Music Country Grand Prix delivers a grand time

Horsing around

Published On: June 23, 2010

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Every event that’s been around for an extended period of time usually has developed a tried-and-true formula that works in order to raise funds for a specific, nonprofit beneficiary. The Tractor Supply Company 22nd Annual Music Country Grand Prix is certainly no exception.

Held at Sissie and Mack Anderton’s Brownland Farm for the past 17 years, this event benefits Saddle Up!, the therapeutic riding program for children and youths with disabilities. There is always a summery white tent where patrons enjoy lunch while watching elite riders and horses from across the nation compete for the coveted Grand Prix of Show Jumping. Karen Duffy, this year’s MCGP Honoree, who has repeatedly been the featured artist for this event, agreed to auction her program cover, an oil on canvas entitled, “One More Jump.”

As always, the food was delicious. Guests enjoyed chicken and broccoli casserole, penne pasta with marinara sauce and crowd-pleaser fresh lima bean and corn Succotash, served up buffet style from Nero’s Grill and the folks at Wild Iris, two of Nashville’s yummiest restaurants, whose tantalizing menus have become synonymous with the Grand Prix.

Tables were topped with grass green, turquoise and lemon yellow cloths, centered with clay pots filled with white Shasta daisies and Granny Smith apples. The tin-roofed Patron’s Pavilion, which was so popular last year, was back again this year. Kudos to Laura Landstreet for the beautiful bouquets of indigenous flowers in oversized glass vases which she created.

This horse-savvy crowd enjoyed, as they have for 22 years, the competitive Olympic-caliber show jumping competition with Scott Lenkart riding “Impulsive” to take the ultimate win. Another constant over the years has been the award-winning entertainment for small riders called the People Prix, which allows them to “ride” imaginary horses over a series of jumps, just like the adult riders.

Jennifer Pennington and Sarah Ingram were back for their third and seventh years respectively, as co-chairs. As anyone who has ever chaired a benefit, or for that matter, worked on one, well knows, this is a mighty task from which most volunteers retire after just one year in the chairman’s saddle. Not Jennifer and Sarah! They seem to adore co-chairing this event. “We keep doing this because we’re good together and, of course, for Saddle Up!” they exclaimed in unison before moving right ahead in the conversation to make plans for next year’s event.

Most of those in this group of benefactors, with many returning as sponsors year after year, are members of the horsey set. They know the terminology, the horses and the riders and for them, this Saddle Up! fundraiser is a rite of summer which they eagerly anticipate. Many, such as Christian Currey, have even ridden and shown their prowess in this sporting endeavor, though this year, he took a spectator approach instead of saddling up. There were also several guests who had participated in helping save and restore a flooded Brownland Farm less than 30 days before.

On this day, following a brief, rain-clearing shower, the ensuing summer breeze cooled the brows of the linen-dressed men, while the ladies, in sundresses and hats, chatted quietly, smiling at the occasional sounds of squealing babies and children. It was a deliciously delightful afternoon with dogs lounging in the cool grass and sleek horses groomed to perfection carrying their dressed-out riders. The hush of quiet concentration followed by restrained group cheers and polite applause set the tone for this languid, Eudora Welty-esque scene, which could just as easily have been circa 1910, it was all so perfectly Southern. Some things below the Mason Dixon line don’t change much, and that’s just the way we Southerners like it.

—photographs by eric england