Koerennen / Kowrenne

A commission drawing of the Cowrunning festivities in Hoensbroek.
I made this drawing (size A4) for a friend, Bert.
Some 20 years ago he initiated a "Kowrenne" group, of which I was part as well. Later we split up into different groups, but I must say that theirs (Cow B) was even more successful as ours (Cow H).
We stopped some 5 years ago, they last year. This drawing is of their last run. The contest is quite physically demanding, and yes, we all get older.
I made the drawing for his birthday.

Koerenne op de mèrt

Kowrenne (Cowrunning) has started last evening. The start of Carnaval in Hoensbroek.
Unfortunately it was far too cold to make a live drawing (even though I had my sketching gear with me), we had minus 4 C and a cold eastern wind. So I made this at home while thawing my frozen toes. But I ran for 15 years under such a cow, so I have no problem catching the atmosphere.
Follow the label below if you want to see earlier sketches of Kowrenne.

The Urban Sketching Handbook

I had forgotten about this one, that was a nice surprise in my mailbox!
Veronica Lawlor made this nice book about Reportage and documentary drawing, Tips and techniques for Drawing on Location.

And I am proud to say that one of my sketches features in it, a 2011 action sketch of cowrunning. I think it was the last time our group joined the local Carnaval-Koerennen games. Anyway, like every year I managed to make this little sketch.

The book is very nice, with a lot of different artists collaborating. Even though the illustrations are sometimes rather small, it's still a treasure of ideas.

If you are interested, click the link below for the Dutch online booksellers.
Link to buy the book on Bol.com

 

1000 posts !

This post is the blogpost number 1000.
A regular milestone, I never thought I would be doing blogging for such a long time. Or sketching for that matter.
I started exactly 8 years ago, in February 2007. And this is really pure coincidence: my first post was about "Cowrunning". Back in those days I was still captain of a running team, and I remember we won that year the B-I-G prize.
And guess what: tonight the tournament was held again, as starter for the Carnaval weekend.
Unfortunately I cannot participate, our team fell apart three years ago, but I still enjoy watching the spectacle. This drawing was made on location, but painting the sketch did not work: too cold and too crowded.
I am ready for the next 1000 posts.

Carnaval: Cowrunning 2014

Carnaval this weekend, and it started off with Cowrunning competition on the market of Hoensbroek.
8 teams made large papier maché cows, and run with 2 people under it.
I was captain of one of those teams for 15 years. It still hurts a little to be onlooker, and not being on the field as runner.

Anyway, a sketch of the start of one of the runs: unfortunately my fountain-pen didn't flow evenly, probably because of the cold, that's why the lines are so scratchy.

Koerennen 2012

 

Yesterday evening Carnaval started with our local Hoensbroek tradition: Kowrenne (Cowrunning).
Unfortunately no cowrunning for us this year. With pain in my heart I have to state that after 14 successful years we had to stop with our group "de Föhners". We couldn't get enough runners together anymore.
But luckily enough there are new groups to continue the tradition, and I had a good time yesterday evening watching the games as a spectator. And enough opportunity to draw. The top sketch is of the group "Breuker Kamaraode" who won the prize of the Most Beautiful Cow (of the world). Well deserved.

Geen koerennen voor ons meer, dit jaar. Na 14 jaar zijn we gestopt met de Föhners. Gelukkig zijn er nieuwe groepen om de traditie voort te zetten. De Breuker Kamaraode gefeliciteerd met de "Sjoenste Kow" prijs.

Kowrenne

Tomorrow evening we will be running again for the cowrunning games.
It's the start of Carnaval in our city. Eight paper and wood cows with each two runners do sprints and circuits on the Hoensbroek marketplace. Our group is 15 people and I am the captain.
Our theme this year: Kowhakkers (Lumberjacks). We built a wooden loghouse on wheels as home for our cow, to show off during the initial presentation parade.Wish us luck.
Morgenavond: de aftrap voor Carnaval: Kowrenne op de mèrt (Koerennen op de markt). Ons team gaat dit jaar als "Kowhakkers". Verder commentaar overbodig.

Holy cow

Sacred cows, always calm within the turmoil of the city. Mixed media, made from leftover tickets from our trip to India; I tore out the cow figure. Heilige koeien, altijd rustig temidden van de hectiek van de stad. Gemaakt van overgebleven tickets van onze India reis.

Sjoepkarrerace

Sjoepkarrerace, or in good english "wheelbarrowrace". Two kows make a round, and meet halfway. As the view of the forerunner is limited, collisions often happen. Of course that's what the public wants. We won this race, but not the competition.  Sjoepkarrerace (Kruiwagenrace). Aktie tekening van het koerennen dit jaar: het moment dat de beide koeien elkaar halverwege passeren. Gelukkig geen ongelukken en beenbeuken dit jaar. En onze koe won deze race, helaas niet de prijs.

Kowrenne 2010

Kowrenne, afgelopen donderdagavond. Onze koe H in actie, het stond op de voorpagina van het regio deel van het Limburg dagblad. Onder: een foto van de groep & kow & prins na afloop. Geen prijs dit jaar, maar het was wel weer erg leuk. Trouwens ook erg koud voor de toeschouwers.

Cowrunning on the local marketsquare of Hoensbroek. Our cow featured in the newspaper, see picture above. It was freezing cold, and they had to free the square of snow. Luckily it was not slippery, no serious accidents this year. But it was great fun,  for the 13th time.

Meer foto's, more pictures, klick on album here.

Pipo de Kow

Cowrunnng on the market in Hoensbroek, yesterday evening.

Here sketches of our theme: Pipo the clown and Mamaloe. It's a Dutch children television series from the 60s.

It was bitter cold, especially for the audience.

Unfortunately we did not win this year, but we had great fun. Pictures will follow.

Kowrenne op de markt. Koud maar heel erg leuk. Schetsen van ons thema: Pipo de Kow en Mamakoe. Goede races gehad, maar helaas niet de prijs gewonnen. Foto's volgen.

Interview

I was interviewed for the local Carnaval newspaper d'r UUL, on the occasion of the Kowrenne (in good english: Cowrunning). I am the coach of a group of funny dressed people who do a sprint competition against 7 other paper-and-wood cows, on the market square of Hoensbroek, next Thursday evening. The drawings are mine. Please wish us luck.

Een interview in mijn functie als coach voor onze groep, koe H (de Foehners). Het gaat over het koerennen, volgende week donderdagavond op de markt van Hoensbroek. De tekeningen zijn van mij. Wens ons succes.

Kowrenne

De Föhners, kow H, de prins en de lelijke beker voor de 1e prijs.

Kowrenne 2009

Gisteravond op de Mèrt va Gebrook, het Kowrenne!

Dit jaar was ons thema "Delfts Kow".

En ja hoor, het is weer gelukt, de eerste prijs voor de snelste koe van Hoensbroek! De 9e prijs in 12 jaar, een mooi resulaat. En ook de felicitaties voor Kow B met de fantastische "Moskow"!

Yes, we won the Cowrunning game in Hoensbroek again.

It's a local tradition, as part of carnaval, to have a running contest on the market of Hoensbroek. Eight local groups each make a wood&paper cow, dress it up in some theme (our theme this year was "Delft cow") and try for the big PRIZE: eternal glory. One sketch shows building the cow in the garage of Franck, one of our group. The other the race itself.

And our "kow H" performed well: we won 2 out of 3 runs.

So I shout loud:

I'm proud to be the fastest cow around!

More pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/Rene.Fijten/Kowrenne2009?authkey=u-nCmJUvqas

Other years: see the link "kowrenne"at the right.

Kowrenne 2008: Zoetekow

Koerennen 2008. Regen. Wind. Kou.

Kowrenne 2008: Zoetekow

Koerennen op de Markt van Hoensbroek. We gingen dit jaar als "Zoetekow": we hadden wat te vieren, het was de elfde keer. We hadden zelfs een sjpasskapel geregeld: Ummer opnuij. Maar helaas, het was beestenweer. Regen, wind, het geluid ging kapot, het defile en de hindernissenwedstrijd werden afgeschaft: niet echt een mooi jaar.

Maar ondanks het slechte weer wonnen we toch nog de prijs voor de Snelste Koe: dus in 11 jaar 8 keer in de prijzen gevallen!

Racing with the kows: a yearly festival in Hoensbroek called "Kowrenne". 8 local groups make "cows" from wood and paper, and do sprints on the marketplace. And guess what: we won this year the price as fastest cow! Ours is eternal glory.

Meer foto's: http://picasaweb.google.com/Rene.Fijten/Kowrenne2008

foto's vorig jaar: http://picasaweb.google.com/Rene.Fijten/Kowrenne2007

Koerennen 2007

Donderdag 15 februari: koerennen in Hoensbroek.

Onze koe, koe H wint als snelste koe......

Thursday February 15th. Cowrunning in Hoensbroek.

Our cow, Koe H, won as fastest cow at the worldfamous cowrunning games in Hoensbroek.

Foto's op http://picasaweb.google.com/Rene.Fijten/Kowrenne2007