Bronson — This fall, Black Prong Equestrian Village (BPEV) will kick off a series of carriage driving competitions recognized by the American Driving Society and organized by Jennifer Matheson. The event series begins November 17th, 2021, and ends with the Finals on March 30, 2022.
These events include a Driving Derby series, Combined Driving Events, and the inaugural Black Prong Dressage Festival.
Spectators will be welcome to visit BPEV to watch the action, following American Driving Society COVID-19 safety guidelines. Competitors may choose to reside onsite with their horses in one of BPEV’s nine cottages, each with stalls and a tack room attached. Stabling for horses is also available for those who stay in RVs or campers at BPEV throughout the competition season.
Carriage driving is an equestrian sport that involves a driver seated on a vehicle that is pulled by a single horse, pair, or team of four horses. A Combined Driving Event is a three-day competition that includes three different disciplines: dressage, marathon, and cones. Driven Dressage is where the horse and driver team complete a pattern and are judged on precision and quality of movement. Marathon is a test in speed and endurance; competitors cover between eight and eighteen kilometers and negotiate challenge “obstacles” every kilometer or so, in which they choose their paths to go through “gates” in the correct direction and sequence. Cones are a test of agility and obedience where the driver carefully
navigates between 20 cones. Driving Derby involves an obstacle course that combines marathons and cones and is driven at speed.
Black Prong Equestrian Village Upcoming Driving Events:
• November 17, 2021 – Combined Test
• November 18, 2021 – Driving Derby
• December 8, 2021 -Combined Test
• December 9, 2021 – Driving Derby
• December 29, 2021 – Combined test
• December 30, 2021 – Driving Derby
• January 14-16, 2022 – The Nature Coast Combined Driving Event
• February 11-13, 2022 – Black Prong Dressage Festival
• February 23, 2022 – Driving Derby
• March 9, 2022 – Driving Derby
• March 18-20, 2022 – The Black Prong Combined Driving Event
• March 30, 2022 – Black Prong Driving Derby Finals
Event registration information can be found on the website.
Black Prong Equestrian Village is an elite, five-star agritourism operation designed to offer a home-away-from-home for the competitive equestrian, casual horse lover, and outdoor enthusiast.
Nestled in the Goethe State Forest, which offers one of the most extensive equestrian trail networks in the eastern United States, Black Prong blends equines, agriculture, and tourism into one unparalleled experience that will make lasting memories. Learn about carriage driving up-close by watching the exciting performance of equine athletes and their drivers. Stay and experience the pure enjoyment of Black Prong’s bucolic surroundings, including access to miles of trails in Florida’s longleaf pine Flatwoods ready to be explored by you and your horse.