Queen’s Cup Steeplechase 2016

Last week I attended my first horse race and it was everything I imagined and so much more!  I’ve always pictured myself attending the Kentucky Derby but it seemed like a far off dream.  So when the opportunity presented itself to attend the Queen’s Cup Steeplechase right in my own backyard I jumped at the chance.  Any excuse to put on a pretty dress and a fancy hat works for me.  My friend Avis had attended a few times previously and knew exactly how everything worked.  With a group of friends in tow we began the planning process of securing our own tailgate area and all of the things that came with it.  Avis loves event planning (it’s definitely her calling!) and had a beautiful theme in mind that tied together ladies who lunch with a bit of whimsy.  She decided on the color palette of black, white, gold with pops of bright pink and it came together beautifully!  We spent weeks meeting up at places like Hobby Lobby to secure the right decor and decorating at each other’s homes.  I could already envision how wonderful this would turn out!

What I did’t envision was the hours it would actually take the two of us to set everything up, but it was well worth the effort.  Our main tablescape with gold chargers accenting a black and white striped table was a hit with everyone tailgating around us!  Several times we were asked if we were paid to do this or if we just loved our friends that much.  Of course it was the latter.

Our buffet table featured sandwiches, wraps, crackers and hummus, pasta salad, fruit and veggies.  And let’s not forget the desserts which were a huge success!  Beautiful cupcakes in shades of pink and yummy strawberries covered in pink chocolate and sugar.  To round things out we had a lemonade pitcher, sparkling wine and plenty of other spirits.  And the best part was the adorable milk jug style glasses to drink them out of along with black and white polka dot straws!

The food and setup was great, but the company was even greater.  Since none of us, aside from Avis, had attended an event like this before we weren’t quite sure what we were in for, but Avis made sure that we each had a great time.  After enjoying a good meal and some great conversation we had fun with our surrounding tailgaters doing a scavenger hunt and winning prizes.  The toy horse was a must for all of our fun photo challenges!

And of course no official Steeplechase post can be complete without a mention of the races themselves!  Our tailgate area was near one of the hurdles which gave us some great action to watch.  Thankfully I didn’t make any wagers this year since only one of my horses won.  I’m hoping for better luck next year.

The day was an absolute success and I am already looking forward to next year’s event!  I don’t know how we will top ourselves, but I’m sure with a bit of planning it can be done.  See you in 2017 Steeplechase!