No one of the farm wagons and carriages is the same, but the challenge is to drive through a course of gates fromed by cones topped with tennis balls. The distance between the cones is barely larger than the width of the wagon. The course is timed, with a 5-second penalty for each ball that is knocked off a cone. If a gate is missed, the team is disqualified. There were many different styles of wagons - some with one horse, some with two (the lead horse here is guiding, not pulling), some with teams of four. In the town of Buren (famous for its historical association with the royal family), there is a museum of the old farmer's wagons. Hand made wheels with forged-iron rims on wooden wheels are fascinating. In the country, you see many old wagons drawn by a spunky team.
2) Pony and Horse Show in Vries, Drenthe north of the city of Assen. I rode my little bike from the Assen train station about 7 miles to Vries. The people show off ponies and horses of all sizes.
3) Ringriders Competition, Middleburg, Zeeland
The goal is to catch a ring, about an inch in diameter, on the spear. The ladies try from a horse-drawn carriage all decked out in flowers, and the men try from a galloping horse. The one who spears the most rings wins the contest.
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