Carien Schippers The Great Horse Drive - Summer 2008 Issue of Horses in Art Magazine

Carien Schippers - The Great Horse Drive

Photo by Carien Schippers.
Carien Schippers, a horse breeder in the foothills of the New York Catskills, developed quite a reputation over her 30 years as an equine event and horse farm photographer in the Northeast. By 2006 she was ready to expand her horizons. Maybe it was the lure of the wide open spaces of the west that draws so many to the western and cowboy lifestyle, but Carien was ready to explore a brand new direction and create fresh and exciting images for no one other than herself and her personal satisfaction.

The Netherlands-born Ms. Schippers signed up to join the gang at the Sombrero Ranch as a media photographer, not knowing what was in store for her, and was soon immersed in the organized chaos of an 800-horse-strong horse drive in the remote northwest corner of Moffat County, Colorado. Carien says “This was like nothing I had ever photographed before, and the only thing to do was jump in feet first and attempt to document everything that was going on around me: whips cracking, horses whinnying in a virtual sea of horses, cowboys riding the bucks out of their horses and galloping all around me, the herd traveling through the tiny village of Maybell and whatever elements were in store for us during this early spring weekend. It was hard to know where to turn my camera as so much was happening at once! No time to set up a shot, shooting by instinct and a prayer that some good images will result. When I finally had time to review what I had photographed I was not disappointed.”

As Carien edited her images later it became obvious that this project needed to be printed big and shown as a collection. She created a very select horse drive collection of framed prints that hangs in various art galleries, juried art competitions and other venues. In addition she also offers a popular annual horse drive calendar with lots of her favorite photographs. Sombrero’s Great American Horse Drive is the largest horse drive in the world and an event people come from miles around to line the streets every year to witness.

The horses that are being driven through the rugged Colorado high desert are saddle horses coming off their winter range and will be prepared to go to work for the summer in various capacities: dude ranches, summer camps and hunting concerns all lease Sombrero Ranch horses. Some Sombrero Ranch horses even make it into movies and commercials.

The Walker family has done an admirable job of staging this event for many years and of making it accessible to both riders and photographers who wish to play a part in this unique experience. Not only are guest wranglers treated to an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives, but now members of the Equine Photographers Network are invited to join in on the fun with exclusive photographic access to the ranch and the drive with annual photography workshops scheduled before and during the drive.

Please check the site at www.horsedrivephotos.com for upcoming dates of gallery shows and other information regarding the Horse Drive Collection.

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