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A Look Back
at
Devon
Coaching Horns
Now one of the most thrilling parts of the coaching competition, the coach horn was originally a purely pragmatic instrument.
The horn is one of the oldest musical instruments. It was used first for signaling and communications rather than for entertainment. The earliest horns, being mostly made from animal antlers were short and limited to one note.
 | | Horn Made of Antler |
The bugle was a later evolution of the horn. Bugles are designed without valves and pitch is controlled by manipulation of the player's upper lip.
Back in the 18th Century, there were no traffic lights, stop signs or directional signs to keep traffic moving. Traffic would travel at its own speed and the whip (person holding the reins) would adjust to the sound of the coach horns.
 | | Richard O'Donnell "tootling" |
Coach horns are sometimes referred to as a "yard of tin," referring to the minimum length of 36". Most coach horns are approximately 42 to 52" long and are made in various types of metal; copper, brass and nickel.
There are 10 official "Calls of the Road", and approximately 150 melodies that are played to entertain the passengers while the coach is on the road.
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The Wells Fargo
Stage Coach
 | | A Wells Fargo Stage Coach |
In the mid 19th century, Wells Fargo stage coaches criss-crossed the American West delivering mail. Stopping only to change horses, the run from St. Louis to San Francisco could be made in 25 days. In 1869, the Golden Spike joined the rails of the the Transcontinental Railroad, bringing to an end the era of the stage coach. Come see a piece of history as the Wells Fargo Stage Coach rides again in the Dixon Oval, Thursday, June 2 through Saturday, June 4. Please visit our web site for complete information.
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Photos courtesy of:
Alden Corrigan
The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair Archive
Richard M. O'Donnell
hank your customer, tell them how valuable they are to you, but don't go overboard. Insincerity is easy to spot.
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Jamie Wyeth Provides Art for 2011 Devon Poster
 The Art Gallery at Devon is extremely proud to announce that acclaimed artist, Jamie Wyeth has agreed to allow the reproduction of his original work, "Connemara Four," for the 2011 Devon Horse Show and Country Fair poster. The original piece is held in private collection at the Wyeth residence and has never been reproduced before.
The painting features Mr. Wyeth's wife, Phyllis. Mr. Wyeth describes the painting, "That's Phyllis and her four Connemara ponies. The little girl who was the groom at the time would hold the horses. She was short enough that the horses would put their heads on top of her head and then fall asleep. I wanted it to be an "official" portrait of each one of the horses. I liked the relationship of the driver (Phyllis) to each of the animals. They would respond to her voice commands after turning one, or both, ears in her direction." Mrs. Wyeth and the Connemara ponies competed through the 80's and 90's. More recently Mrs. Wyeth has competed in four-in-hand coaching with Jamie O'Rourke serving as her "whip" or driver.
 | | "Connemara Four" |
A limited edition of fifty signed giclées of "Connemara Four" will be offered for sale. At the request of Mr. and Mrs. Wyeth, proceeds from the sale of the giclées will fund the development of more handicapped accessible areas throughout the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair grounds. If you are interested in learning more about this offering, please contact Gretchen Scwhoebel at 610-942-1996, or reply to this email.
Posters will be available at the Art Gallery at Devon which features over 500 original pieces of art including, oils, acrylics, watercolors, sculpture and more. The Gallery is open during the Show, May 26 - June 5, from 10 a.m. to closing daily. |
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The Carriage Pleasure Drive
 This year's Devon Carriage Pleasure Drive will take place on Sunday, May 29. This event is without a doubt an amazing sight. The exhibitors will gather at noon in the fields at the St. David's Church on South Valley Forge Road. The entries will be judged, in a line-up by section, on turnout and proper appointments as well as equipment for the horses. Among the necessary appointments are spares for a breakdown. They will also check to make sure that the harnesses and horses are appropriate for each type of carriage. From there they will embark on the 4.5 mile route to the Devon Horse Show grounds. The maximum time allowed will be forty minutes. The carriages will be observed on the road and many homes along the route host elaborate picnics while enjoying the passing parade.
 | | Pleasure Drive |
The variety seen in this class is unlike any other. There will be horses and ponies and many different types of carriages. The single harness section will include two and four wheel vehicles. This class is also open to pairs, tandems, unicorns and four-in-hands. The carriages have taken almost the same route for nearly half a century. The pleasure drive started back in the early 1960's at the Radnor Hunt Club, then moved to Blackburn Farm, and now begins at St. David's Church. Once they arrive at Devon, each section will be judged in the Dixon Oval. The condition of the horses and ponies, as well as overall turnout, will be taken into consideration by the judges. First and second place winners in each section will be invited back for the championship drive off.
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Coaching: Truly a Spectacle to Behold
One of the favorite events each year is the four-in-hand coaching competition. Few things are more impressive then the sight of a beautiful antique coach entering the Dixon Oval pulled by four matched horses. The whip, the grooms and passengers all elegantly dressed, the entire spectacle evokes a bygone era.
The majority of the coaches used in competition today are antiques, though a few are high quality reproductions. There are three types of American coaches, the Park Drag, the Private Road Coach, and the Road Coach. While all of the coaches follow the same basic pattern, they would have been built to the specifications of the owner. The most prominent builder in the United States was Brewster and Company of New York. Many owners find antique coaches in need of restoration, a process that can take up to a year.
 | | Phyllis Wyeth and Jamie O'Rourke Win at Devon |
In competition, the horses are required to work as one unit, a difficult challenge as every horse has its own personality. It is like striving for perfection in skating compulsories, keeping a perfectly clean line, with four opinions in the mix. Building a team of four like-minded horses with similar conformation is a long term project, and will likely require more than the initial four horses. The training, from breaking, to drive, to showing at Devon can take five years or more. Susan Saltonstall, who many years ago showed four Welsh ponies at Devon spent twenty years breeding and training a host of ponies to finally get the four she considered good enough for Devon .
The whip, the grooms and the passengers must be as elegantly turned out as the coach and the horses. Passengers are neatly attired in accordance to the type of show and the time of year. Devon is a country show, after Memorial Day. Lighter colors and straw hats are appropriate for daytime. The gentlemen will wear darker colors in the evening with black top hats, while during the day the top hats are grey.
The coaching competition will take place Monday, May 30 through June 3 in the evenings. |
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