Hickory Knoll Farm CDE

2009 Hickory Knoll Combined Driving Event
updated 2/28/09

Entries are now open for the 2009 HK CDE!

Omnibus Information
2009 Prize List
2009 Entry Form
Economic Impact for 2008
2009 Sponsorship Form
Volunteer Infomation
2009 Volunteer Form

Hickory Knoll Farm will again bring an American Driving Society show to Fitchburg. The Hickory Knoll Combined Driving Event will be held July 18 and 19th, 2009.

Combined Driving competitors compete in three disciplines. They start Saturday with driven dressage in which the horse and driver perform tests to exhibit the level of training of the driving horse. The horses are judged on flexibility, impulsion, and submission as they are driven in the patterns described by each test. Dressage is scored by judging each movement on a zero to ten scale.

The horses are then driven at speed through a cones course where they are directed through narrow obstacles formed by cones with balls resting to top of them. Each ball dislodged gains a penalty as the driver races to meet the specified time for the course.

The final test is a Sunday timed cross country drive in which the horses must cover ground quickly and drive through tight man made 'hazards' without missing a prescribed gate or knocking down obstacle elements. Each of the three tests is given a numeric score made up of penalty points. The lowest score in each division becomes the champion.

The levels offered in 2009 will be Training and Preliminary. Divisions will include VSE, single pony, single horse, pony pairs, horse pairs and tandem/four in hand.

Admission to the show grounds is free. The event is run by The Hickory Knoll Fund, a 501c3 non-profit and sponsorships are gratefully accepted.

Schedule:

Saturday July 18         Dressage from 8:30 to 3:00
                                 Cones from 9:00 to 3:30

Sunday July 19           Marathon from 8:30 to 1:30

Sunday spectators are advised to be at the site by 8:00 as the marathon is generally completed before 1:30. Training goes off first followed by Preliminary competitors.