”It looks like a convention of butchers,” joked a spectator watching a number of carriage drivers with heavy plaid wool lap robes or aprons tied around their waists walking the obstacle course at the Fox River Valley Hunt Barrington Horse Show last weekend.
While spectators under a tent enjoyed a cooling ice cream social, the men in question, including amateur enthusiast Jack Wetzel of Hill n` Dale Farm in Barrington and Don Padgett, who drives for Tempel Farms in Wadsworth, were out on the dusty grass meadow in shimmering waves of heat dressed in the attire the rule book demands of drivers: hats or caps, leather gloves, and the wool apron. They were busy performing the ritual of checking out on foot the course of orange traffic cones their teams and beautifully restored antique carriages shortly would have to maneuver.
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It was the unwavering enthusiasm of the drivers, despite the heat, that set the tone for the five-day show, which took place at the Barrington Countryside Park District Riding Center. This latter is a classic hunter-jumper show over fences, with the added attraction of the carriage driving classes for the many area enthusiasts involved in this rapidly growing horse sport.
And it was what one amateur rider called ”the little touches” provided by the organizers that made this show one of the most pleasant in recent memory. Those organizers, members of the Fox River Valley Hunt, revived this historic show two years ago after a 10-year hiatus, complete with those extras.
Stalls for the show horses were decorated beautifully with drapery, flowers and even antique prints hung on the ”walls.”
This year`s show was even more successful than last year, with more than 400 horses and their riders from eight states competing. The $15,000 jumper classic, won by Neil Siri of Spring Hill Farm in Lake in the Hills, attracted some of the hottest contenders in show jumper riding, such as Todd Minikus of Lake Forest and Chris Kappler of Wayne.
But some spectators, such as Pat Hunt of Barrington, thought the hottest competition was fought out when Jack Russell terriers raced over hay bales. The event had many rolling in the aisles at the little canines` feisty antics.