Our horses were bred to pull the
Gypsy’s vardos and flat carts throughout the British Isles, so it is
only fitting that we have been able to obtain proper Gypsy vehicles
for them! We are pleased that we have been able to preserve another
part of the Irish culture in the form of traditional Gypsy driving
vehicles. In addition, we have acquired other vehicles - both antique
and modern - to showcase the driving skills of our horses.
The Bowtop Wagon
In early 2006, we imported a restored
antique Irish Gypsy vardo or living wagon from Ireland for our horses
to pull in parades and shows. This wagon is an example of the "open
lot" style of canvas bowtop wagon, which dates back to the 1930's.
(If our wagon had a solid front door instead of canvas drapes, it
would have been called a "windows and doors" wagon.) Our wagon was
lovingly restored by a “settled” Irish Gypsy (or Traveler as they
prefer to be called). He had been born in a similar wagon, and wanted
to go back on the road again after he had retired. He purchased and
rebuilt the "unders", remade the bows and the interior cabinets and
installed the fabric headliners inside the stretched canvas top. He
also installed an original cast iron "Queenie" stove. These little
stoves could burn a lump of turf (peat), coal or charcoal, and
provided just enough heat to take the chill off the wagon or to boil
water for tea. (The Gypsies generally cooked their meals over open
campfires.)
After
restoration, our wagon was then painted by the renowned English Gypsy
painter Thomas Stephenson - it was probably one of the last wagons
that he painted. The wagon was shipped back to Ireland for the
finishing touches, but the owner suddenly died before he was able to
go back on the road again in his restored vardo. While it is
unfortunate that the retired Traveler was unable to relive his youth
in the wagon, it is fortunate for the rest of us that he had not
actually lived in his wagon. Gypsy custom requires that any wagon
which is being lived in at the time of its owner's death be burned at
his funeral (it is considered to be extremely bad luck to live in such
a wagon - better that it be burned!). We purchased our wagon from
Myles Cash, whose family has been horse breeders and dealers in the
midlands region of Ireland for seven generations, and has extensive
contacts with the Travelers in both England and Ireland. It is our
privilege and our responsibility to care for and preserve this import
bit of Irish history!
We have driven this bowtop in St.
Patrick’s Day parades and it has been displayed throughout the US at
Equine Affaires and Celtic festivals.
Please Click Here to go to the Photo Gallery to see more pictures of
the Bowtop Wagon.
The Gypsy Flat Cart
In 2007 we purchased a Gypsy flat
cart from England. Unlike the Irish Gypsy vardos or living wagons,
these carts are primarily work vehicles, originally used by the
Gypsies to take their merchandise for sale into the villages. In more
recent times, they were used as the Gypsy equivalent of a pick-up
truck! The typical cart was about 5 feet wide by 8 feet long, mounted
on a single axle with iron-rimmed wooden wheels, and was pulled by a
single horse. Our cart, built in the early 1960’s, was probably used
to haul scrap metal to the dealer’s scrap yard. Following restoration
work, the cart was shipped to us in the Summer of 2008.
Unfortunately, it was heavily damaged during shipping, and has taken a
great deal of time and expense to repair it. We recently took
delivery of the cart after new shafts and axle case were installed,
and are waiting for repairs to the wheels. Our friend Brian Oliver at
Paxton Signs did a magnificent job repairing the damaged scroll work
and painting a new Gypsy horse portrait for the rein board. Calvin
Gingerich at Wana Wheels recently finished rebuilding the wheels, and
Charlie installed them on the flat cart and hitched Nuala to it for
the first time just before Christmas, 2009!
We
are very pleased that Charlie was able to drive Leannan and the flat
cart at the 2010 Continental Divide Horse Show where they took the
blue ribbon in the Traditional
Vehicles Class!
Please Click Here to go to the Photo Gallery to see more pictures of
the Gypsy Flat Cart.
The
1914 Burton Wagon
Our most recent acquisition is a
Burton or Showman style of Gypsy wagon, built in England in 1914. To
our knowledge, it is one of only two wagons of its type in the U.S.
This wagon, which stands over 11 feet tall and weighs about 2,500
pounds, has been “restored” several times during its rich history -
most recently by Frankland & Son of Thatcham, England in 1981. It was
purchased by an American who saw it at an English Gypsy fair (perhaps
Appleby Fair?) and brought it back to the States in the mid-1980’s.
After a brief period of use, it has languished in storage while
passing through the hands of several owners. Regrettably, it has
suffered extensive damage to the exterior paint, as well as some
structural damage. We found it at an antique dealer in Oregon (yes -
you can find anything on E-bay!) and brought it home to the Irish
Rose.
We have started doing our research so
that we can restore this fine old wagon to its original condition, a
process that may take 3-4 years to do properly. We have been
working with John Barker and Peter Ingram of Buckinghamshire, England,
collectors and noted authorities on restoration of Romany Gypsy
vehicles, to try to identify the builder of this vardo. They have
tentatively identified F. J. Thomas of Chertsey, England as the
builder - making this a very rare vardo indeed! The wheels
have been rebuilt by a master wheelwright (Calvin Gingerich of Wana
Wheels), and are awaiting repainting and decoration. After making
the necessary repairs to the woodwork and rebuilding missing pieces of
the interior cabinetry and furnishings, we will repair or replace the
roof to make it weather-tight again. Next, we will completely strip
the exterior surfaces down to bare wood before applying a special
primer. We will repaint the exterior and interior using the correct
period colors and design motifs, including the extensive use of gold
leaf. (From the primer to the top coat of varnish, there are 8 layers
in the finish, before the decorations is applied!)
Please Click Here to go to the Photo Gallery to see more pictures of
the Burton wagon.
The
Irish Jaunting Car
We recently acquired an authentic
Irish jaunting car to show off the flashy movement of these horses -
'tis a grand sight to see all the hair flying when they trot! This
type of vehicle dates back to the mid 1800's and was a common means of
transportation, especially in the big cities such as Dublin, Cork and
Shannon. Each side of the cart dropped down, and could seat two
passengers, who faced outward (away from the wheels). These carts are
still common in Ireland today, particularly in tourist areas, such as
the Ring of Kerry, where you can experience a "jaunt" behind a
handsome Gypsy horse. We believe our cart was originally imported by
an Irish fraternal organization, and was used extensively in parades -
after a bit of restoration and a new paint job, we plan to do the
same!!
Please Click Here to go to the Photo Gallery to see more pictures of
the Jaunting Car.
The
1908 Brewster Governess Cart
We bought a vintage 1908 Brewster
governess cart (also called a tub trap) in 2008 for use in non-Gypsy
driving events and turn-out classes. These carts were common in
Europe, the U.S and the British Isles during the late 19th and early
20th centuries. Brewster was one of the top makers of fine carriages
in the US, and except for the carriage lamps, this vehicle remains in
original condition! This type of cart was typically used by the
governess to take her charges for drives around the estate or into the
village, being light enough for a lady to handle, and yet safe enough
to transport the master’s children without tipping over! The horses
were generally driven in breast-strap style harness rather than collar
and hames type harness used for the heavier Gypsy wagons. We plan to
use some of our lovely smaller mares such as Roisin and Lisdoonvarnna
to pull this cart.
Please Click Here to go to the Photo Gallery to see more pictures of
the Governess Cart.
The
Spindle-back Gig
For those occasions where we can’t
use one of our restored antique vehicles, such as in horse shows and
driving events, we have acquired a lovely spindle-back gig made by
Martin’s Buggy Shop in Nappanee, IN. It is styled after the English
Standhope gig, and makes a fine presentation vehicle for use in the
open driving classes. Please visit the Photo Gallery to see pictures
of Nuala training on the Gig and pulling it in the 2010 Fort Collins
St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Please Click
Here to go to the Photo Gallery to see more pictures of the
Spindle-Back Gig
Parnell's Gypsy Four-in-Hand
