Day 9, Eventing Jumping

Another crowd of 50,000 gathered at the horse park today, like yesterday. Half of those were at the Jumping phase of the 3-day event and so were sis and I.



It was about 50 degrees and began to rain as we walked into the park. We put our clear plastic ponchos given us with our volunteer uniform over our coats and they blocked the breeze as well. However, by the time of the medal ceremony three hours later we had begun to chill.

The riders were splendidly turned out, and the horses groomed to perfection. We saw 55 horse/rider partners tackle the world class course. Again I was impressed by the horses' willingness and power.

Team Eventing Medalists--Gold to Great Britain, Silver to Canada, Bronze to New Zealand. 
Individual Medals to Michael Jung of Germany, William Fox-Pitt of Great Britain, Andrew Nichoson of N.Z

Now we have used all our tickets ($600 worth apiece) and tomorrow go back to work as volunteers at the main stadium for Show Jumping. We report at 7:45 and go until 5:30, another long day. We are now equipped with thermacare heat wraps for arthritis that also keep you warm for several hours. We hope to see a bit of the show jumping during breaks.

We had Waffle House pecan waffles for breakfast and it felt very luxurious!

Day 8, Eventing Cross-Country

Each day of the WEG is more fabulous than the day before. This is my first view of cross-country. Ninety horses and riders each leave the start every five minutes. The course is about 4 miles and they face 28 jumps in about 12 minutes.

It began at 10 am and went until about 5 pm. We planned to get there about 10. What we did not realize was that about 50,000 other people had the same idea. Our usual far-away parking lot was full, so we had to go to the very back of the far-far-away lot. It took us almost an hour walking fast to arrive at the event. Then we started walking the course. If you want to look at all the jumps you walk the course--4 miles and 28 jumps. We walked most of it.

Sis at the "Squirrel" jump (not used today) and course monitors on a break

We picked a spot near a jump and watched for a while and then moved on. The horses raced by very near us. The earth seemed to move, you could hear them breathing and often you could hear the rider yelling "Run, Hennie (or whatever the horse's name), Run!" Boy did they run and jump. "Head of the Lake" Jump below.



The horses showed amazing courage to tackle the many diabolical obstacles in front of them, just because their rider asked them. What heart! Below is the "Red River Gorge" jump.

 



"Big Fallen Tree"  and "Daniel Boone Forest" jumps



Near the end, one horse and rider fell, and unfortunately we arrived just in time to see it. The horse had a rather large leg laceration and the rider might have had a knock on the head, but they were both standing when we last saw them, and we heard later they were both recovering fully.

It did however sober the crowd of passionate horse-lovers. At the same time, the perfect weather turned to glowering with wind, dust and black clouds and we had a very long trudge back to the car.  The mood of the day shifted dramatically.

When you consider that a horse is a prey animal and its first instinct is to run away from anything different or scary, you can appreciate how noble he is to do whatever crazy thing the rider/partner asks of him.

 

Today My Eyes Were On:

Thundering hooves

Flying horses

Courage and Heart!



Day 7, Grand Prix Freestyle and . . .

Tonite at 7 pm is the dancing horses--musical freestyle. So naturally we came in at 10 am. We have found t-shirts to buy, horses to watch and food to eat.



The big find of the day was the shuttle between the parking lot and the horse park. It only took us 7 days! Last night on the way out one of the parking lot volunteers said "Y'all lookin' tired. Y'all are elderly! You should be ridin' the shuttle." so today we are saving quite a few thousand steps. The shuttle does not actually help us on days we volunteer as it goes nowhere near the volunteer check-in tent.

Update on the B&B. We got locks on the bathroom and our bedroom doors about 3 days ago. Night before last a Mississippi couple came with their 11-year-old daughter to use the executive suite downstairs. There was quite a hubbub yesterday am when they discovered the coffee pot is not functional. They left a large list of "honey-dos" for the innkeeper when they left for the day! I doubt they are pleased that they also have to climb the stairs to use the only bathroom!

We abandoned the pop-tarts and sugar doughnuts this morning for the Conner's Cafe. When we got there the giant tea pot was leaking all over the counter and floor. Sis and I helped the waitress-cook-lunchmaker clean up the mess and then had a fine french toast breakfast, for $10 including a $3 tip. She's also saving us the daily Lexington paper with all the WEG articles.

  

The house we are staying in was built by a doctor 105 years ago, was owned by another doctor and ended up a beauty parlor for about 30 years. It is known as the "Ruby Linville" house. Ruby has been gone for many years but in this small town the houses keep the former owner's name.


When we went to the town potluck with the house's handyman on our first day, we were interviewed by the local paper. We got the paper yesterday with our picture and an article about us.

Right after we got here I asked my husband to mail me a package of some of my artwork, which I had forgotten to bring. The package has not arrived though it should have.  When we inquired at the Post Office, the postal clerk said, "Oh, no! I just returned it to sender today as I had never heard of the addressee." It seems you pick up your mail in Millersburg at the post office. There is no delivery. So even though the address of our B & B was on the package and only a block away, the names were unfamiliar, and I was out-of-luck.

We took in more of the horse park today, did some shopping, but found our energy lagging. I sit here in the shade waiting for our evening event listening to a group of musicians playing some really great bluegrass-a very easy way to rest one's tired feet. It was interesting that three Pendleton Round-up t-shirts met today in Kentucky.

The California Cowgirls

Performance Dancing Horse

Thoroughbred Strides, Blue Roan Spanish Mustang

Statues of John Henry and Morgan Horse

 

 Headstone of The Gray Goose (1970-2000) "You showed us how to fly without wings."

Volunteers decorating the Eventing Cross-Country jumps for tomorrow

A moment of insecurity occurred as we entered the Main Stadium for the Freestyle Dressage. A number of workers were adding more steel to the temporary seating. At the Opening Ceremony, every time the crowd stood up, the stands moved back and forth--it was really frightening to all of us. We were assured the next morning that it was built to move. Right! So it was unsettling to see them welding more steel as we took our seats! Clang! Clang! Clang!  But tonite the stands did not wiggle back and forth. WHEW!

Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle Gold Medalist Edward Gal on Moorland Totilas (Netherlands) 91.8 points, Silver Medalist Laura Bechtolsheimer (GRB) 85.35 points and Bronze Medalist Steffan Peters (USA) 84.9 points. Another crowd favorite was "Mr. Personality" Fuego XII ridden by Juan Manual Munoz Diaz from Spain 81.45 points and 5th place.

Today My Eyes Were On:

Fifteen of the most exquisite dressage horses dancing their musical freestyle competition--drop-dead gorgeous and brilliantly trained. The crowd of 25,000 was in a state of pandemonium by the end of the three hours. The commentator said that of the last six World Equestrian Games, this evening had many of the finest performances she had ever seen!

Lines of cars in the parking lot after the dressage freestyle when the 25,000 spectators tried to leave the parking lot with only 3 exits that all led to a single road. We were in the parking lot not moving for 2 hours! Home at 1 am!