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November 2011 Middleburg Life
Gala & Four-In-Hand Coaching Celebrate Opening of National Sporting Library’s Museum By Lauren R. Giannini For Middleburg Life The festivities for the opening of the National Sporting Library’s Museum took place Oct. 7-9, a long weekend attended by glitterati and highlighted by elegance, glamour and timeless beauty. More than 20 coaches and park drags, many priceless antiques, from all over North America gathered at the Upperville Horse Show grounds with teams of four horses for the third in a series of coaching events organized to raise funds for the NSLM. They embarked on planned drives from Friday to Sunday, traversing the incomparable countryside via back roads, north and south of the John Mosby Highway. Long brass horns tootled distinctive medleys that announced a coach’s arrival in the tradition of the olden days when the primary mode of transportation was actual horsepower on the hoof. Saturday was the big day, all things considered. The four-in-hands paraded under the oaks in front of the grandstand at the Upperville show grounds. A crowd of spectators was entertained by the sight and the background and history of coaching and particulars about each participant, thanks to scripts composed by Douglas Kemmerer, a local enthusiast and whip (driver). The four-in-hands passed by the grandstand twice before heading down the road to the historical estate of Llangollen for an al fresco luncheon. Guests re-grouped later that afternoon to arrive at the NSLM campus where they toured the nluestrian clothing who were stationed in the various exhibit rooms. It was a triumphant moment, to say the least. Executive Director Rick Stoutamyer had monitored every step of the construction of the museum, which was designed by Virginia architect Hardee Johnson to incorporate the original Vine Hill mansion that dates to 1804. Vine Hill had housed both the Chronicle of the Horse and the early library founded in 1954 by the late George L. Ohrstrom Sr. and Alexander Mackay-Smith. Their mission to preserve, share and promote the literature, art and culture of equestrian and field sports had come to full brilliant fruition in this newest addition to the NSL campus. F. Turner Reuter Jr. curated the exhibit, Afield in America: 400 Years of Animal and Sporting Art, which consists of more than 150 painting and sculptures on loan from Continued On Page 12
Above: One of the four-inhands rounds the driveway in front of Llangollen for the festive luncheon. Left: Mrs. Jacqueline Ohrstrom of The Plains and her five-in-hand of Hackney ponies hitched to a Park Drag. Photo by Lauren R Giannini