The 74th Annual Marion Horse Show is a cherished event for the town and the surrounding area. So, when the skies darkened and threatened this year’s event, people arrived anyway, towing their horse trailers loaded down with supplies for equines and their humans. This year’s event was held on July 3 at Washburn Park.

            There were over 70 entries, which show officials said was a very respectable number, given the extremely cool, damp conditions. But Washburn Park in Marion was ready for the day’s much anticipated show where riders, handlers, and horses worked together in synchronicity.

            This event titled, “Open Pleasure Show Class C,” featured 58 different categories with descriptive titles such as ‘pony in hand,’ ‘walk/trot pleasure,’ ‘stock seat equitation,’ and ‘hunt seat pleasure.’ From the tiniest person to the adults that participated, this was the culmination of many hours of training, even a lifetime’s worth.

            Most of the riders were young women and girls riding English-style, dressed in jodhpurs and cutaway coats with their hair neatly tucked away. But punctuated throughout the day were Western riders as well, every bit as turned out in their boots and breeches. And let’s not forget the horses all brushed to glowing sheens and many sporting braided tails, knotted manes, and some with colorful ribbons.

            Show day is a very big deal. Still, shows like this need a venue equal to the task, and that’s where Washburn Park fills the bill.

            Officially known as the Charles R. Washburn Park, these forested acres have for decades been a place to connect with nature. Scouts, athletic teams, schools, dog walkers, horseback riders, senior citizens, and families gathering to celebrate or worship. People from the Tri-Town area or those visiting for a day find this park a place to experience life surrounded by the natural environment.

            Marion Horse Show Committee President and Co-Manager of the event Jeffrey DeMoura noted that show venues as well-designed as that found in Washburn Park are few and far between. “We don’t get this at other places,” he said.

            As lifelong resident Sherman Briggs, in attendance to watch his granddaughter ride in the show, recalled, a group of local landowners donated acreage to the town for the purpose of creating the park. He said local contractors used their equipment and skills to carve out such features as the riding ring with its glorious stone wall, a ring that has been terraced into the landscape giving spectators an elevated view of the events taking place therein. The park also features balls fields, walking and riding trails, tennis and basketball courts, and a playground.

            “The Buzzards Bay Coalition, along with the Sippican Lands Trust, collaborated to add 109 acres of protected land to Washburn Park,” the BBC states on its website. But it is the Washburn Park Trust and its board of directors in partnership with various town departments and administrations over the years that controls the use and maintenance of the original parklands.

            Washburn Park is a critical historic, recreational, and social point of interest in Marion. Yet it cannot sustain itself. It needs the support of the town. Before the event, Department of Public Works crews cleared trees and brush, giving the park a bit of a shine. They were schedule to return afterwards to do the cleanup, as well. DeMoura heaped praise on MHS board member and recent DPW addition Jody Dickerson and Marion’s staff for making that happen.

            As the show wrapped up, the rain that had been promised poured down, but DeMoura said, “We were done by then.… It was a fantastic day! Everyone was saying what a great show it was in spite of the weather.” He was also pleased to add that no one was injured, and the two riders that were off their mounts landed upright on their feet. I say, “Well done, all.”

By Marilou Newell

            Listed below are the champion and reserve champion from each Championship Class in the July 3 Marion Horse Show held at Washburn Park.

            Leadline Equitation 6 & Under Championship: 1^st place, Georgia Cole-Vieira, riding Aspen (trainer Jocelyn Maniglia); 2^nd place, Layla Ramos, riding Finnegan’s Wake (Equestrian Element).

            Leadline Equitation 7-10 years old Championship: 1^st place, Morgan Myers, riding Boxford Bulls & Bears (A&M Equine); 2^nd place, Isabella Rodriquez, riding Motion Maker (Edgewood Farms).

            Walk Trot Pleasure 18 & over Championship: 1^st place, Amber Ferreira, riding Splash of Sass (Holly Grove Equestrian); 2^nd place. Alexa Betta-Rue, riding Sunny Scout (Michelle Cravenho training).

            Novice Horse Walk Trot Pleasure Championship: 1^st place, Makayla Dupe, riding Sugar Brook Easily Blue (Holly Grove Equestrian center); 2^nd place, Nicole Blundell, riding Canadream Kalbeck DBest.

            Novice Horse Walk Trot Canter Pleasure Championship: 1^st place, Mia Oliveira, riding Homero (Michelle Cravenho training); 2^nd place, Crystal Mattia, riding Newmonts Victory Dance (Michelle Cravenho training).

            Walk Trot Pleasure 10 & under Championship – Class A: 1^st place, Addison Marshman, riding Newmonts Immortal Homerun (Michelle Cravenho training); 2^nd place, Sarah Vieira, riding Splash of Sass (Holly Grove Equestrian Center).

            Walk Trot Pleasure 10 & under Championship – Class B: 1^st place, Nevaeh Merritt, riding Sugah (Washburn Stables); 2^nd place, Abby Pereira, riding Sunny Scout (Michelle Cravenho training).

            Walk Trot 10 & Under Equitation Championship – Class A: 1^st place, Abby Pereira, riding Sunny Scout (Michelle Cravenho training); 2^nd place, Nevaeh Merritt, riding Sugah (Washburn Stables).

            Walk Trot 10 & Under Equitation Championship – Class B: 1^st place, Addison Marshman, riding Newmonts Immortal Homerun (Michelle Cravenho training); 2^nd place, Lucy Bradford, riding Raggedy Anne (Bradford Farm).

            Walk Trot Pleasure 11-17 Championship: 1^st place, Gianna Rollock, riding Boxford Bulls & Bears (A&M Equine); 2^nd place, Helena Morrison, riding Tanner (Equestrian Element).

            Stock Seat Equitation Championship: 1^st place, Taryn Gomes, riding Castle Ridge Truly Above (First Foundations Farm).

            Hunt Seat Walk Trot Canter 17 & under: 1^st place, Macee Pina, riding Cooper (Equestrian Element); 2^nd place, Makayla Dupe, riding Splash of Sass (Holly Grove Equestrian Center).

            Walk Trot Equitation Championship: 1^st place, Amber Ferreira, riding Splash of Sass (Holly Grove Equestrian center); 2^nd place, Alexa Betta-Rue, riding Sunny Scout (Michelle Cravenho Training).

            Junior Exhibitor Hack Championship: 1^st place, Mia Oliveira, riding Homero (Michelle Cravenho Training); 2^nd place, Kyra Johnson, riding Pumpkin Moonshine (Washburn Stables).

            Cowboy Classic 17 & under Rescue Horse (This benefit class was started because of a special rescue horse named Cowboy. This year there were 12 entries of all sizes. The class is sponsored by the Devlin Family and monies are donated to Don’t Forget Us Pet Us sanctuary): 1^st place, Neveah Merritt, riding Sugah (Washburn Stables); 2^nd place, Gianna Rollock, riding Boxford Bulls & Bears (A&M Equine).

            Pony Open Pleasure Walk Trot Canter Championship: Jessica Janak, riding Tanner (Equestrian Element).

            Ladies Open Walk Trot Canter Championship: 1^st place, Stephanie Speers, riding Leap of Faith (First Foundations Farm); 2^nd place, Tiffany Eldridge, riding Century Oak Balinese (Perry Paquette training).

            Walk Trot Equitation 11-17 Championship: 1^st place, Gianna Rollock, riding Boxford Bulls & Bears (A&M Equine); 2^nd place, Leah Vieira, riding Cocoa Puff (Holly Grove Equestrian Center).

            Adult Equitation Walk Trot Canter 18 & over Championship: 1^st place, Bonnie Penniman, riding Shine on Harvest Moon (Bradford Stables); 2^nd place, Stephanie Speers, riding Leap of Faith (first Foundations farm).

            Western Junior Exhibitor 17 & under Championship: 1^st place, Taryn Gomes, riding Castle Ridge Truly Above (First Foundations Farm).

            Hunter Open Walk Trot Canter Championship: 1^st place, Mia Oliveira, riding Homero (Michelle Cravenho training); 2^nd place, Makayla Dupe, riding Splash of Sass (Holly Grove Equestrian Center).

            Road Hack Championship: 1^st place, Stephanie Speers, riding Leap of Faith (First Foundations Farm); 2^nd place, Crystal Mattia, riding Newmont’s Victory Dance (Michelle Cravenho training).

            For many, many decades, the Brattle Book Shop has been a fixture in Boston for lovers of old, used, and rare books. Its history is the history of a family whose love of the printed word transcended nearly all other desires. Today, Ken Gloss, a second-generation bookseller and highly respected authority on rare books and manuscripts, is keeping the love affair with books alive and well. Gloss is a frequent contributor on Antiques Road Show, where his appraisals are eagerly sought.

            Gloss recently gave an entertaining and informative presentation via Zoom as one in a series of lectures hosted by the Mattapoisett Free Public Library and sponsored by the Friends of the Mattapoisett Library Purrington Lecture Series.

            Gloss began his talk by sharing the early years of his father George’s quest to put books in the hands of as many people as possible starting in the 1940s. Beginning at 32 Brattle Street in the Cornhill section of Boston, which was eventually absorbed into Government Center and forced the senior Gloss to seek another location, George Gloss found another location several blocks away on West Street. But to move his vast inventory, he first had to downsize the collection.

            “My father knew the police and so was able to secure permission to drive a horse-drawn carriage around town with a sign that read ‘Go West’ to advertise his new location,” said Ken Gloss. As the carriage went up and down the city streets, books were tossed to onlookers. Predictably, the event caused traffic problems, “…But my father made his point.”

            On another occasion, the West Street location burned nearly to the ground. “Needless to say, we weren’t heavily insured,” recalled Ken Gloss. But the community of book lovers came out in force, and soon George Gloss was awash in hundreds of donated used books to kick-start his business once again.

            Although Ken Gloss studied chemistry and believed he was headed to a career in science, he followed in his father’s footsteps. His joy of discovering something old, something written down, something of historic value, places him in the category of archeology, where getting through stacks of discarded printed materials are the tome and digging through may just produce a long-lost treasure.

            Ken Gloss is nothing if not a storyteller extraordinaire. Stories tipped off his lips in a sort of stream of consciousness.

            He told the story of being invited to assess a collection of art reference books for a family in Newport, Rhode Island. He said that the family had over 5,000 books and was part of the Brown clan, founders of Brown University. “We bought 80-percent of their collection,” he said. On another occasion in Newport, Ken Gloss was invited to one of the Bellevue Avenue mansions that was still inhabited as a family home. He said it was amazing to have unrestricted movement around the mansion that had maintained its original glory.

            This family had contacted Ken Gloss to place a value on family papers dating back to the War of 1812 and written by Commodore Oliver Perry. “It was the day-to-day accounting of the ship,” he said, explaining with a laugh that Perry was considered a privateer by Americans but a pirate by the British. “In the papers, it was noted that a captain was to receive a five-dollar bonus for the loss of a leg in battle,” he said.

            Not all mansions are homes or all homes mansions, but surprises can be found in both.

            Ken Gloss was called to an unassuming, ranch-style home where a little old lady lived alone. Walking up to the home he didn’t expect the trip to result in much more than a short friendly visit, but upon entering the premises he was astounded to find himself surrounded by watercolors done by Turner. He estimated them to at least $1 million. The lady had been married to a Ukrainian prince. “The books were lousy, but the stories she told were priceless,” Gloss recalled.

            There was the time an Irish woman of a certain age called the shop saying, “I slept with Kennedy.” The lady said she had letters from the President that she wanted appraised for value. The end of the story is that she was Kennedy’s governess when he was a small child, and she had indeed slept with the then infant Kennedy.

            Continuing in this vein, Gloss shared anecdotes that seemed to pour out of his brain as his eyes twinkled on the computer screen. There was the first edition of “The Great Gatsby” with a value of $100,000 because author F. Scott Fitzgerald inscribed the book to the owner, T.S. Eliot. Gloss said that Eliot had written on the pages edits he would have made to the manuscript.

            In a case of ‘I can top that,’ Gloss topped himself when he told of holding four handwritten pages which were Paul Revere’s own accounting of his ride alerting all, “The British are coming!”

            “It sent chills up my spine,” Gloss confessed.

            There was the day that he held Isaac Newton’s personal copy of a math book with annotations throughout. “It was a circa 1600 edition.” That book now rests on view to all at the Huntington Library in San Marino, California. And Gloss’ memories rolled on. In Dracut, at another small nondescript dwelling, he found the original manuscript of “On the Road,” by Jack Kerouac. “He had used a teletype roll of paper,” Gloss said. It sold for $2.5 million.

            As the hour wound down, Gloss said that being an appraiser on Antiques Roadshow is great; but, pulling the curtain back a little, also shared, “We don’t get paid to appear.” He said that being highlighted on the show is completely dependent on the object being appraised and if the producers think a clip is worthy. “We get free publicity and we love to do it,” he said.

            To watch the full presentation, visit https://vimeo.com/564347847.

By Marilou Newell

            The glossy ibis is not well-known, because it is rarely seen in this part of the world. It is a distinctly different-looking stork-like bird with dark, iridescent plumage and a long, curved bill to probe shallow waters for insects and shellfish along the shoreline. In addition to consuming animal matter along coastal Buzzards Bay, a major part of their summer diet is green plants and vegetable matter.

            As in my illustration, the first sign of residence here in a very long time is a pair of nesting parents with only two chicks recently seen about halfway down along Sconticut Neck in Fairhaven. This surprise sighting may hopefully indicate a modest uptick in future populations for birdwatchers.

            These young chicks that were hatched in early July will for another month depend on their parents for feeding by inserting their bills into a parent’s mouth for regurgitation of food bits that can be eaten on their own.

            As fledglings learn to fly in September, the nest site will be abandoned, and they will be on their way of migration along the Atlantic Flyway. However, this mysteriously rare species may disappear from tracking and not be seen again next year. Although this species has declined due to global environmental deterioration in modern times, it has been all over the world for thousands of years, including the sacred ibis that once lived in Egypt.

            It was raised from wild birds to be depicted in many ancient Egyptian wall murals and sculptures to be found as mummified specimens at many burial sites to play a religious role as “Thor,” the god of wisdom, knowledge, and writing. It was considered the herald of floods and helped to get rid of pond snails and liver parasites. The magical reproduction on burial sites might decorate the tomb so that the dead were eligible to enter into the aftermath of the next world. From that time to that of primitive and prehistoric cultures, birds have come down through the ages as symbols of spiritual superstitions.

            Like those living thousands of years ago, we also live our lives from dawn to dusk, exposed to the elements around us in the planetary spiral of seasons around the Earth. We are learning to appreciate the spiritual role of winged creatures, such as the heavenly angels of our own departed into another afterlife. For now, our best insight into the present nature of reality is birdwatching of the natural blessings around us every day in our travels.

By George B. Emmons