Manhattan has never been the most natural setting for a hack or a handy hunter class, but this bustling New York City borough still boasts a unique and rich horse show history.
The uninitiated clustered four and five deep along wooden sawhorses lining the makeshift show ring.
They stood on tiptoes, children on shoulders, to catch a glimpse of the illustrious riders and famous horses soaring over jumps.
The skyline of Manhattan stood in crisp contrast to Central Park’s Sheep Meadow, where the last brightly colored autumn leaves clung to the trees.
The Central Park Mini-Shows, designed to promote the 1973 and ’74 National Horse Shows, brought equestrian sport to the masses. Photo courtesy Barbara Halpern.