Maine Driving Club

Welcome!

The mission of the Maine Driving Club is to encourage and promote the sport of equine driving. We offer training, education, and information to our members in the various phases of pleasure and competitive driving, as well as pleasure horse ownership. We provide a forum for people interested in the sport of driving in the state of Maine to come together for social activities and to share ideas and information.

The MDC welcomes all who have an interest in carriages or driving, regardless of age, skill level or the type of driving you do. Beginner drivers and those who would just like to "ride along" are also encouraged to join us!

Upcoming Events

Also click the Calendar tab at the top of the page!

Spurwink Farm Trail Ride & Drive: October 3, 2026

We are hosting our annual autumn Trail Ride & Drive at Spurwink Farm on Saturday, October 3! Riders and drivers are both welcome. We’ll head out on Spurwink’s trails beginning at 9:00 AM, with both a shorter and longer trail option available so participants can choose the route that works best for them and their horse or pony. A fun, casual cones course will also be set up and available to use at will throughout the day.
Cost:
$25 - Juniors
$50 - MDC Members
$75 - Non-Members
Please note that this is a fundraising event, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting organizations such as Carlisle Academy.
Advance registration is required. Please use the MDC Universal Entry Form linked below. Entries close September 27. A $25 post-entry fee will apply to entries received after the closing date.
Universal Entry Form
Questions can be sent to mainedrivingclub@gmail.com.
We hope you’ll come spend a beautiful fall day with us at Spurwink!
And if one day at Spurwink isn’t enough, the ADS Northeast Recreational Drive takes place just one week later, October 9-12. We’d love to see you at either event - or both!

ADS NORTHEAST RECREATIONAL DRIVE IS COMING TO MAINE!
October 9-12, 2026

Please click the link for the ADS Northeast Recreational Drive (NERD). Inside you'll find the event schedule, educational program, entry materials, lodging recommendations, and everything you need to plan your weekend. The event is to take place October 9-12, 2026. We have an exciting event planned, and we hope you'll join us for what promises to be a truly special experience. Volunteers are needed! Please contact Anna at mainedrivingclub@gmail.com

Derby Clinic: August 15, 2026

On Saturday, August 15, the Maine Driving Club held a derby clinic with Jenny Wells at Spurwink Farm in Cape Elizabeth. This educational clinic was open to drivers of all experience levels and was a great opportunity to build confidence and improve one’s derby driving skills in a fun, supportive environment. We had five drivers who each were able to drive a derby course, designed by MDC member Barbara Chadwick, receive individualized instruction from Jenny, and then drive the course again. Every driver set a goal at the beginning of the lesson and everyone made incredible gains towards that goal by the end of their drives.

Thank you to Judy Ballantine who volunteered as our scribe for the day, Anna Messerschmidt and her daughter who stayed to help pick up the obstacles at the end of the day, Anna Bigelow for organizing, and of course Jenny for her excellent teaching! Graciously, Jenny shared her thoughts with us on the day: “Throughout the clinic, I was presented with horses and ponies that in my opinion needed both centered riding in the seat of the carriage and clarity between horse and driver. So many times as riders and drivers we get stuck and many times forget to either have someone experienced on the ground take a look, or to attend a lesson or clinic for help. Kudos go out to all who reached out for help! Watching the results with each partnership of horse and driver was not only stupendous, but very rewarding as a clinician. I gave homework to each driver. I am in hopes they will apply this homework and get the long term results they need as I believe there is untapped potential in every one of them. And I am so excited with the results they got in just one short session!”

Spring Into Driving: April 25, 2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Spring Into Driving at Skyline Farm! We were thrilled with the wonderful turnout and hope everyone enjoyed the day.

A special thank you to Skyline Farm for hosting, Judy Ballentine for bringing her miniature horse Midnight, Lynn Young for organizing the hat swap, and Mary Fowler of Chrysalis Acres for allowing us to use some of her beautiful equipment for the harness presentation.

We are also grateful to our presenters Dr. Dave Jefferson, Sondra Day, and Anna Bigelow for sharing their time and knowledge.

We hope everyone had a marvelous time, learned something new, and we look forward to seeing you again soon!

Annual Meeting: January 17, 2026

The weather chose not to cooperate on Saturday, January 17th, but the annual meeting forged ahead with a small crowd convening at Margaritas in Augusta. Several members were not able to make it due to the distance and difficult travel conditions. At the meeting, elections were finalized with paper ballot votes. The following individuals are the officers for 2026:

President: Anna Bigelow
Vice President: Ellen Surprenant
Treasurer: Paula Leavitt
Publicity Officer: Elizabeth Merrill

The 2026 calendar was released at the meeting. We are grateful for all the work that our President, Anna Bigelow, has put into coordinating some very special opportunities. You can find all of the programs listed on the "Calendar" tab of this website.

In addition to the business meeting, the group enjoyed a fantastic presentation. Skyline's Vice President and President of the New England Region/Carriage Association of America, Nick Buck, gave a keynote talk. Nick, who grew up with horse and driving, has an in-depth knowledge of all things carriages and focused on "jigger wagons" and work vehicles made and used in Maine. It was a fascinating talk filled with interesting photos emphasizing the importance of the carriage horse in the history of Maine.