Annual Pleasure Driving Competition Underway

The Florida Carriage Museum & Resort in Weirsdale is hosting its annual pleasure driving competition Feb. 23-24, 2008, and a full house is expected. The show has registered approximately 90 competitors and 100 horses from across the United States and Canada, and nearly 3,000 spectators are expected over the weekend. 

Pleasure driving is an equestrian competition in which horses and/or ponies are hitched to antique or reproduction carriages. Classes or divisions are based on the type of equine (horse or pony), the driver, and the experience of horse or driver. Entrants compete in a variety of classes sanctioned by the American Driving Society, including both timed and un-timed cross-country obstacle courses, carriage dog classes and pleasure classes. Some divisions emphasize the skill of the horse or the driver, while others are judged by the timing clock.

The Florida Carriage Museum & Resort is open to the public throughout the competition. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Admission includes entrance to the historic carriage museum, which is a unique collection of over 160 antique carriages from around the world, as well as equine-related artifacts and artwork. Proceeds from the competition will be used to benefit the non-profit Equine Heritage Institute, Inc. and to promote its mission to educate, celebrate, and preserve the history of the horse and its role in shaping world civilizations and changing lives.  

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