lessons each day, there was a group session on driving through obstacles. Saturday included pleasure driving obstacles such as an elevated wooden bridge, an “L” and several cone pairs forming numbered “gates” and a serpentine. Sunday Marocchi covered combined driving events, which have their own special obstacles (often designed through trees) created in a cross-country marathon setting covering several kilometres. A combined driving event is usually held over two days, since in addition to the marathon, the drivers also have a cones course, and a driven dressage test to complete.
The Arthurs promise a second clinic will be held in the fall.