WHO WE ARE
About Us
The Brandywine Valley Driving Club is made up of about 200 active carriage driving enthusiasts, most of whom reside in Pennsylvania and the surrounding states of Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, and Virginia, although we have members from as far away as Vermont, New Hampshire and North Carolina.
We are dedicated to providing information in the techniques, principles, regulations and other relevant aspects of carriage driving, in order to develop and improve their skills and capabilities, all within the framework of good sportsmanship and the camaraderie that driving builds.
The organization tries to encourage drivers with fun and challenging activities, yet stresses SAFETY in all aspects of the driving experience.
We have fun!
BVDC History
In the "olden days" of 1983, a small group of very dedicated and hard working people created a Club, which we all still enjoy many years later. The growth of the Club from ten people sitting in someone's living room to today's membership of over 200 is certainly a major change, but many things remain the same. We still have bi-monthly meetings with good programs, clinics, recreational drives, a monthly newsletter, and continue our emphasis on education and safety. We are grateful to all these creative folks for their effort, vision and enthusiasm.
Members
Each member has a passion for horses and driving.
The interests of our members cover many disciplines within the sport of driving: Recreational Driving, Pleasure Showing, Combined Driving, Distance Driving
The club includes many champion drivers, some of whom have competed at the international level representing the USA and several nationally known trainers.
Membership Map as of June 2024
Map below shows the locations of our members. The colors of the dots indicate the state. To view an interactive version of this map (which you can search by name in) click on the map image below.
“An Early History of the Brandywine Valley Driving Club”
By Marjorie Miller
Click on the image to download/print the PDF.
BVDC Board
2024 BVDC Officers
President: Laura DeFazio
Vice President: Debby Donovan
Treasurer: Susan Kreckman
Secretary: Jamie Guiberson
2024 BVDC Directors
Pam Bastings
Ann Dome
Jennifer Holmquest
Don Yurga
Open slot
2024 Committee Chairs
Programs/Education - VACANT
Newsletter - Debby Donovan
Membership - Bobbi Hager
Clinics - VACANT
Shows - VACANT
Pleasure Drives - Pam Bastings
Website - Debby Donovan
Sunshine - Kathy Kozak
E-LINES Coordinator - Debby Donovan
Hospitality - VACANT
ADS Representative - Margaret Grillet
Feedback Welcome!
From the BVDC Bylaws:
“The Board of Directors elected by you, in concert with the by-laws, makes all decisions in the management of your club. Your input is important to them. Therefore, if you have a concern or opinion that affects the management of BVDC, you should do one of the following:
Attend a board meeting and discuss your concern.
Send a letter to the Board explaining your concern.
Ask a Board member to voice your concern to the whole Board.
The members of the Board of Directors are your elected representatives. Let them know your thoughts regarding BVDC.”
Feedback helps us know we are on the right track, as well as where we can improve. We encourage you to let us know your thoughts about any aspect of our Club, from events to the website. We appreciate your support!
We are an all volunteer organization and your input only makes us better. If you enjoyed your experience, let us know and we can pass it along to the hard-working volunteers. If you see a way we can improve or have a suggestion, pass it on constructively and we'll get back to you to let you know what we can do about it.
Send an email to the Board: Click here to send your thoughts!
How the Club Supports Other Organizations
We provide support for driving in the Mid-Atlantic Region in several different ways including volunteers, expertise and donations. In the past, this has included driving events and organizations such as:
Local Pleasure Shows
Local Combined Driving Events
New Bolton Field Services