You can enter a vehicle in one of several different classes:
1) Restored Amateur (to qualify for this class, the painting must be done by an amateur, but the striping and trimming can be done professionally)
2) Restored Professional (authenticity and quality are the main objectives of this class; the judges will look at paintwork & striping, trimming & upholstery, soundness, and changes to the vehicle)
3) Original (this class is not a judged class but gives owners an opportunity to display a prized vehicle in original condition; these vehicles are always fun to see and our judges will always be happy to comment on them)
4) New Vehicles (this class gives everyone a chance to see the work of our present-day carriage builders)
5) Miniature Reproductions (these are modeled reproductions of original vehicles but not intended for animal-drawn use)
6a) Vehicles in Use – Restored, 30 years or older (this class will commonly be entered by those who come to the Carriage Festival to drive; vehicles entered in this class are not eligible for awards if they have been entered in a previous Carriage Showcase, unless at least 20% of the vehicle has been modified since its last competition; vehicles previously entered in a Restored class and driven since then can be entered in this class and receive a certificate)
6b) Vehicles in Use – New, 30 years or younger.
When the venue allows, we will periodically have a photo competition for anyone wanting to share an historical or current photo of a carriage-related activity. We will have a Photo Showcase at the Carriage Festival this year.
All vehicles entered in the Carriage Showcase are eligible for a certificate (gold, silver, or bronze).
There are four special awards: the Carl Casper Trophy (awarded to the highest-scoring restored vehicle); the Sidney Latham Memorial Trophy (awarded to the highest-scoring restored vehicle in use); the Ken Sowles Memorial Trophy (people’s choice); and the Davis Documentation Award (best-documented vehicle).
Registration forms are available here.
Vehicles are not judged on appointments that would have been on the vehicle when it was used, but these are nice to have in the presentation. Documentation is an important part of your entry and counts toward your score.
We hope you will consider entering a vehicle in one of our Carriage Showcase classes. We know what an effort it is to bring and prepare a vehicle for showing. The Carriage Showcase judging is followed by the judges’ commentary, which everyone enjoys. CAA members always enjoy seeing the work of others and learning what our experts have to say about the numerous ways you can look at a vehicle and its parts.
We look forward to seeing you at our next Carriage Showcase, during the CAA Carriage Festival at the Kentucky Horse Park, July 1-3.