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Story by Kate Reynolds
Who knows why they did it.
Perhaps over a woman, or a pint of ale. Maybe it was simply
bragging rights. What ever it was, in 1752, Misters Blake
and O’Callagahan, two foxhunters in County Cork, Ireland,
got it into their heads to have a horse race. There was no
track, just open countryside-grass and fences, styles and
streams. The steeds were fleet and ready, the riders
fearless. They chose to run four and a half miles from
Buttevant Church to St. Mary’s, from steeple to steeple,
taking the course as it came. Though history preserves no
record of who emerged victorious that day, it does recall a
moment when a new equine sport was born: The Steeplechase.
The steeplechase certainly
has evolved from these rustic origins – crossing an ocean
and enduring for two and a half centuries. Along the way,
the sport has developed a highly nuanced protocol in a
social culture that is a heady mix of upscale tailgate
parties, champagne toasts, muscles and mud. On Saturday, April 23rd
the Tryon Riding and hunt club will once again honor that
tradition with the running of the 59th Block
House Steeplechase at FENCE (Foothills Equestrian Nature
Center) in Tryon. While some of today’s major
events are held at prestigious grounds such as Belmont Park,
Saratoga and Churchill Downs, most modern steeplechase races
are all day events held in rural areas and sponsored by
local clubs. Unlike track races where spectators are
regulated to the grandstands, enthusiasts set up their
dining tents, picnic tables and lawn chairs along the
perimeter of the course – right in the midst of all the
action.
At the Block House,
Pre-race events are dedicated to horses, hounds, and – hats.
Yes, hats: funniest, most unusual, and most appropriate. A
tailgate contest determines the most enticing culinary
spread. Food and finery, the perfect prelude to the thunder
of hooves. A day at the races usually
includes five to seven heats, 2-4 miles in length, run on
the grass. Interspersed throughout the course are several
obstacles – 52 inch steel framed hurdles or timber jumps of
varied height. The course challenges the agility, speed, and
endurance of the equine athlete, but these horses can handle
it. They’re thoroughbreds; most of them seasoned flat track
races that have made the transition. As a well established National
Steeplechase Association sanctioned the race with a
substantial purse, the Block House attracts top shelf
competition; professional riders and well-trained steeds
that travel the circuit form March to December.
Megan O’Brien will be there
this year but you won’t find her name on the Grand National
roster. Megan is a hometown heroine, winner of last year’s
Foxhunters Cup- the amateur race reinstated after a 20-year
hiatus. The Foxhunters’ is the
opportunity for local talent to shine- a spirited,
good-natured duel that harkens back to the early days.
Formerly dubbed the “Ladies’ Race,” it is the only
non-sanctioned event of the day, featuring jockeys of both
genders running a flat one-mile course. The race is not
handicapped. “You compete equally, on
the same ground, against all comers.” O’Brien explains.
“It’s a helluva adrenaline rush,” she adds with a grin. “A
speed thing.” But it’s clearly much more than that. For
O’Brien, at least, the matter of horses and hounds is a way
of life. Entering her quaint,
Celtic- inspired cottage at Briar Rose Farm near Landrum,
the visitor is greeted by casual arrangements of tack and
harness and a host of canine companions. “My grandfather was
a huntsman, a master of Wayne Dupage hounds, and my father a
professional show dog handler,” she notes, rubbing the belly
of a trim, young beagle that has nestled up beside her.
Megan got her first pony at
4 and was competing by the time she was in 5th
grade. “I’ve always been pretty competitive,” she says. “But
I feel like I’ve come into my own in the last few years.
It’s like an addiction. It starts with a passion then you
can’t imagine not riding.” Her evolution as a
horsewoman involves a broad spectrum of endeavors. With a
degree in equine management, O’Brien is also a certified
equine sports massage therapist. At Briar Rose, she has
created an environment where she can accommodate her love of
starting horses for the track. “It’s really my niche;
working with the babies, breaking them to ride and then
developing fitness and conditioning.” She also has a knack
for polishing existing talent to a high sheen- taking young
adults and bringing out their best. Current residents at the
Briar Rose Farm include some of her favorite mounts; “Fox
Valley Sinbad,” a massive 17- hand English Shire whose
nickname is “Sofa” and “Simpson” or, more formally, “Roll
the Dice” the gelding with whom she won Foxhunter’s. “I called him “Roll the
Dice,” because he was a gamble. I wasn’t sure if I could
ride him and make it work. He’s quirky, but he’s sweet…and
very willing. He has a thoroughbred heart.” She smiles. “You
don’t get that level of performance out of any other breed.” Still, there’s a certain
trust involved. “A jockey needs nerves,” O’Brien notes. “You
can’t second guess yourself- last minute decisions can
interfere with the horse. The animal has a mind of its own.
There’s only so much you can do with a creature who
outweighs you by 1,000 pounds. You just have to hope that
your training pays off.” As the Block House
approaches, O’Brien is stepping up Simpson’s regimen, adding
more protein to his diet and intermingling trail rides with
more intensive sessions. “The trails are good for horses
psychologically,” she says. “Gives them a good workout
without putting any pressure on them.”
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BRIER
ROSE FARMS
