Patience, as we know, is usually rewarded. It’s certainly one of the key attributes that we need to get the best out of our horses and life in general. But having to wait about 30 years to find peace after a particularly tough experiences in my early career has required a great deal of patience. More of which later, so please be patient…
Meanwhile, the last few weeks have exemplified how the driving world can be so rewarding, without even having to put a horse to a carriage.
A recent road trip started with an afternoon spent in the company of Russell and Pat Hand and their Jayroc driving crew in Shropshire. You can now hear the podcast that was recorded at the end of what was a convivial and interesting afternoon, looking at Russell’s extensive collection and meeting his many horses and ponies. Russell has quickly established himself as one of the foremost collectors of carriages, harness and accoutrements in the world, and his passion for the history and craftsmanship behind a driving turnout is infectious. He and his team have also embarked on a long-term breeding programme so that he can produce his own driving horses and now, after a few years of patience, he is driving his homebred horses and thoroughly enjoying the journey. The extensive yard is also the base for apprentices to learn about horses and driving. Russell and Pat have been on many adventures together during their long marriage and some of their amusing stories have made it onto the podcast. Listen out for the story about buying semen at a charity auction!
The next stop was to see Barbara and Rod Stockton in Staffordshire who are so closely associated with Hackney breeding and coaching. Barbara is a past chair of the Hackney Horse Society and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the breed – the chat we had over breakfast is now written up and published. She is also one of the hard-working directors of the Road Club and puts together the comprehensive quarterly newsletter for members. Barbara is someone who has many strings to her bow – she’s an adept embroiderer, and I also learned that she turned down a place at Cambridge University to be with Rod! The house is full of books but is mainly a shrine to driving and the Hackney breed.
It was a bonus to find Romsey Show coaching organiser Callum Feltum there too, and we spend a fantastic few hours gossiping and storytelling. Over the years, the Stocktons have included many others in their coaching and breeding adventures, and are always generous with their time and wisdom. Callum is now integral to the Stockton coaching team, which he juggles with his career as a firefighter and a coachman for hire, on film sets or for weddings and funerals.
After a fun evening, the next day I went to meet up and coming young driver Theo Charnley and his father Paul. Theo has taken up driving with pony called George whose mother was an RSPCA rescue case, and he is bringing on another two RSPCA rescue ponies. Having enjoyed ridden dressage success with George, Theo has inevitably started to outgrow him and in order to continue their harmonious relationship, they’ve started to drive. During my time with them, Paul showed an unflinching dedication to his son’s success and they reported that they’ve found the driving community to be welcoming and encouraging, which is heartening to hear. Aiming high already, they are focussed on gaining a place on the British Under-25 squad with a view to competing at the FEI European Youth Championships in Romania this summer. Good luck to them.
The final stop on the way back south was the British AIAT meeting for judges and officials in Warwickshire, held before their prize giving and evening celebration, the ‘Hosscars’. It’s a close-knit crew in AIAT and there was plenty of discussion, not least about what range of scores judges should use in the presentation, which was backed up with some colourful graphs showing patterns of marking. Although not a founder nation for AIAT, the British seem to have inadvertently become the standard setters for some other countries, largely because of our rich heritage of showing and producing turnouts to a very high standard. There will be six events in the UK this year, plus some training days.
A few days later and it was a memorable day out at Crufts in the company of Anna Szabo, the Hungarian Fine Art photographer who produced the stunning images of Bram Chardon, Chester Weber and Fredrik Persson that were auctioned for charity a few years ago at the London International Horse Show. Since then, Anna and I have become friends and we try and catch up whenever possible. She is one of the lead photographers at Crufts, which although dedicated to dogs, isn’t so far from our world of horses, carriages and shows. Some of the team behind the London show and Royal Windsor are heavily involved in Crufts, including Nick Brooks-Ward who is the vice-chair of Crufts and their long time main commentator.
It was a quick turnaround to pack and get to Heathrow for the flight to Frankfurt and the annual AIAT international conference and AGM in Mannheim. Travelling on a Friday afternoon proved to be busy because many other people were taking the same journey, compounded by the further delays due to the new passport control requirements for anyone based outside the European Union. But at the start of a trip, the energy is usually positive and the anticipation of what is to follow keeps up the momentum.
We stayed in central Mannheim and there were about 120 delegates from 16 nations, including Finland. The British made up the biggest contingent with 27, although sadly Richard James and Claudia Bunn didn’t make it in the end. Most of us know each other well so it is an easy and friendly group to mingle with. A number of the international judges were my clients back in the day at the Reading Carriage Sales, including the Danish chair Henrik Køier Andersen, who never lets me forget the time I ticked him and his (very tall) friends off for ‘accidently bidding’ on their own carriage. It was also good to see Dávid Cseri, director of the State Stud in Szilvásvárad and current Hungarian FEI chef d’equipe. Dávid is always on the move, promoting Lipizzaners and the Hungarian cause, and he has hopes to extend into AIAT soon.
On Saturday we were up early for breakfast then climbed into a long, bendy bus and made the short trip to the home of the impressive Scheidel carriage collection. It’s thought that Herr Scheidel has about 600 carriages and they are supplemented by harness, pictures, horse and human mannequins, travelling accoutrements and lots of bits and bobs. It was quite a sensory overload being around so many extraordinary carriages and each time a new room was opened up to us, there were more gasps of awe.
Everything was immaculate and every item is clearly treated with respect. There is an in-house team of craftsmen and women who either conserve or restore the carriages. Tempting though it was, there was a strict embargo on sharing the images on social media as this is very much a private collection.
The day took on a gentle rhythm as we ambled through the collection and chatted over what we saw. I was delighted to see an old Reading Carriage Sale catalogue rolled up in the hand of one figure sitting inside a Hansom Cab, having known for a long time that Herr Scheidel bought items from the carriage sales, but it tended to be through a third party, usually the late Nick Wood of Fairbourne Carriages. While he told me later that most of his collection has been gained through private acquisition, he conceded that many of the smaller items had come from Reading.
But there was something niggling at me and an elusive peace to be found after an episode that happened a long time ago…
Not long after John Mauger retired from running the carriage sales and I took over from him at Thimbleby & Shorland, we were contacted by Christie’s in London because we were their ‘carriage consultants’. I had also spent a few months on job experience at their Glasgow office after leaving University, so there was a working connection with them. As was often the nature of these matters, it was all rather cloak and dagger until it became apparent that the Duke of Oldenburg wished to sell his family carriages. Photographs were obtained, by post in those days, I wrote an appraisal and valuation, and it was agreed that the best way to sell the four carriages was by public auction in Reading. It was a halcyon time before the internet and social media, when ‘Reading’ was the Mecca for all things driving. I don’t remember if I ever spoke to the Duke directly, but I spoke to his wife and an agent or secretary of theirs, and the phone calls were frequent.
The four magnificent carriages duly arrived in Reading, and I can still picture them in the market. The catalogue had been prepared and they had been advertised, which had to be done some weeks in advance of the sale, usually by fax.
Then there was an unwelcome development. It transpired that Herr Scheidel had wanted to buy these carriages for years. He contacted the Oldenburg family directly, and between them they decided to have a private sale which meant the carriages never made it to the auction, despite being on our premises in England. I’m sure some sort of commission must have been paid before we released them, but it was no antidote to an upsetting situation which Christie’s were particularly ungracious about.
Not long before the auction, the carriages were picked up and taken back to Germany. It was a heavy blow and steep learning curve for someone starting out in their career, but time healed and the memory faded.
Roll forward nearly 30 years and while in Herr Scheidel’s world visiting his collection for the first time, the memories which I’d long since buried came flooding back. Then Herr Scheidel’s manager, Hans – who turned out to be charming – remembered me and we became reacquainted; he had been the one who collected the carriages all those years ago. Then when Herr Scheidel and I finally spoke, and there was some conciliation.
The Oldenburg carriages now form the centrepiece of this remarkable collection and were not revealed to us delegates until the gala dinner on the Saturday night, when I sat on the same table as Herr Scheidel and his guests, adjacent to them. And I had to admit to myself that perhaps they were in the best place, still in Germany, being valued and admired.
While musing quietly about this, the delightful Prinz Alexander zu Schleswig-Holstein, whose partner Dodo (Dorothea von Eberhardt) was one of the organisers of the weekend, came and whispered to me that his grandmother had once ridden in the carriages. He also said that the Duke of Oldenburg is his cousin. When I told him, quite politely, what had happened all those years ago, he raised his eyebrows.
That night there came a welcome but private peace on the matter. I only wish that 30 years ago, after feeling so ragged and betrayed, that there’d been a crystal ball showing the calmer outlook and ultimately, a happy-ish ending.
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Patience, as we know, is usually rewarded. It’s certainly one of the key attributes that we need to get the best out of our horses and life in general. But having to wait about 30 years to find peace after a particularly tough experiences in my early career has required a great deal of patience. More of which later, so please be patient…
Meanwhile, the last few weeks have exemplified how the driving world can be so rewarding, without even having to put a horse to a carriage.
A recent road trip started with an afternoon spent in the company of Russell and Pat Hand and their Jayroc driving crew in Shropshire. You can now hear the podcast that was recorded at the end of what was a convivial and interesting afternoon, looking at Russell’s extensive collection and meeting his many horses and ponies. Russell has quickly established himself as one of the foremost collectors of carriages, harness and accoutrements in the world, and his passion for the history and craftsmanship behind a driving turnout is infectious. He and his team have also embarked on a long-term breeding programme so that he can produce his own driving horses and now, after a few years of patience, he is driving his homebred horses and thoroughly enjoying the journey. The extensive yard is also the base for apprentices to learn about horses and driving. Russell and Pat have been on many adventures together during their long marriage and some of their amusing stories have made it onto the podcast. Listen out for the story about buying semen at a charity auction!
The next stop was to see Barbara and Rod Stockton in Staffordshire who are so closely associated with Hackney breeding and coaching. Barbara is a past chair of the Hackney Horse Society and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the breed – the chat we had over breakfast is now written up and published. She is also one of the hard-working directors of the Road Club and puts together the comprehensive quarterly newsletter for members. Barbara is someone who has many strings to her bow – she’s an adept embroiderer, and I also learned that she turned down a place at Cambridge University to be with Rod! The house is full of books but is mainly a shrine to driving and the Hackney breed.
It was a bonus to find Romsey Show coaching organiser Callum Feltum there too, and we spend a fantastic few hours gossiping and storytelling. Over the years, the Stocktons have included many others in their coaching and breeding adventures, and are always generous with their time and wisdom. Callum is now integral to the Stockton coaching team, which he juggles with his career as a firefighter and a coachman for hire, on film sets or for weddings and funerals.
After a fun evening, the next day I went to meet up and coming young driver Theo Charnley and his father Paul. Theo has taken up driving with pony called George whose mother was an RSPCA rescue case, and he is bringing on another two RSPCA rescue ponies. Having enjoyed ridden dressage success with George, Theo has inevitably started to outgrow him and in order to continue their harmonious relationship, they’ve started to drive. During my time with them, Paul showed an unflinching dedication to his son’s success and they reported that they’ve found the driving community to be welcoming and encouraging, which is heartening to hear. Aiming high already, they are focussed on gaining a place on the British Under-25 squad with a view to competing at the FEI European Youth Championships in Romania this summer. Good luck to them.
The final stop on the way back south was the British AIAT meeting for judges and officials in Warwickshire, held before their prize giving and evening celebration, the ‘Hosscars’. It’s a close-knit crew in AIAT and there was plenty of discussion, not least about what range of scores judges should use in the presentation, which was backed up with some colourful graphs showing patterns of marking. Although not a founder nation for AIAT, the British seem to have inadvertently become the standard setters for some other countries, largely because of our rich heritage of showing and producing turnouts to a very high standard. There will be six events in the UK this year, plus some training days.
A few days later and it was a memorable day out at Crufts in the company of Anna Szabo, the Hungarian Fine Art photographer who produced the stunning images of Bram Chardon, Chester Weber and Fredrik Persson that were auctioned for charity a few years ago at the London International Horse Show. Since then, Anna and I have become friends and we try and catch up whenever possible. She is one of the lead photographers at Crufts, which although dedicated to dogs, isn’t so far from our world of horses, carriages and shows. Some of the team behind the London show and Royal Windsor are heavily involved in Crufts, including Nick Brooks-Ward who is the vice-chair of Crufts and their long time main commentator.
It was a quick turnaround to pack and get to Heathrow for the flight to Frankfurt and the annual AIAT international conference and AGM in Mannheim. Travelling on a Friday afternoon proved to be busy because many other people were taking the same journey, compounded by the further delays due to the new passport control requirements for anyone based outside the European Union. But at the start of a trip, the energy is usually positive and the anticipation of what is to follow keeps up the momentum.
We stayed in central Mannheim and there were about 120 delegates from 16 nations, including Finland. The British made up the biggest contingent with 27, although sadly Richard James and Claudia Bunn didn’t make it in the end. Most of us know each other well so it is an easy and friendly group to mingle with. A number of the international judges were my clients back in the day at the Reading Carriage Sales, including the Danish chair Henrik Køier Andersen, who never lets me forget the time I ticked him and his (very tall) friends off for ‘accidently bidding’ on their own carriage. It was also good to see Dávid Cseri, director of the State Stud in Szilvásvárad and current Hungarian FEI chef d’equipe. Dávid is always on the move, promoting Lipizzaners and the Hungarian cause, and he has hopes to extend into AIAT soon.
On Saturday we were up early for breakfast then climbed into a long, bendy bus and made the short trip to the home of the impressive Scheidel carriage collection. It’s thought that Herr Scheidel has about 600 carriages and they are supplemented by harness, pictures, horse and human mannequins, travelling accoutrements and lots of bits and bobs. It was quite a sensory overload being around so many extraordinary carriages and each time a new room was opened up to us, there were more gasps of awe.
Everything was immaculate and every item is clearly treated with respect. There is an in-house team of craftsmen and women who either conserve or restore the carriages. Tempting though it was, there was a strict embargo on sharing the images on social media as this is very much a private collection.
The day took on a gentle rhythm as we ambled through the collection and chatted over what we saw. I was delighted to see an old Reading Carriage Sale catalogue rolled up in the hand of one figure sitting inside a Hansom Cab, having known for a long time that Herr Scheidel bought items from the carriage sales, but it tended to be through a third party, usually the late Nick Wood of Fairbourne Carriages. While he told me later that most of his collection has been gained through private acquisition, he conceded that many of the smaller items had come from Reading.
But there was something niggling at me and an elusive peace to be found after an episode that happened a long time ago…
Not long after John Mauger retired from running the carriage sales and I took over from him at Thimbleby & Shorland, we were contacted by Christie’s in London because we were their ‘carriage consultants’. I had also spent a few months on job experience at their Glasgow office after leaving University, so there was a working connection with them. As was often the nature of these matters, it was all rather cloak and dagger until it became apparent that the Duke of Oldenburg wished to sell his family carriages. Photographs were obtained, by post in those days, I wrote an appraisal and valuation, and it was agreed that the best way to sell the four carriages was by public auction in Reading. It was a halcyon time before the internet and social media, when ‘Reading’ was the Mecca for all things driving. I don’t remember if I ever spoke to the Duke directly, but I spoke to his wife and an agent or secretary of theirs, and the phone calls were frequent.
The four magnificent carriages duly arrived in Reading, and I can still picture them in the market. The catalogue had been prepared and they had been advertised, which had to be done some weeks in advance of the sale, usually by fax.
Then there was an unwelcome development. It transpired that Herr Scheidel had wanted to buy these carriages for years. He contacted the Oldenburg family directly, and between them they decided to have a private sale which meant the carriages never made it to the auction, despite being on our premises in England. I’m sure some sort of commission must have been paid before we released them, but it was no antidote to an upsetting situation which Christie’s were particularly ungracious about.
Not long before the auction, the carriages were picked up and taken back to Germany. It was a heavy blow and steep learning curve for someone starting out in their career, but time healed and the memory faded.
Roll forward nearly 30 years and while in Herr Scheidel’s world visiting his collection for the first time, the memories which I’d long since buried came flooding back. Then Herr Scheidel’s manager, Hans – who turned out to be charming – remembered me and we became reacquainted; he had been the one who collected the carriages all those years ago. Then when Herr Scheidel and I finally spoke, and there was some conciliation.
The Oldenburg carriages now form the centrepiece of this remarkable collection and were not revealed to us delegates until the gala dinner on the Saturday night, when I sat on the same table as Herr Scheidel and his guests, adjacent to them. And I had to admit to myself that perhaps they were in the best place, still in Germany, being valued and admired.
While musing quietly about this, the delightful Prinz Alexander zu Schleswig-Holstein, whose partner Dodo (Dorothea von Eberhardt) was one of the organisers of the weekend, came and whispered to me that his grandmother had once ridden in the carriages. He also said that the Duke of Oldenburg is his cousin. When I told him, quite politely, what had happened all those years ago, he raised his eyebrows.
That night there came a welcome but private peace on the matter. I only wish that 30 years ago, after feeling so ragged and betrayed, that there’d been a crystal ball showing the calmer outlook and ultimately, a happy-ish ending.
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