So now we are dropping the notion that it’s the fault of the organizer, and leaving alone the issue of his Facebook posts, and we are back to the issue of the property owner. But this time, instead of straight up accusing him of consorting with the devil…
we are just saying that it looks to you like there are “systemic” indications that he consorts with the devil.
So… the way I read this, is you all don’t want to straight up accuse either the organizer or the property owner of consorting with the devil because some of us have been poking holes in that like crazy…
But you still want to support the righteous cause underlying cause.
Any opinions on Robespierre? I’m joking… sort of… but seriously… feel free to respond to anything I just said, and I promise not to use all caps if I reply, and I promise not to call you names, or besmirch your character
The people participating, if you read all the other posts complaining about how exclusionary horses are, are not POC though. So this person kicked a bunch of other wealthy white people off his land. How is that racism?
Edit to add - there is no snark in this question. It is sincere. I am have a hard time seeing how a richer white guy telling a bunch of not poor white people they can not play on his land anymore = racism.
Let’s assume you’re right. Was this issue–which apparently just occurred to even the “wokest” people at EN three months ago–worth killing an event over? Or was this the kind of issue where after being turned down, EN/USEF should have said internally, “Hey, the name is unfortunate. The world is changing, and we think this name is going to become more and more untenable as people focus increased attention on ‘plantation’ place names. Let’s watch this issue develop and in the fullness of time it will almost certainly have to be changed.”
It was the immediate nature of the demand that is problematic and indefensible. Sometimes you need to be willing to let things percolate for a while, especially when we are dealing a diverse community that includes many older, more conservative landowners.
Exactly. There is always, always a dance you have to play with these sorts of things. Let’s say I am in a lily white community trying to raise money for my local land trust. I happen to know there are certain sponsors, certain volunteers, certain board members that have to approached correctly. If not approached correctly they are capable of kicking everyone out of ‘their’ sandbox. This is a normal (I am not saying it is morally ‘right’) part of relationships for any event, non-profit, or business. It is what EN and USEA failed at completely.
They only failed at it if their intent was collaboration with the landowner, and building a more cohesive and tolerant community that was welcoming to all.
If their goal however was to cast themself in the role of righteous hero standing up on behalf of aggrieved victims against a few powerful old white guys, while simultaneously driving more traffic to the EN site…
From Plantation. The opening date was 9/15, but the email just came this afternoon. It is from a Constant Contact subscription, though, so I don’t know if it was scheduled at some earlier date to be sent today or not. A quick look at the Plantation website makes it seem as if it’s still on, but I don’t know how often that’s updated, either.
I’m going to try responding directly to your post again, and this time I will drop the snark and argumentative stuff, and try to sincerely engage and understand your thought process on this and your perspective. A lot of people seem to concur with your perspective on this situation, so any of them who wants to engage is welcome to offer their opinion as well.
“The Hunt” Magazine, and a writer by the name of Michael Bradley, who apparently works for them, sat down with Denis and Bambi Glaccum, and Cuyler Walker over the summer, and interviewed them. The result was an article (or if someone was inclined to be snarky about it… a “puff piece”), that was published in the August 2020 edition of “The Hunt Magazine” and was called “How Bambi and Denis Glaccum Transformed Unionville’s Plantation Field”
The obvious intent of the piece was publicity for the venue, in advance of the September event. The photos of the venue included in the piece are BEAUTIFUL… and it’s a pleasant read. I would just link to it right now, as part of my post… if my account on the forums would allow me too… but it won’t (ugggh… I find that so frustrating… but it’s a wonky software issue). So… I decided to just copy and paste the text content of the article/profile/puff piece into this post. Feel free to read it… or feel free to ignore me. Your call.
But if you do decide to read it, and engage in discussion… and I swear my intention is to be civil this time I’m curious after reading it if you still have the impression that Cuyler Walker was essentially burnt out as the property owner for one reason or another with this whole thing, and you still suspect that was a major factor in his decision to cancel the lease and end the event on his property.
I’ll be honest - I’m not of that opinion. If you’ve been following the thread you are already aware of that. But I thought this profile in The Hunt Magazine and all the quotes from each of them was kind of interesting. And am still curious as to what you think after reading it
**** Start of Content from The Hunt Magazine ****
”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹
Denis Glaccum was just 19 when he received an invitation that changed his life. It was 1960, and he’d been riding horses with the Junior Essex Troop, a New Jersey-based cavalry auxiliary started eight years earlier by a chapter of the state’s national guard. His family was paying $75 a year for the privilege—real money in those days—and Glaccum was pretty good.
In fact, he was so good that he received an invitation to the U.S. Olympic Trials in California. He was just a kid, and he wasn’t able to overcome the talents of more experienced, accomplished riders. But it was a great experience. “That invitation got me more education and training,” Glaccum recalls. After the trials, he found work teaching children to ride horses. “I didn’t know a lot about numbers, but I could teach four kids to ride for $6 an hour,” he says.
While Glaccum taught, he also rode—longer than anyone else in U.S. history, from 1956 to 2012. After surgery to remove an aneurysm in 2013 cost him his sight in one eye, Glaccum had to stop. Otherwise, he might still be competing now at age 79.
Glaccum and his wife, Bambi, operate Plantation Field Equestrian Events in Unionville, a 300-acre site that hosts competitions drawing some of the nation’s top riders. “Fifty-one people who’ve ridden here have competed in the Olympics, world championships or Pan American Games,” says Glaccum. “That makes riding here like skiing in Vail, Colorado.”
In the area since 2001, the Glaccums also ran Fair Hill Equestrian in Maryland for 15 years. During their time at Plantation Field, they’ve made substantial improvements to the competition, training and stabling areas, not to mention the infrastructure of the place. Running water and electricity may not seem like a big deal to some, but to add those amenities to what was basically a hayfield is quite an accomplishment. And the sport’s best competitors have noticed. “It’s the near highest quality venue in the sport,” says Cuyler Walker, who owns the Plantation Field property and is also on the board. “We attract the top riders, who use it to prepare for the Olympics and other major events.”
Denis Glaccum might’ve spent the majority of his professional career working for IBM, had he not received a call from a member of the Maryland equestrian community back in late 1980s. In 1976, he and Bambi started what would eventually become the Pennsylvania-based Chesterland Three-Day Event, which lasted 12 years. By 1989, he was balancing riding with his business career when he headed to Elkton, Md., to help build an equestrian hub on a nature preserve at Fair Hill. The 7,600-acre tract of land was owned by William du Pont Jr., who used it for fox hunting and steeplechase riding.
At the end of 1997, the Glaccums’ relationship with management at Fair Hill was “less than ideal,” so Denis and Bambi moved back north. They spent a few years looking for the right opportunity before connecting with Cuyler Walker, who owned land that had been in his family for more than century. Walker’s family had used it for a variety of purposes, even renting it to the Texas-based King Ranch for cattle grazing. In 2001, they started work on the site of what would become Plantation Field, taking the name from the hedges planted around the property. “Denis figured out how to turn it into an equestrian venue,” says Walker.
Often in concert with renowned designer Michael Etherington-Smith, the Glaccums have created a top-flight course with excellent terrain and a challenging layout. They and their staff run competitions in April, May and June, along with a series of summer events for less accomplished participants. Each September, Plantation Field hosts an international event that brings in riders from all over. “Most of it is due to Denis’ incredible vision,” Walker says. “He saw how a hayfield, with its peaks and valleys, could have a course run through it. And he laid it out so that it would be easily watchable for spectators from one place. They can see just about everything without moving around.”
And there’s plenty to see, even beyond the first-rate riders. Admission is often free, although the last day of three-day eventing competition usually costs about $20 a carload. Though the horses are certainly worth that reasonable rate, the tailgating scene is almost as entertaining. There are usually themes to the various weekends, and judges preside over revelers’ attempts to be awarded best in show. Even better is that most of the action can be viewed from the tailgating perch, meaning spectators don’t have to abandon their parties to see what’s happening.
This past September, Plantation Field began a new annual tradition, honoring an equestrian legend at the international event. The first to be recognized was Bruce Davidson, who runs Chesterland Farm in Unionville, which stages events and offers training. Davidson is best known for his competitive career. He’s won two Olympic gold medals, five world championships and was named to the U.S. Eventing Association’s Hall of Fame. Future honorees will come from a list of talented local riders who’ve participated in a variety of international competitions.
The Glaccums are constantly trying to improve the experience at Plantation Field. “Denis knows all the moving parts of the sport. He knows horses intuitively, and he knows what horses need,” says Walker. “He’s always out there on the tractor and knows every blade of grass and thorn or thistle.”
Bambi may not get the attention her husband does, but her efforts behind the scenes are also vital to Plantation Field’s success. She handles much of the administrative and back-office work. Perhaps most importantly, she’s capable of operating successfully given her husband’s eccentricities. “Denis is a handful, and Bambi is an angel,” Walker says.
“Wondering if the landowner was looking for an excuse to terminate his contract with the event”. Why would he need “an excuse” and what sort of evidence is there for such an accusation? Everything I’ve read about the guy indicates full throated support for our sport including financing the purchases of expensive horses. Boyd Martin’s tribute to Mr Walker was first class and was filled with gratitude for his contributions.
And you could not find a better example of systemic racism than this? Seems odd to me since I don’t see any racism at all. I’m really at a loss to understand why you don’t think anyone involved can be called a racist, but this is a great example of racism.
I don’t blame the guy. Had I been approached in this manner, having been nothing but a generous supporter of Eventing all these years, I would have done the same thing. He was so angry that he regretted ever letting us on his property, what an astonishing accomplishment for our USEA and EN. Very impressive. I could happily, even cheerfully live with the loss of Plantation if in fact there were racist incidents that blackened our sport, but blaming that instead of the staggering incompetence of EN and the USEA is completely misguided.
