Horse Lovers Weekend at Upper Canada Village

Majestic. Noble. Beautiful. Our companion in sport and work for hundreds of years. Yes, it’s the horse. And on August 27th, 28th and 29th, Upper Canada Village will be celebrating our special relationship with the horse during a brand new event, the Horse Lovers’ Weekend.

This new event features a packed three-day schedule of activities for everyone from the avid horse owner and rider to the distant admirer. Highlights will include a polo match demonstration (Friday only) by the Augusta Polo Club, and “Dancing with the Equine Stars” by Drogheda Manor from Lunenburg, Ontario. Visitors to the Friday polo match are invited to join the fun by participating in the divot stomping at half time and wearing their “Sunday best” hat in real polo tradition.

A series of demonstrations and hands-on presentations on natural horsemanship are slated for all three days at the Drogheda Manor Paddock in the Upper Canada Village fairgrounds. Mornings will concentrate on riding activities while afternoons will include demonstrations of various horse games such as Line Dancing, The Horseman's Dance, Liberty Dancing, The Language of horses - The Seven Games, and freestyle riding.

Visitors will also have the chance to watch budding natural horsemen and women as they prepare their horses for dancing, try their hand at natural haltering, practice using the tools of the natural horseman, learn how natural riders maintain better balance control on their horses, and play games of skill.

On Friday, the Charleston Lake Pony Club will showcase its young riders in the Prince Philip Games. These mounted games are a branch of equestrian sport in which very fast games are played by young people on ponies.

Max Keeping, former CTV – Ottawa news anchor, will be the Parade Marshall on Saturday at 11 a.m.

A ”mock” horse auction will take place on Saturday and Sunday and give visitors an opportunity to find out what it was like to purchase horses back in the 1860s. Visitors will be able to purchase an envelope with “horse lovers” dollars along with their auction number and then join in the bidding. The lucky bidders will receive a souvenir photo of themselves with “their” horse. A variety of items made by Village artisans will also be auctioned off.

Upper Canada Village will proudly feature the versatile Canadian Horse – now officially recognized as Canada’s National Horse – and the many different ways Canadians are used on site. This includes ploughing and other field work, drag saw and tow scow operation, making deliveries and driving carriages. Upper Canada Village played an important role in the preservation of the Canadian Horse. In the late 1970s when the Village began its breeding program, there were few pureblood Canadian horses outside of Quebec and their numbers were dwindling. The Village has continued to promote this historic breed and is now the owner of 23 registered Canadians. Other breeds will be showcased during the event as well, such as Percheron, Belgian, Halflinger, Paint and miniature horses.

All three days are full of activities and for visitors wishing to attend more than one day, a special two day pass is available for just $29.95(adult), $28.00 (senior), $17.95 (youth) plus HST, a savings of 25% off the regular price. As an alternative, the Upper Canada Village Passport to the Past, an annual pass also provides great value offering unlimited admission, free parking plus discounts off food, retail and admission to Fort Henry in Kingston. A premium Passport is also available that includes admission to the winter program Alight at Night.

HORSE LOVERS’ WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS:
Friday, August 27th: Prince Philip Games, history of the Canadian Horse, drag saw demonstrations, horse shoeing, parade of horses, polo match and Natural Horsemanship Training.

Saturday, August 28th: History of the Canadian Horse, drag saw demo, horseshoeing, parade of horses, field work, mock horse auction and Natural Horsemanship Training. Max Keeping of CTV Ottawa will be the honourary Parade Marshall.

Sunday, August 29th: History of the Canadian Horse, drag saw demo, horseshoeing, parade of horses, mock horse auction, carriage rides, and Natural Horsemanship Training. Special guest - Marwin Antoine, 2009 International Ploughing Match champion.

QUOTES
Dave Dobbie, Manager of Upper Canada Village:
“Upper Canada Village has a long history of working with horses for demonstrating 1860s ploughing and farming techniques as well as providing visitors with carry-all and carriage rides through the Village. Everyday we see first hand the contribution that horses in general and our Canadians in particular have made to the settlement and development of our country. It seems a natural fit that we would host this event to pay a tribute to the horse.”

Don Cook, Interpreter, Upper Canada Village (event organizer)
“We are really grateful for the tremendous support we have received from the horse community in our region for this event. There are so many talented people who will be providing unique demonstrations and information. It really is a not to be missed event.”

UP NEXT
1860s WEDDING – Sunday, September 5th
Take part in the excitement of an authentically re-created 19th century home wedding at Loucks Farm. Join in the ceremony and be sure to get your piece of wedding cake!

FALL FAIR and ANNUAL QUILT SHOW – Friday, September 17th through Sunday, September 19th
Participate in the excitement of a wonderfully re-created 1860s FALL FAIR, using authentic 1860s fair categories and rules as a guideline. Public entries are encouraged! Explore the fairgrounds and discover heritage livestock, agricultural and dairy products, vegetables, flowers, and fine arts. Join in the many games and old fashioned variety of entertainment for the entire family. (Exhibition tent open for viewing beginning Friday, September 17th.) On Saturday and Sunday, see the beauty and artistry of more than 50 unique and vibrant quilts on display at the annual QUILT SHOW hosted by quilting guilds from across Eastern Ontario. See a unique collection of 19th century quilts, engage with quilt merchants, visit an 1860s quilting bee and hear special Quilt Talks.

NEW – Wood Lovers Weekend, Friday, October 8th through Sunday, October 10th
Thank goodness for wood in all its glory! Come celebrate wood, explore its properties, uses and beauty. 19th century tool displays, muley saw, pit-sawing and timber-framing demonstrations, special farm and cabinet-making projects, and a variety of guest wood workers (e.g., chair-makers, canoe-builders, lacrosse and snow-shoe makers) will all be part of this hands-on celebration. Pick up some harvest treats or enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at Willard's Hotel in the heart of the Village.

10th Annual Alight at Night Festival – Eastern Ontario's Biggest Outdoor Light Festival, Saturday, November 27th, 2010 to Saturday, January 1st, 2011. Nightly beginning at 4:30 p.m. (closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). Home of the 2nd Annual Canadian Gingerbread House Championships.

Upper Canada Village is an award-winning, authentically re-created village of the 1860s. The Michelin Travel Guide recognizes the site as highly recommended and as "among the finest restoration projects in North America". The site's attention to detail is second-to-none, evident not only in its forty-plus 19th century buildings, but also in its landscaping, pathways, boarded sidewalks and fences, in its heritage livestock, and in its numerous heirloom gardens, making it the ideal location for a enriching and fun summer outing.

www.uppercanadavillage.com

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