Growing up in Germany, Elmar Frangenberg got his first taste of driving horses from his godfather, who owned a farm.
“I saw all the other workers and wanted to join them,” he remembers.
During the harvest, they would hitch a horse up to a horse-drawn rake, and Frangenberg was charged with raking the fields and collecting the hay.
But it wasn’t until the 1980s that Frangenberg — who had since moved with his wife, Catherine, into their home on Pinnacle Road in Henrietta — renewed his love of horses and driving during a visit to the Walnut Hill Farm Driving Competition in Pittsford.
“When I saw that marvelous display of driving skill ... I said, ‘that is what I want to do,’” he said.
He has participated in the carriage driving competition nearly every year since.
Next week, Frangenberg will again be taking part in the competition with his pair of Morgan horses.
It is the 41st year of the Walnut Hill event — the largest competition of its kind in the country. The event, which attracts as many as 30,000 spectators, is taking place Aug. 8 to 12.
Sarah Bates, owner of High Hopes Farm in Honeoye Falls, has been coming to the Walnut Hill competition every year since it began. Her parents bought her a pony, and she has been driving since she was 8.
“I started driving when I was little because I didn’t want to sell my first pony,” she said.
Today, her farm has about 18 horses, four of which have taken part in Walnut Hill and three more that are competing this year. Bates raises and trains her own horses to drive.
“For me, it’s like a personal achievement,” she said. “It’s not about others. When a horse trusts you, you can ask it to do anything, and it just will. It’s like a bond.”
“I couldn’t miss it,” said Bates, of the event. “It’s just what I’ve been doing forever.”
Walnut Hill is a step back in time to an era before automobiles, when carriages were the standard means of transportation.
“Carriage driving speaks to our cultural, social and economic history,” said Trish Remley White, chairperson for Walnut Hill. “Plus it’s fun to get all dressed up and capture some of the spirit of a time when elegance was what really mattered.”
Now 17 years old, Frangenberg’s horses have been shown as a pair at Walnut Hill for over 10 years. Training to be prepared for competition takes several years, said Frangenberg. Among the skills they must master are tolerating the harness and blinders and learning how to pull against resistance.
Growing up in Germany, Elmar Frangenberg got his first taste of driving horses from his godfather, who owned a farm.
“I saw all the other workers and wanted to join them,” he remembers.
During the harvest, they would hitch a horse up to a horse-drawn rake, and Frangenberg was charged with raking the fields and collecting the hay.
But it wasn’t until the 1980s that Frangenberg — who had since moved with his wife, Catherine, into their home on Pinnacle Road in Henrietta — renewed his love of horses and driving during a visit to the Walnut Hill Farm Driving Competition in Pittsford.
“When I saw that marvelous display of driving skill ... I said, ‘that is what I want to do,’” he said.
He has participated in the carriage driving competition nearly every year since.
Next week, Frangenberg will again be taking part in the competition with his pair of Morgan horses.
It is the 41st year of the Walnut Hill event — the largest competition of its kind in the country. The event, which attracts as many as 30,000 spectators, is taking place Aug. 8 to 12.
Sarah Bates, owner of High Hopes Farm in Honeoye Falls, has been coming to the Walnut Hill competition every year since it began. Her parents bought her a pony, and she has been driving since she was 8.
“I started driving when I was little because I didn’t want to sell my first pony,” she said.
Today, her farm has about 18 horses, four of which have taken part in Walnut Hill and three more that are competing this year. Bates raises and trains her own horses to drive.
“For me, it’s like a personal achievement,” she said. “It’s not about others. When a horse trusts you, you can ask it to do anything, and it just will. It’s like a bond.”
“I couldn’t miss it,” said Bates, of the event. “It’s just what I’ve been doing forever.”
Walnut Hill is a step back in time to an era before automobiles, when carriages were the standard means of transportation.
“Carriage driving speaks to our cultural, social and economic history,” said Trish Remley White, chairperson for Walnut Hill. “Plus it’s fun to get all dressed up and capture some of the spirit of a time when elegance was what really mattered.”
Now 17 years old, Frangenberg’s horses have been shown as a pair at Walnut Hill for over 10 years. Training to be prepared for competition takes several years, said Frangenberg. Among the skills they must master are tolerating the harness and blinders and learning how to pull against resistance.
“They’re pretty much veterans,” he said, adding that he takes them to other competitions around the region.
What makes Walnut Hill stand out from other events is “the level of refinement,” said Frangenberg, adding that the competition draws the best judges and offers a wide variety of events.
“It just attracts a lot of competition,” he said. “I think the way the competitors look at it is, they get a little experience at the smaller shows, then they’re well-equipped for Walnut Hill.”
Bates agreed.
“Everything is done to perfection,” she said. “They just strive to be the best of the best.”
