Age of Elegance

History, horse, and dog lovers will head for Stratford Hall, near Montrose, April 24th for the 12th Triennial Coaching Day celebration. The event is held on the grounds of the sprawling plantation from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., rain or shine.

One of the highlights of Coaching Day is “tailgating.” So, what exactly are we talking about here?

“If you do a Google search for ‘coaching’ and ‘tailgating’ you get about 10,000 hits, very few of which have anything to do with horses,” said Jim Schepmoes, director of marketing for Stratford Hall.

Coaching Day is mostly about horses, and the grand coaches they once pulled. The world famous Anheuser-Bush Clydesdales will be making a special appearance, along with antique, beautifully restored coaches from throughout Virginia.

“Tailgating” has become a tradition with in the tradition of Coaching Day. Some participants will set up elegant picnic tables, most of which look more like settings in a five-star restaurant. The tailgaters are judged for Most Elegant, Best Tasting Food, and Most Humorous.

Events include canine demonstrations on the Oval, a performance by the Lancaster High School Band, and tours of the Great House and the 18th Century Hunting Exhibit.

The highlight of the event, of course, is the parade of 19th century horse-drawn coaches and carriages around the oval. A trumpeter signals the start with a blast on his horn. It’s what thousands of people, from Southern Maryland, the Northern Neck, Northern Virginia and the Richmond area have come to see.

History of coaching

In nineteenth-century England, the only scheduled overland transportation was via public road coach. The advent of the railroad and automobile virtually ended coach driving of this type, and the sport of coaching was born. The sport grew out of the gentleman's desire to show proficiency at handling a road coach. Only a few families, such as that of the late August A. Busch, Jr., former Chairman of Anheuser-Busch, preserved the unique art of four-in-hand driving. August Busch's grandfather began the family's now-famous collection of around 64 coaches and carriages.

Drawn by a team of four horses, the coach is driven by a highly skilled "whip." The public Road Coach and private Park Drag are the only vehicles that may be deemed coaches.
A Road Coach is a public vehicle that carries passengers or mail on a scheduled, appointed route. These coaches, like steamships, bear a name and display the names of the places they served. Generally of heavy construction to bear the rigors of the 19th-century English public roads, the coaches are drawn by four horses that were chosen for their suitability for work. The rear seat is wide enough to carry four people, with the left-hand seat occupied by a guard.

A Park Drag is a private coach fashioned after a Road Coach, but of lighter construction. It is a large, enclosed, four-wheeled vehicle drawn by four horses. The exterior is highly finished in subdued colors. The rear seat is built to carry two grooms in livery. The Park Drag was built for pleasure driving by the owner, for use at meets of the Coaching Club, polo matches, driving to race meetings, or on similar occasions.
The name Phaeton was first used in France in the 18th century to describe a four-wheeled carriage. There are many types of Phaetons but they may all be classified as sporting carriages intended for pleasure driving.

A Dog Cart is a vehicle with two or four wheels used for informal driving in the country.
A Meadowbrook Cart is a type of two-wheeled road cart built on Long Island.
A Wagonette is a light horse-drawn wagon with two lengthwise seats facing each other behind the driver's seat.

Ticket information

Advance tickets are now on sale for both general admission and the popular tailgating section. General admission advance tickets are $12.50 for adults and $15 at the gate; tailgate tickets are $60 for up to four people per vehicle.
On Coaching Day visitors may register in the Plantation Store to win a limited edition Stratford Coaching Scarf. The scarf is a 100% silk twill, 36 inches square, hand-rolled “masterpiece.”