Hickory Knoll Farm CDE

2008 Hickory Knoll Combined Driving Event
updated 5/21/08

Entries are now open for the 2008 HK CDE!

Omnibus Information
2008 Prize List
2008 Entry Form
Economic Impact for 2008
2008 Sponsorship Form
Volunteer Infomation
2008 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 19 and 20th, 2008. The 2007 event filled all available competitor spots with drivers from seven states. We will open five more spots for competitors this year and continue the VSE (mini) horse division with six entries allowed.

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 2008 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 19         Dressage form8:30 to 3:00
                                 Cones from 9:00 to 3:30
Sunday July 20           Marathon from 8:30 to 2:00