By Steve Bigham

Despite barely an inch of snow on the ground, the second annual sleigh rally at Fairfield Hills went off without a hitch this past Sunday.

The event – also known as the “parade of sleighs” – is co-sponsored by the Newtown Bridle Lands Association (NBLA) and the Second Governor’s Horse Guard.

Due to the small amount of snow, most participants showed up with horse and wheeled carriages, although Newtown resident Betsy Medinger did manage to hitch her beloved horse, Tumbleweed, up to a sleigh for a ride in the country. A nice ride in the country (or should we say the Fairfield Hills grounds) is what makes Newtown’s sleigh rally so special.

“It’s an open country course. Riders and able to go over hill and dale,” noted NBLA President Cindy Fogliano. “We send out invitations to driving clubs and draft horse associations for a day of sleighing through the country.”

In addition to the point-to-point sleigh drives, the rally also featured an obstacle course where horses and their riders were put through a variety of challenges – from maneuvering through cones to properly backing up. Drivers were judged on their skills, while the horses were judged for composure. Ed and Rosemary Werner of Woodbury were the big winners, as were their two fine horses - “Stormy Weather” and “Cloudy Sky.”

The cross-country courses consisted of marked roads and fields.

Planning for such an event is challenging because of the small window of opportunity.

“If it snows the night before, the event has to be postponed because riders are unable to get their equipment up and running,” Mrs Fogliano explained. “If it snows the day of, people won’t show up. The ideal situation is to have it snow a few days before the rally.”

About 300 spectators turned out for the event.

Up until about eight years ago, the NBLA held the sleigh rallies on an annual basis. A newfound interest in driving horses again prompted the NBLA to bring it back in 1999.  Mrs Fogliano said the joint effort between the NBLA and the governor’s horse guard helps to foster good relations. The two groups have planned a hunter pace of trail ride for the spring.