Events Calendar
Unless otherwise noted, all events are free and open to the public.
Seating is limited. Reservations are recommended. To reserve your seat, email haysheighe@harford.edu, or call 443-412-2539.
The Hays-Heighe House is wheelchair accessible. Guests who require
other arrangements should contact Linda Anthony at 443-412-2539 at least
two weeks prior to an event.
- Women of the Turf Exhibit Opening
5:00-7:00 PM
Hays-Heighe House
The evening begins with the opening of the Women of the Turf exhibit guest curated by Maryanna Skowronski, Director, Historical Society of Harford County. This exhibit honors women in Maryland and beyond who have excelled in all aspects of equestrian sport, including as thoroughbred farm owners, trainers, jockeys, and journalists.
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Women of the Turf Reception and Award Presentation
7:00-9:00 PM
Chesapeake Center Dining Rooms
The evening continues in the Chesapeake Center Dining Rooms where attendees will meet special guest Kathy Kusner, Olympic medalist and first licensed female jockey in the United States, and celebrate photojournalists Cappy Jackson and Lydia Williams, the 2019 recipients of the Robert and Anne Heighe Award for Excellence in Equestrian Journalism.
Ticket required. Tickets are $50 per person and may be purchased online via credit card or in person at the Harford Community College Ticket Office located in the Chesapeake Center. Limited seating. Purchase early.
Discussion, Girls' Horse Literature - Thursday, October 10
12:30-1:30 PM and 6:30-7:30 PM
Presented by Julie Mancine and Jenny Towner
From Black Beauty and National Velvet to modern pony club series, relationships with horses have been a popular theme for children's literature. Join us for a discussion of what gives these stories their enduring appeal.
Children’s Tea: Pony Party! - Saturday, October 12
12:30-2:30 PM
Children aged 5 to 14 are invited to bring their favorite horse or pony toy to this tea with equestrian-themed snacks and activities.
Ticket required. Tickets are $12 per child. Cash or check only. Limited seating. Purchase early. Contact the Hays-Heighe House at haysheighe@harford.edu or 443-412-2539 to purchase tickets. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Defining Modern Women - Tuesday, October 15
6:30-8:00 PM
Presented by Glynnis MacNicol
Writer Glynnis MacNicol co-founded the professional women’s networking site theli.st and argues for greater media representation of women who seek fulfillment in sustaining friendships and careers rather than traditional domesticity.
Lecture, History of Pimlico Race Course - Tuesday, October 22
12:30-1:30 PM
Presented by Karin De Francis
Baltimore’s own race course – home of the Preakness Stakes – is just shy of its 150th year. Follow the highs and lows of this historic venue, and speculate about what its future may hold.
Lecture, Women’s Sportswear: Fashion and the Equestrian World - Tuesday, October 29
12:30-1:30 PM
Presented by Ann Bennett
Today, connections between women’s activewear and women’s racegoing clothing may not be evident, but historically, equestriennes and spectators at sporting events both sought easy-to-care-for garments that allowed freedom of movement. The resulting “American Look” showcased flexible, clean, youthful clothing appropriate for a variety of occasions—today’s “smart casual.”
Early Women Jockeys - Tuesday, November 5
12:30-1:30 PM
Presented by Eliza McGraw
“When a man hits a target, they call him a marksman. When I hit a target, they call it a trick.” Annie Oakley’s frustration might well apply to early women jockeys as well; while they have only ridden as licensed jockeys in the US for the last fifty years, their history extends back into the 19th century as trick riders, barrel racers, and more.
Make a Derby Hat! - Thursday, November 7
1:00-5:00 PM
Feathers, flowers, and ribbons galore! Join us as we learn to decorate wide-brimmed hats or fascinators for Derby Day. Bring your own hat to refurbish, or use one of our blanks.
Ticket required. Tickets are $20 per person. Limited seating. Purchase early. To purchase tickets, contact haysheighe@Harford.edu or 443-412-2539.
Tea, “Hats off to the Derby / A Day at the Races!” - Tuesday, November 12
12:30-2:00 PM
Ticket required. Cost is $20 per person. Cash or check only. Free for current students with HCC ID. Limited seating. Purchase early. To purchase tickets, contact haysheighe@Harford.edu or 443-412-2539.
Anne Heighe’s Home Movies - Tuesday, November 19
12:30-2:00 PM
Presented by Maryanna Skowronski
Hays-Heighe House was once the manor house for Prospect Hill Farm, and the headquarters of Robert and Ann Heighe’s thoroughbred horse breeding and training facility. View recently digitized “home movies” of the farm, their horses, and race tracks up and down the eastern seaboard from the 1930s and 1940s.
Panel, Women in Non-Traditional Careers - Thursday, November 21
6:30-8:00 PM
The numbers of women in non-traditional careers – computer science, construction trades, engineering – are on the rise. Our panelists will discuss challenges and opportunities in industries traditionally dominated by men, and answer audience questions.
Tea, “Hats off to the Derby / A Day at the Races!” - Thursday, December 5
12:30-2:00 PM
Ticket required. Cost is $20 per person. Cash or check only. Free for current students with HCC ID. Limited seating. Purchase early. To purchase tickets, contact HaysHeighe@Harford.edu or 443-412-2539.
Panel, MD Women of the Turf - Tuesday, December 10
6:30-8:00 PM
Working with horses – 1,000 lb. animals that can break your toes with a step of the hoof, break your nose with a toss of the head, and break your heart with the results of a race – is tough, dirty, and tiring. “Women of the turf” do it despite confusion, criticism, and hostility from men in the industry. Find out why as our panel of women discuss the struggles and joys of this work.