Once a year for the past eighteen years combined driving comes to the Live Oak Farm in Ocala, Florida. Competitors from around the world converge to our little town to show off their driving skills, in single, pairs, and the most impressive four-in-hand. To see horses and their teams at this event gives me a heightened respect for the countless hours of training and discipline required. The event takes place over several days and includes dressage, marathon, and obstacles. Each event is timed and scored.
My favorite location to shoot is the water obstacle on marathon day. There are a series of gates made up of 10″ to 12″ solid wood posts that are spaced what seems to be only a few inches wider than the carriage axles. Unfortunately, there were a couple injuries this year, including a carriage turn over and another carriage which clipped a post sending the groomsman into the back of the driver’s seat and knocking the wind out of him. Through the entire obstacle he was holding on with one hand and gasping for breathe. This is no Sunday afternoon joy ride in the horse drawn carriage. This is an extremely dangerous, exciting, and challenging sport.
The local favorite and host for the CAI-A Live Oak International (Ocala, FL), Chester Weber, is a big draw for the crowds and a thrill to watch. Chester trains with his four-in-hand team of horses incessantly and through the years his skills have gelled making him a leading competitor internationally.
A couple years ago I had the fortune to do a photo shoot with Chester. When I arrived, he was working with a pair of horses in a coned training field. One of the horses wasn’t cooperating and stopping early for the photo shoot would have only continued the horse’s disciplinary problem. He invited me up on the carriage with him. It was very interesting to watch, from above, how the two horses work or don’t work together. One was letting the other do the majority of the pulling. Forty-five minutes later, the two were working as a team and we were off to the photo shoot.
I feel that in life, the most interesting people are those who do something they are passionate about, and do it 150%. These are always the most fascinating and interesting people to know, watch, and learn from. Chester is definitely in this category.
Camera Info - Nikon D300, Nikon 200-400mm VR Lens, Bogen monopod
by Kent Weakley
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