[WASHINGTON HOLLOW EQUESTRIAN SHOW, DUTCHESS COUNTY NEW YORK]

Genre: home movie

Year Published: 1920s

Description: This silent black and white home movie was filmed by a member of the Flagler family of Dutchess County New York features a horse show in Washington Hollow. Footage provides a glimpse into New York’s elite society of the 1920’s. The Flagler’s were a prominent family well known for their large estates and ties to the local horse show community especially around Washington Hollow and Millbrook. During the ‘Golden Age of Sports,’ horse competitions were considered part of the local social and equestrian scene often lulling New York’s wealthiest socialites in their finest attire. Duchess County is characterized by it’s large estates and burgeoning equestrian community; competitors hosted here were significant enough to be covered by popular magazines such as Vogue. The area’s equestrian community evolved from a necessity related to transportation and trade into sport and later a part of the area’s plight to preserve rural life values. Duchess county maintains it’s legacy of equestrian education and recreation boasting a horse population of over 10,000. The show involved incorporates ‘high leap’ and ‘wide leap’ obstacles. Scenes highlight the early English jumping competition style. Much of the footage followers competitors as they warm up and take to various courses, some with clean completions and others balking at jumps or knocking through them. It continues to show what is likely the family’s personal estate for practice rides and an bourgeois outdoor dinner tended to by waiters in the woods. 00:00 Riders warm up (:09) posting along with the diagonal two beat trot. Some break off into the three beat canter. A rider heads for a wooden oxer (:41) kicking up dirt clogs in their wake. Point of view shots from the ground watch riders going over ‘high leap’ obstacles (1:04). Shots sweep seated guests in elegant attire at outdoor tables (1:07) in straw hats, suits and dresses. The trophy table (1:15) and horn man follow (1:18). A dapple gray runs the course (1:21-1:29). A horse balks (1:40) and another knocks the obstacle over (1:46). A man in a sulky attached to a horse watch from the sideline (1:58). Another in a newsboy hat holds a foul (2:30) as a young boy leads a miniature horse by the harness behind (2:37). A pair of men in light suits pose with contestant’s numbers hanging behind on a fence (2:41). A rider knocks a jump over (2:53). Another clears an automobile obstacle nicely (3:25). The winner takes a trophy (3:30). Panoramic shots capture the grounds and building structures (3:41). Contestants ride towards the camera (5:02). Young equestrians take to the arena (6:47); one walks his horse over a lowered obstacle (7:39). A man loads luggage into the backseat of a 1920’s model car (8:37). A pair feed a horse treats through the bridle (8:44). A rider mounts (9:00) and begins to warm up (9:20) heading for log obstacles with a mountainous terrain as the backdrop (9:27). A man walks a bareback and well groomed horse through the arena (10:34). The competition continues (11:19-12:19). Scenes change to winter (12:24); a rider stands in chaps and blazer. Riders practice on their home turf (13:00). A pair in top hats and button down blazers walk down a dirt pathway (13:11). A group of riders head towards the camera (13:15). Long tables appear dressed with plateware and wine bottles in the woods (13:51). Guests fill the tables (13:54). A man poses in a bow tie and newsboy cap (14:07). Cooks and servers stand by stacks of plateware (14:10). Shots pan over the long tables as the film concludes (14:16).

Complete Record: This silent black and white home movie was filmed by a member of the Flagler family of Dutchess County New York features a horse show in Washington Hollow. Footage provides a glimpse into New York’s elite society of the 1920’s. The Flagler’s were a prominent family well known for their large estates and ties to the local horse show community especially around Washington Hollow and Millbrook. During the ‘Golden Age of Sports,’ horse competitions were considered part of the local social and equestrian scene often lulling New York’s wealthiest socialites in their finest attire. Duchess County is characterized by it’s large estates and burgeoning equestrian community; competitors hosted here were significant enough to be covered by popular magazines such as Vogue. The area’s equestrian community evolved from a necessity related to transportation and trade into sport and later a part of the area’s plight to preserve rural life values. Duchess county maintains it’s legacy of equestrian education and recreation boasting a horse population of over 10,000. The show involved incorporates ‘high leap’ and ‘wide leap’ obstacles. Scenes highlight the early English jumping competition style. Much of the footage followers competitors as they warm up and take to various courses, some with clean completions and others balking at jumps or knocking through them. It continues to show what is likely the family’s personal estate for practice rides and an bourgeois outdoor dinner tended to by waiters in the woods. 00:00 Riders warm up (:09) posting along with the diagonal two beat trot. Some break off into the three beat canter. A rider heads for a wooden oxer (:41) kicking up dirt clogs in their wake. Point of view shots from the ground watch riders going over ‘high leap’ obstacles (1:04). Shots sweep seated guests in elegant attire at outdoor tables (1:07) in straw hats, suits and dresses. The trophy table (1:15) and horn man follow (1:18). A dapple gray runs the course (1:21-1:29). A horse balks (1:40) and another knocks the obstacle over (1:46). A man in a sulky attached to a horse watch from the sideline (1:58). Another in a newsboy hat holds a foul (2:30) as a young boy leads a miniature horse by the harness behind (2:37). A pair of men in light suits pose with contestant’s numbers hanging behind on a fence (2:41). A rider knocks a jump over (2:53). Another clears an automobile obstacle nicely (3:25). The winner takes a trophy (3:30). Panoramic shots capture the grounds and building structures (3:41). Contestants ride towards the camera (5:02). Young equestrians take to the arena (6:47); one walks his horse over a lowered obstacle (7:39). A man loads luggage into the backseat of a 1920’s model car (8:37). A pair feed a horse treats through the bridle (8:44). A rider mounts (9:00) and begins to warm up (9:20) heading for log obstacles with a mountainous terrain as the backdrop (9:27). A man walks a bareback and well groomed horse through the arena (10:34). The competition continues (11:19-12:19). Scenes change to winter (12:24); a rider stands in chaps and blazer. Riders practice on their home turf (13:00). A pair in top hats and button down blazers walk down a dirt pathway (13:11). A group of riders head towards the camera (13:15). Long tables appear dressed with plateware and wine bottles in the woods (13:51). Guests fill the tables (13:54). A man poses in a bow tie and newsboy cap (14:07). Cooks and servers stand by stacks of plateware (14:10). Shots pan over the long tables as the film concludes (14:16).