The Road to the Great English Horse Fair
(Lots of pictures, please be patient!)

June, 2004

 In early 2004 Jeff decided that he wanted to buy a good bowtop wagon and drive to the big summer horse fair in his own turnout this year.  After a great hunt, we found a proper English Gypsy Bowtop Living Wagon, and, after a good bit of negotiation, purchased it.  The discussion then began as to what horse would be the best choice for Jeff to use.  He needed something that was big and sturdy enough to pull a big wagon on his/her own, and dead broke enough to accommodate an American who was new to driving a horse on the wrong side of a busy road.  The best possible choice to fit this bill was the good gelding, "Bowtie".  Jeff didn't get much time to actually work Bowtie before they set off on their 5 day, 60 mile journey across the North of England.  Everyone assured Jeff that this Bowtie would do the job perfectly, even though he and Jeff had barely met.  We would come to learn over the next 10-or-so days that Bowtie is quite a well-known gelding among gypsies in England, as everyone knows the best using horses. 

Jeff and Bowtie had confident fans all over England cheering them on for their epic journey.  Their journey made history, as Jeff was the first American to ever drive a proper gypsy wagon all the way to the largest gypsy horse fair in the world.   The journey would be made with a few of our gypsy friends also traveling the route.  Below are a few pictures from Jeff's great adventure with our bowtop wagon and "Bowtie the Wonderhorse".  There are also pictures of the journey's end for the Wagon, Bowtie, and Jeff. 

For fabulous artwork from this journey and other scenes around the horse fair, see our photographer friend, John Hockensmith's web site, "Fine Art Editions".  John is the official photographer of the Kentucky Derby, and he really knows how to shoot great pictures of horses and the people who love them! 

CLICK ON SMALL PICTURES FOR LARGER VIEWS!

The wagons lined up for clean out the day before the trip.  They are behind the classic "Vickers" Romany caravan owned by our gypsy friends.

Jeff (in England) washes the wagon on the day before the trip. 
For those wagon buffs, this is a "proper" gypsy living wagon, the style is Bow Top.  It was made by the the very well know gypsy wagon building family, Phillip Jowett and Sons.   The Jowetts are a gypsy family that have been building all styles of gypsy wagons and carts for about 60 years.  The vast majority of "proper" gypsy wagons on the road today are Jowett-made.  These are considered to be some of the best wagons around, and the waiting list to get a new one built by the Jowett family is over two years. 
After building by the Jowett family, our wagon was then sent for painting by "Yorkie" Greenwood.  He is one of the best known gypsy wagon painters in the world, and his work is considered to be second to none.   Our wagon is signed by the legendary Yorkie Greenwood on the back of the pan-box. 
In April of 2004, after some negotiation, we purchased this wagon from a gypsy friend that has owned and lived in wagons since he was a boy, and was indeed born in a wagon like this one! 
As for the age of this wagon, it was built in 1996.  People ask if it is a reproduction, or if it's restored - It is not.  The gypsies have been building wagons in exactly the same fashion for over 100 years.  This wagon is basically identical to a wagon that is 10 times it's age.  The only difference every wagon, regardless of it's age, is/are the carving designs and painting that make no two wagons exactly alike. 
We like to explain the authenticity of this wagon  by saying "It was built BY gypsies, FOR gypsies, and we bought it FROM a gypsy".
We are very proud to be able to own a wagon that was built and painted by the best of the best!
 

After wagon-washing, Jeff takes Bowtie out for their first-and-only drive before their sojourn.

Hooking up for the trip.  Jeff's helpers are Gary Smith and Marie Harrity (of Snow Ghost Farms), friends of ours - also from Colorado.

CLICK ON SMALL PICTURES FOR LARGER VIEWS!

Pulling out of the driveway and onto the road

Bowtie moving along in style while Jeff and Gary have a ride (it's traditional for gypsy drivers to walk along side for a good portion of the journey)

Thomas (our son) poses with the wagon at the first night's camp

CLICK ON SMALL PICTURES FOR LARGER VIEWS!

Getting ready to go in the morning

Pulling out of camp in the morning.  The grass was a bit soggy, so it was a much harder pull than on hard pavement.

On the road again on day two.  Many miles to go!

Driving right through town.  There were many towns and villages on the way.

CLICK ON SMALL PICTURES FOR LARGER VIEWS!

The second night's camp.  Yes, all the horses in the pictures are just standing there patiently, not being held!

Taking a break in a small city we were driving through.  There were always spectators to come and see the wagons and horses.

 
The boys just before pulling the biggest hill on the journey.  Many of the Gypsy Men turned up when word got around that "The Americans are going to pull Barney Hill!".  We had quite an audience of "The Lads" by the time we made it up!  Thank goodness Bowtie didn't let us down! 

A familiar sight on the trip.  The gang takes a break while Jeff puts a shoe back on one of the mares pulling the green wagon.  Thomas assists by holding "Lady".  The gypsy boys were thrilled to learn that Jeff is a farrier too!

CLICK ON SMALL PICTURES FOR LARGER VIEWS!

Camp for the third night

Bowtie waits patiently for hookup in the morning (day four).

On the road out of the camp.

Camp on the fourth night.  Now there is one more wagon. 
One more of our gypsy friends joined us on the journey that morning.

Bowtie on his chain to eat grass by the roadside after a long day's drive up and over the Pennine mountains in Northern England. 

CLICK ON SMALL PICTURES FOR LARGER VIEWS!

Camp on the fifth day.  A short stay at this camp, just to rest the horses and clean up the gear before heading onto the fair.  You can see Bowtie on his chain in between the wagons if you look closely.

The group passes over an overpass (they are on a 4 lane highway!)  The guys are walking along side, in true gypsy fashion.  Almost there!
 

*** Video clip of the 4 wagons going down the road, click here! ***
This will take a few minutes to download.  In this clip, Sid drives the green wagon with his mares Tamara and Lady, Buliman drives the second "Open Lot"  with his mare (no name), Jeff drives Bowtie on the third wagon, and John drives his black mare, Lizzy, on the fourth wagon.  Incidentally, Lizzy and Lady were both carrying foals sired by "The Lion King", and have since foaled two fabulous colts.  Mares can do it all! 
 

Resting by the river for the last pull up to "The Hill".  You can see Gary standing by Bowtie's shaft, and Thomas' head over the top of the door on the third wagon down. 

CLICK ON SMALL PICTURES FOR LARGER VIEWS!

Finally on "The Hill", pulling onto the field.  Thomas "heads up" Bowtie, while Jeff waits to park the wagon. 

After unhooking and parking the wagons, Bowtie, Jeff, and Gary lead the rest of the group's horses to our pasture near the fair. 

Our camp at the fair, Bowtie waits patiently to go run some errands in the flat-cart.  Our wagon is to the right of the picture (just beyond Thomas, wearing red). 

CLICK ON SMALL PICTURES FOR LARGER VIEWS!

Fair's over, so Jeff and Bowtie take the wagon to it's storage place before it (and Bowtie!) go to the USA!

Jeff closes up the wagon before leaving it.  Christine will be back in a few weeks to arrange and oversee it's journey to the USA. 

"The Crew" poses proudly after loading the wagon onto the "low loader" for it's trip to the USA.  They were all thrilled to be a part of this epic journey of man, horse, and wagon.  From left to right, John, Sid, Andrew, Jonathan, and Brian.  The journey for the horse and wagon aren't over yet, the longest part has just begun! 

CLICK ON SMALL PICTURES FOR LARGER VIEWS!

On the "maffi" at the dock.  Christine made very sure that the dockmen handled everything with kid gloves.  That's our flatcart coming with the wagon.  The flatcart was used by the Kentucky Horse Park for the 2004 season after it arrived in the USA. 

Jeff picks up the wagon, and wraps it up for protection on it's LOONNGGGG trip back to Colorado from the Baltimore dock to Colorado (1800 miles one way!)

Jeff arrives home in Colorado.  The horse trailer is parked alongside, as Christine had just arrived home from her separate journey to pick up the horses that were flying in from England, one of those being BOWTIE!

Bowtie and Wagon meet again, in front of the BFSGH barn in Black Forest, Colorado!  Gary Smith reprises his role as assistant for the first drive in the USA!

CLICK ON SMALL PICTURES FOR LARGER VIEWS!

Gary and Marie are the first Americans to ever drive a gypsy wagon in Black Forest Colorado!  Bowtie stylin' as usual!

Jeff and Bowtie pose at the "Black Forest Shires & Gypsy Horses" sign out in front of our farm. 
The grand journey has come to an end!