Authentic 19th century coaches drawn by matched and highly-trained teams of horses will return to Newport from August 20-23, 2009, in the triennial renewal of aWeekend of Coaching.

The historic coaches will make daily drives through the streets of Newport and the grounds of the Newport Mansions, celebrating and preserving a century-old sporting tradition.

As many as a dozen drivers are expected to bring their coaches and teams to Newport from around the country. They will drive on pre-determined, published routes through Newport and Middletown, offering unique viewing opportunities for the public.

There will also be a free-to-thepublic driving exhibition on the grounds of The Elms on Saturday morning, August 22. The weekend will culminate in the formal Coaching Dinner Dance at The Breakers on Saturday evening.

The tradition of coaching grew out of the 18th and 19th century mail runs in England, which later made their way across the Atlantic to the United States. The horsedrawn mail coaches were eventually replaced by railroads, but nostalgia led to the development of coaching as a sport.

By the dawn of the twentieth century, the sport’s greatest champion rose to the fore in the guise of Alfred G.Vanderbilt, a founding member of the Coaching Club of New York and president of the National Horse show.

Alfred Vanderbilt drove numerous road coaches in both England and America. His “Venture” is now in the collection of The Preservation Society of Newport County at the Breakers Stable. The Coaching Club of New York became part of the social fabric of Newport in the summer.