Tuesday, July 2, 2024
Wade House Announces Wade House Carriage Driving Days, July 19-21
Enter the elegant world of horse-drawn carriage competition at this popular three-day event
Click here to view Wade House Carriage Driving Days photo gallery.
GREENBUSH, Wis. – The art of carriage driving will be on full display at the historic Wade House, a Wisconsin Historical Society site, during its annual Wade House Carriage Driving Days from July 19-21. Expanded to three days this year, the event celebrates the sport’s beauty and pageantry. Elegantly attired drivers, in hats and gloves, will skillfully maneuver their horse-drawn carriages through a series of competitions.
"Carriage driving is a historic nod to our horse-powered history and a beautiful sport to watch," said Bridgitt Zielke, site director of Wade House. "We're delighted to expand this event, offering guests more opportunity to attend and enjoy the skill exhibited by drivers and horses."
Guests attending the event watch drivers skillfully navigate horse-powered antique, reproduced, and modern carriages through a variety of competitions referred to as Arena classes, Obstacle classes and non-divisional classes.
The Arena competitions include “Turnout” where drivers are judged on how well the horse and carriage function together and the cleanliness of the driver’s outfit; “Reinsmanship”, where judges rate drivers by their ability to control the horses and drive the carriage and “Working”, where the performance and manner of the horse are judged.
The Obstacle competitions feature a “Timed” cones category where the fastest team around the obstacle course wins and the “Town & Country” category which simulates a country drive, awarding the team with the lowest number of course faults.
In addition, there are a variety of non-divisional competitions for the enjoyment of the audience. These include a Gentlemen’s Driving Class; a “Drive and Ride” where horses are first driven then saddled and ridden; a “Carriage Dog Class”, where dogs are judged on their behavior and posture in the carriage; “Ladies’ Driving Class” and a “Concours d ’Elegance”, where the most elegant of the show is featured.
Certified judges from the American Driving Society award the coveted blue ribbon to the carriage team that excels in each competition.
A horse-drawn wagon transports guests from the Visitor Center to the new horse arena to watch close-up carriage action in the arena as well as on the picturesque meadows and lawns of the Wade House Historic Site. Additionally, guests can visit the Wade House Stagecoach Inn, blacksmith shop, sawmill and Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum, which houses Wisconsin’s largest collection of carriages and wagons.
Wade House Carriage Driving Days will be held rain or shine. The event runs from noon to 4 p.m. on Friday, July 19; 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 20; and 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 21. Concessions will be available for purchase.
Single-day tickets are $17 for adults and teens, $15 for senior citizens, $8.50 for children ages 5-12, and free for children under five. Weekend passes are $27 for adults and teens, $25 for senior citizens, $12.50 for children ages 5-12, and free for children under five.
For those who are interested in learning more about carriage driving, Wade House is offering a Carriage Driving Clinic on Wednesday, July 17, and Thursday, July 18. Learning opportunities include Wade House Driving Clinic: Individual Lessons for drivers with their equine partners on July 17 and 18, Wade House Learning Audit on July 18 and Wade House Driving Clinic: Lunch & Learn on July 18.
For further information or to purchase tickets, go to wadehouse.wisconsinhistory.org or click here.
About Wade House
Wade House is one of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s 12 historic sites and museums. Located in Greenbush, the site includes an1850s stagecoach inn that was built to serve traffic along a plank road connecting Fond du Lac and Sheboygan. The site tells the story of frontier entrepreneur Sylvanus Wade and his family during the 1850s and 1860s. In addition to the inn, the historic site includes the Dockstader blacksmith shop and Herrling sawmill, one of the few working, water-powered sawmills of its kind in the nation. Wade House is also home to the Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum, which houses the state's largest collection of antique carriages and working wagons. For more information and a list of upcoming events call (920) 526-3271 or visit wadehouse.org. Wisconsin Historical Society members receive free admission to this site during regular operating hours.
About the Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. The Wisconsin Historical Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization, receives grants and private contributions benefitting the Wisconsin Historical Society and administers the membership program. For more information, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.
