GREENBUSH, Wis. – The art of carriage driving will be on full display at the historic Wade House Stagecoach Inn, a Wisconsin Historical Society site, during its annual Wade House Carriage Driving Days, held July 11-13. The site, showcasing the world of historic horse-powered travel, offers three full days of captivating entertainment from watching elegantly attired drivers, in hats and gloves, skillfully maneuver their horse-drawn carriages through a series of competitions, to exploring the state’s largest carriage museum or taking a tour of the historic 1850s stagecoach inn.
“Carriage driving is a beautiful sport to watch that will make you feel transported to another time and place,” said Bridgitt Zielke, site director of Wade House. “Whether you come for a day or the entire weekend, it’s a great excuse to wear your favorite hat and experience this elegant sport in action.”
Guests attending the event watch drivers skillfully navigate horse-powered antique, reproduced, and modern carriages through a variety of competitions referred to as Arena classes, Obstacle classes and non-divisional classes.
The Arena competitions include “Turnout” where drivers are judged on how well the horse and carriage function together and the cleanliness of the driver’s outfit; “Reinsmanship”, where judges rate drivers by their ability to control the horses and drive the carriage and “Working”, where the performance and manner of the horse are judged.
The Obstacle competitions feature a “Timed” cones category where the fastest team around the obstacle course wins and the “Pleasure Pace” category which simulates a country drive, which prioritizes enjoyment and relaxed experience over speed or precision.
In addition, there are a variety of non-divisional competitions for the enjoyment of the audience. These include a Gentlemen’s Driving Class; a “Drive and Ride” where horses are first driven then saddled and ridden; a “Carriage Dog Class”, where dogs are judged on their behavior and posture in the carriage; “Ladies’ Driving Class” and a “Concours d ’elegance,” where the most elegant of the show is featured.
Certified judges from the American Driving Society award the coveted blue ribbon to the carriage team that excels in each competition.
A horse-drawn wagon transports guests from the Visitor Center to the new horse arena to watch close-up carriage action in the arena as well as on the picturesque meadows and lawns of the Wade House Historic Site. Additionally, guests can visit the Wade House Stagecoach Inn, blacksmith shop, sawmill and Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum, which houses Wisconsin’s largest collection of carriages and wagons.
Wade House Carriage Driving Days will be held rain or shine. The event runs from noon to 4 p.m. on Friday, July 11; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 12; and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 13. Two venues will serve food: Harvest Street, a mobile food trailer and caterer specializing in New American cuisine with an emphasis on seasonal, local ingredients; and the American Legion, which will be serving brats and hamburgers.
Single-day tickets are $17 for adults and teens, $15 for senior citizens, $8.50 for children ages 5-12, and free for children under five. Weekend passes are $27 for adults and teens, $25 for senior citizens, $12.50 for children ages 5-12, and free for children under five.
For further information or to purchase tickets, go to wadehouse.org or click here.
About Wade House
Wade House is one of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s 12 historic sites and museums. Located in Greenbush, the site includes an 1850s stagecoach inn that was built to serve traffic along a plank road connecting Fond du Lac and Sheboygan. The site tells the story of frontier entrepreneur Sylvanus Wade and his family during the 1850s and 1860s. In addition to the inn, the historic site includes the Dockstader blacksmith shop and Herrling sawmill, one of the few working, water-powered sawmills of its kind in the nation. Wade House is also home to the Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum, which houses the state’s largest collection of antique carriages and working wagons. For more information and a list of upcoming events call (920) 526-3271 or visit wadehouse.org. Wisconsin Historical Society members receive free admission to this site during regular operating hours.
About the Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.
