Demonstrations, clinics and education all part of Salute to Driving

WINDSOR--It's the combination of a fundraiser and an educational resource. Salute to Driving started Saturday morning, and the event serves multiple purposes by generating exposure for the sport of combined driving, introducing people to carriage driving and pleasure driving through demonstrations and exhibits, but more importantly serves as a fundraiser dedicated to helping send the best and the brightest in the United States associated with the sport of combined driving to the World Championships.

Drivers and spectators had an opportunity to learn through observation at the clinics being conducted at Courage to Lead Farm and Chateau Log Farm. Salute to Driving is a United States Equestrian Foundation benefit to support the High Performance Driving program given by American Driving Society clinicians.

Saturday featured a hazard demonstration, said Bev Lesher, Courage to Lead Farm, providing people with a better understanding of what a driver goes through while competing during the marathon phase. Drivers talked about why they chose routes while going through the hazard, and provided an in-depth explanation about the variables involved when competing in a CDE.

Tjeerd Velstra, who won the FEI World Four-in-Hand Driving Championships in 1982 in Apeldoorn (The Netherlands) and 1986 at Ascot (United Kingdom), and served as The Netherlands coach, trainer and Chef d'Equipe, was the clinician working with the long-listed drivers. Hardy Zantke, made the trip from Torrance, Calif., and the former advanced level competitor is a Federation Internationale Equestre judge and FEI Para Equestrian Driving International Judge, and he had an opportunity to work with some of the lower level drivers, less experienced riders and horses on Saturday.

"We have sound systems hooked up," said Lesher. "Everyone gets to hear what the instructor is saying to the driver. It's a learning experience."

The Show Day Cafe serves as the official food vendor for Salute to Driving.

Today's demonstrations include a cones clinic, giving people an opportunity to walk the cones (one of the three phases composing a combined driving event). There will be two veteran navigators, providing insight as to why they make certain judgements and how they base their decisions on what turns they'll take while on the marathon course. There will also be a harnessing demonstration. An on-site farrier will answer questions about the particular needs for driving horses and their feet, said Lesher. One of the most popular features of the event is the antique carriage display.

Driver Anita Gansen, who is from The Netherlands, and who has been based this winter at Janelle Marshall's barn in Windsor, took part in Saturday's clinic.

"It was a lot of fun," said Gansen. "The clinicians made things very understandable in the way they explained things. He (Zantke) was able to identify areas where I needed improvement, and told me what I would need to do to upgrade my skills and performance. I learned a lot of things from him."

Salute to Driving continues tomorrow at 8 a.m.