Brian's Blog

More Meetings and Time for Winners

EQUESTRIANEditor — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:23:00 GMT

Thursday at the 2010 USEF Annual Meeting saw a blizzard of meetings and attendees rushing from one conference room to the next in an attempt to cover as much ground as possible and to share in ideas and opinions on a vast slate of topics.

Licensed Officials, Connemara/Welsh, Roadster, Arabian, Eventing, Dressage, Hackney, Breeders, National Show Horse, Morgan, Western and Carriage Driving were just some of the breeds and disciplines of equestrian sport that had committee meetings during the day. Of course, the biggest attended meeting was the Board of Directors meeting that took place late in the day for several hours.

USEF staff were spread far and wide in their work to ensure that all of the meetings were going as planned and I spent a bit of time alongside two longtime USEF staff members - Lisa Owens (Assistant Executive Director of Horse and Competition Services) and Jennfier Keeler (Director of National Dressage Programs). As always, we seemed to be able to laugh at the frantic pace and the hundreds of requests that come our way. To laugh during times of stress is a very valuable personality trait! After the Board of Directors meeting was the first in a series of galas to celebrate and spotlight achievements in sport in the 2009 competition calendar.

The Silver Stirrups Awards, presented by the Performance Horse Registry, started with a cocktail reception (should every event start with a cocktail reception?), and the leading sires, owners and breeders were honored during the plated dinner and awards program. Ken Ball, Director of the PHR, served as one of the night’s award presenters, and Charlotte Skinner, well-known equestrian announcer provided her wonderful services as emcee for the evening. Trophies and ribbons were presented to an impressive gathering of equine owners, and images of many of the top sires were displayed behind the owners as they came to the stage to be photographed and presented their awards.

Members travelled from across the country to pick up their Silver Stirrups honors, there were quite a few who left with more than one award. For breeders, there is no award higher in the Federation (with possibly the exception of the USEF Breeder of the Year Award presented during the Pegasus Awards) that can match the prestige of the PHR’s Silver Stirrup.

When the Jockey Club launched the PHR in 1994, many Thoroughbred owners raced to register their horses in what would become known as the first central database in North America to combine pedigree and performance records of Thoroughbreds and half-Thoroughbreds, documenting the influence of the breed in events away from the track.

This is where the first Silver Stirrup Awards were presented in an effort to recognize, reward and promote excellence.

Two short years later in 1996, the PHR expanded its scope to focus on building a database for the entire sport horse industry, spurred by the support of industry organizations, such as the American Horse Shows Association, the United States Equestrian Team and the Federation of North American Sport Horse Registries. This fulfilled one of the registry’s primary commitments, to provide owners and breeders complete information on which to base future buying and breeding decisions.

Many positive changes followed in the years to come, including a move from the Jockey Club to the American Horse Shows Association, now the United States Equestrian Federation, in September of 2000. In 2004, PHR became part of the USEF, and is now considered an official branch of the National Governing Body. With the move, the registry became the source for sport horse breeding for the Federation. Now the lineage of horses competing in the United States can be tracked and honored.

All breeds are now eligible for registration with the Performance Horse Registry in an effort to develop a comprehensive database of pedigrees and breeding influence on the sport horse world.

In addition, the Silver Stirrup Awards continue to recognize performances of PHR horses at all levels of competition in every major discipline, including widespread recognition in dressage and eventing disciplines. The program also recognizes leading sires, owners and breeders. Once registered with the PHR, a horse may be nominated for inclusion in the awards program on an annual or a lifetime basis.

Today, a “dry tech” is planned to run through all the videos and scripts for the remaining award programs and galas. It’s sure to be a busy afternoon of last minute “tweaks” and script edits. Always a fun and frantic time, but its part of the behind-the-scenes fun at the USEF Annual Meeting.

So…more committee meetings and luncheons, followed by the evening’s big party – the awarding of the 2009 USEF Horse of the Year awards, where one very special horse will be named the overall Horse of the Year!

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Fun, Food and Friends...The 2010 USEF Annual Meeting Kicks-Off

EQUESTRIANEditor — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:46:00 GMT

January is time for new beginnings. A fresh start.

It’s also the time each year when the administrators, movers-and-shakers, the USEF general membership and the media gather together for a long weekend of meetings, discussions, debates and several of the year’s most anticipated galas. It’s known as the USEF Annual Meeting, and it’s now underway in Louisville, KY.

As is tradition, Wednesday night serves as the Welcome Reception where everyone has a chance to party before the real work gets underway. This year was no exception with a fantastic cocktails served atop the downtown Hyatt hotel’s 360-degree revolving lounge. But, making the trek from our hotel to the site of the reception – which was not that far, but through a series of Habitrail type connecting tubes from building-to-building – provided a tougher than expected challenge for those of us who are “directionally challenged.” You might say I’m the “dumbest smart person” you know.

With fellow staffer Jenny Van Wieren, we took off to find the food and fun at a place called The Spire. We were told to cross the connector, go through a covered parking lot, through another hallway to a set of elevators. Simple enough, right? Well, upon reaching the elevators, we noticed a bit of signage that read, “Use outer elevators…”. Looking at each other, and thinking the same thing, we decided we needed to find the OUTER elevators – as in those that were outside the level of the hotel in which we were standing. Back into the cold corridors that connect the buildings in downtown Louisville, we scratched our heads and laughed. What else could two people with advanced college degrees do? Right?

Soon, we found ourselves in a large group of 20 or so people who were both thirsty for cocktails and ready to sit down and have some fun and good conversation. Returning to the series of three elevators in line with each other, I looked at the sign again, still to be dumb-founded at what in the world “outer” elevators meant. Was this some cryptic language? A test of mental acumen? Was I being filmed and “Punk’d”? Would Ashton jump out and point and laugh as TV crews filmed my stupidity?

Out of the crowd comes one of my favorite “movers-and-shakers” – Cecile Hetzel Dunn. Of course, she walks to the front of the elevator bank and reads the sign – the WHOLE sign. This is where I dubbed myself the night’s “dumbest smart person” in America. Just beneath the “Use the outer elevator” line was the really important part of the directions that I blithely choose to ignore – “Center elevator does not access the Spire.”

Right…I felt THAT stupid once I realized there was a series of three elevators – two outer and one inner elevator. After running all over the downtown Habitrail system and trying to find “outer elevators” in the 20-degree weather, all it took was one person who chose to read the whole instructions. Sheesh.

Finally, we made it to the party and it was in full swing. Great food (cheeses, chutneys, salmon, and desserts) and plentiful beverages were our reward for finally passing the challenge of finding our destination.

It’s always a great reminder of the scope and breadth of our Federation at events like this. You see people you know from so many walks of equestrian life. A table of Saddlebred folks next to a table of cowboys from the reining community. A group of eventers socializing with the dressage contingency. It’s a great meeting of the minds and a true testament to the idea that we are much more than the sum of our parts. As individuals (or single disciplines or breeds – we are one), but as a combine group we are much, much more. I think being reminded of this is one of my favorite parts of coming to the USEF Annual Meeting each January.

After the cocktail party, it wasn’t time to turn in and get some shut-eye just yet. Diane from Equisure and Andrew from Lloyds of London insisted we join them for some more food and fun at a downtown favorite in the popular Fourth Street Live entertainment area – Ri Ra. This place is a really cool Irish pub and the name "ri Ra" seems to translate loosely into the idea of "devilment." Actually, it’s much bigger than any Irish pub I’ve ever been to and the food and choice of authentic Irish beers was impressive. I chose the Ri Ra burger (with Irish ringer and a side of curry fries). It was great and was just enough to make me yearn for my pillow and a night of sleep. One of our tablemates – Abby – chose the authentic Irish breakfast as her meal, accompanied by a choice Irish pint. Abby said the sausages were cooked to perfection and the black and white pudding was excellent. Black pudding, for those of you who haven’t tried it before, is a pudding (or int his instance a sort of soft fritter) made from pig's blood (the white pudding's main ingredient is animal fat). She was also served up some sautéed mushrooms and other items that took me back to Ireland. Karen Adams, who is the “right hand” of our President, David O’Connor, chose the traditional Irish pot pie, and I wanted to steal bites away from it when she wasn’t paying attention. All-in-all, it was a lot of fun, and a great end to the first day of this year’s meeting. With an onslaught of meetings and projects to put last-minute touches upon, it was time for bed and a good sleep. We all would certainly need it and be glad we had gotten it.

Today, Thursday, is packed with endless committee meetings and tonight’s Silver Stirrup Awards, presented by the Performance Horse Registry (PHR). It will be a great celebration of the superlatives in owners, breeders and stallions, and another great event – just one of the many packed into the next few days.

Tune in tomorrow for a recap of today’s events and some photos from tonight’s celebration.

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Oy, Oy, Oy! It's an Aussie Win at the 2009 Rolex

EQUESTRIANEditor — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:22:00 GMT

The final scores at this year's Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event were a very good indication of what things are to come just under a year-and-a-half from now. It was a very international bunch of horse-and-rider combinations crowding the leader board with six countries making the mix of the Top 10 places.

Top American? Buck Davidson and My Boy Bobby put in a strong performance and left the rider with his highest finish at the event ever. Seated at third-place, he took home the USET Foundation CCI**** Championship Pinnacle Cup. The award is bestowed on the highest-placed U.S. rider in the RK3DE. Additionally, Davidson was presented with a check for $30,000 in prize money.

But it was the ever-strong Australians who have the bragging rights for a year with Lucinda Fredericks and Headley Britannia who took the watch and big cash prize. She put in a clean-and-clear cross-country ride and then she piloted another brilliant round to win it all.

Her big competition - Bettina Hoy and Ringwood Cockatoo - held on as best as can be, but their time penalties from Saturday's cross-country course (9.6) dropped them from their top perch. Even though they put in a flawless round on Sunday's show jumping course, they couldn't erase those pesky time penalties. It left them in a well-respected second-place spot for the horse-and-riders' first trip to the event. Now that Bettina has experienced the Kentucky Horse Park's course and vibe, she'll be more than ready to return during next years World Equestrian Games for a battle royale.

Overall, it was three Americans, three Brits, one German, one French, one Australian and one Dutch to comprise the Top 10.

Talk About the Crowd...

It was a fun crowd of over 19,000 who joined in to see the champion crowned on Sunday. They were greeted by more record temperatures and abundant sunshine. For those who had been here for the four-day stretch, many sunburns and red faces could be spotted in the crowd.

Depending on how you look at it, I happened to be walking near the Rolex merchandise tent when the highly-anticipated "Everything is on sale!" announcement was made. Having met some friends for a late lunch after the competition, we were walking to the food court when a literal stampede of masses raced toward the tent's main entrance. I felt like I was looking at blood thirsty army of bargain-buyers.

"All fleece material garments are 50% off right now," said the loud announcer. Standing outside the tent, I could hear the shoppers mauling the tables and envisioned garments flying through the air.

I didn't want to go anywhere near the insides of the tent, but found myself being swept up and directed inwards by the swelling crowd. I lost my two friends and left them to fend for themselves as I made my own escape out the exit. After about 20 minutes, they made their way out. One with a dazed and confused look with his hat all askew and his shirt tussled. The other came out looking like he had seen war. It was not pretty.

Someone wanted a corn dog. Someone wanted a jerk chicken sandwich. Someone wanted a slice of pizza. Everyone wanted a cold mixed drink. It was the perfect way to end the warm and wild ride that is the RK3DE. It's an event unlike any other I've ever been to, and I've been fortunate enough to have lost count of the number of big events I've been privileged to attend over the many years.

Here's looking to next year's wild ride!

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Saturday Mixes Up the Leaderboard at Rolex

EQUESTRIANEditor — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 21:43:00 GMT

It was impossible to ask for a better atmosphere than what was found at today's cross-country phase. Warm sunshine was abundant, the massive crowd was full of energy and ready for some amazing sport and the 2009 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event at the Kentucky Horse Park. The spectators were hoping for some impressive action and that is exactly what they got.

For anyone who has been to the RK3DE, you already know what is in store. But for those that haven't had their personal pilgrimage to the country's most celebrated four-star event (the only one in America), you really owe it to yourself to make the effort.

The day wasn't without misfortune...unfortunately. Canadian rider Mike Winter and his mount, King Pin, suffered a fall on course at the #10 fence. Both were immediately treated by medical and veterinary staff on hand. Mike was taken to nearby hospital for evaluation and treatment. King Pin, however, did not survive his injuries and a necropsy will be performed. Early thoughts are that horse suffered a heart attack which caused the detrimental event.

While the sport is full of beauty, stamina and amazing excitement, it is important to remember that it is demanding of both horse and rider. In this sport, anything can happen. Everyone's thoughts and prayers are with Mike and King Pin.

Thankfully, there was a lot of GOOD news today and amazing performances put in by the top level athletes the sport has to offer - namely Brit-turned-Aussie Lucinda Fredericks and Headley Britannia who went clean and clear of time penalties to jump into the lead going into Sunday's final phase - show jumping.

She brings her 32.3 score with a rail in hand over Germany's Bettina Hoy and Ringwood Cockatoo who lost their lead when the rider picked up 9.6 time penalties when not making the assigned time for the course. Her decision to be better safe than sorry in pushing her ride were understandable, but she will have to hope Lucinda drops more than one rail tomorrow, plus she'll have to put in a flawless performance in the newly opened outdoor stadium.

The top U.S. rider is currently Buck Davidson who guided My Boy Bobby to a third-place finish. His 1.2 time penalties leave him with 40.2 going into show jumping. Dutchman Tim Lips has been strong aboard Concrex Oncarlos. And yet another European country crowds the top five placings with Frances' Nicolas Touzaint and Hildago de l'Ile at 44.3. Both Tim and Nicolas put in clean and clear performances.

Sunday's show jumping round is my favorite day of the RK3DE. The excitement can be felt in the stadium as each horse and rider sail over the jumps and thousands of people hold their breath with each approach. I can't wait!

One thing is for sure, someone is about to walk away with a shiny new Rolex watch and a handsome paycheck.

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Dazzling Dressage Score Sets Germany’s Bettina Hoy on Top

EQUESTRIANEditor — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 20:19:00 GMT

Day 2 of dressage was center stage at this year's Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (RK3DE) on Friday, as usual, and it proved to be a very interesting mix-up of the prior day's standings. Warm weather ushered its way across the Kentucky Horse Park as the sun and warm winds graced the venue. It was a perfect way to spend a lazy Friday. Plenty of equestrian fans were in attendance - some with their dogs, some with strollers and others ready to celebrate the event and start a long weekend.

When the last horse and rider combination left the arena, Germany's Bettina Hoy and Ringwood Cockatoo were sitting atop the leader board. This will carry them ahead of the pack into the always exciting cross-country phase on Saturday. It promises to be a day packed with exciting sport, record crowds and non-stop activity.

Eyes were waiting for a few riders in particular, including Bettina, Lucinda Fredericks and Headley Britannia and last year's return champions (and winners of the USET Foundation Pinnacle Cup) Phillip Dutton and Connaught.

Throughout the morning, no one came close to besting Holland's Tim Lips and his leading score of 42.0 posted on Thursday. That soon turned itself about once the afternoon competitors entered the arena. First up was Bettina.

It turned out to be the biggest excitement of the day. Ringwood Cockatoo, the stately 16-year-old grey gelding, carried his rider through the dressage test with foot-perfect precision and posted one of the best dressage-phase scores in the event's history.

The combination navigated through the test, displaying for their fans a truly masterful feat. After watching their performance, it was certain to smash the prior day's leading score of 42.0. But not even Bettina herself imagined what the judges would reward her - a score of 28.8! She looked perfectly shocked and utterly thrilled. It was pretty clear that no one was going to touch that score.

And they didn't.

Former Brit-turned-Aussie Lucinda Fredericks tried her darnedest to best Hoy, but it wasn't going to happen. That bar was a bit too high for the 2008 Olympic Team Silver medalist and Headley Britannia who posted a 32.3 score. But, it was a valiant effort for certain from the Malawi-born eventer. Strong across the board in the ring, the rider and mare now sits in second place heading into the cross-country phase.

Aussie-turned-American Phillip Dutton, who won the event last year, returned aboard Connaught to let everyone know he plans to repeat last year's thrilling victory. Among the last riders of the day, Phillip guided the 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding through the test to end on a score of 47.0 and a 10th-place finish. As one of the most decorated members of the Americans competing at this year's event, he will now have to depend on some misfortunate scores to bring him forth in the standings.

So Much to Do...

Jessica Harper, from the suburbs of St. Louis was in attendance. It's the fourth time she has made the trek across states to take part in the annual eventing competition and festival.

"Of all the shows I've been to, this has to be my favorite one," she said as she stood in front of newly opened outdoor arena. "Each year, my friends and I look forward to coming to Lexington, spending a long weekend and having the times of our lives."

The sentiment is widespread.

"I haven't ridden for years, and I still look forward to coming to the Horse Park each spring for the Rolex," said her friend. "Just coming to Lexington and being here makes you feel like you are at the center of the horse world. It's so exciting to be a part of it, and I love to visit and shop."

Ah...speaking of shopping. Now that's something in which I have a black belt.

Coming to the RK3DE without your credit card is not acceptable. There are far too many tempting offerings from the many vendors that cover the expansive shopping area. And if you are weak of heart, you had better gather your strengths before passing the Dubarry boot tent or entering the large official Rolex merchandise tent. It can be risky business. The Rolex tent is especially risky business when there is an unexpected markdown or some heavily-reduced items are brought out for the shopping masses to rip through. Don't be shocked at the fast hands and elbowing when it comes to getting the hot new item or last one of something in your size. It's madness. Kind of like the massive annual Barneys of New York sale. Scary stuff!

A very frustrated woman was just in front of me today in the Rolex merchandise tent. How do I say this? She was.... She was.... She was FAT. Okay, I said it. And so am I. So, I guess I shouldn't feel so bad to say it. It's just the way it is. I digress.

Anyway, she was complaining (much like I was in my internal monologue) that there weren't enough "ample size" offerings for sale. There were loads and loads of small, medium and even large sizes to be found. But what about us "big folks"? Was there nothing for us to spend our big bank accounts upon? I guess not.

Who ever is in charge of the Rolex merchandise tent is obviously blithely unaware that most of the population (for worse or whatever) is of "ample carriage." Right? Just look around and it's painfully obvious. No one needs a PhD to see that.

So, why is it that the person in charge of merchandise is so blindly turning away from a market that has deep pockets? Fat people like nice things, too, OK? I hope that person gets a big wake-up call and gets with the program! Stupid! Anyone who knows anything about retail knows that the large sizes sell. They are a guarantee sell! There are tons of big people. How many size 0 people are there? Huh? Not many! Those XS sizes will be the last to go. I'm not saying order a million bigger items...just more. Plus, it looked like they took what was left over from last year and threw it out and passed it off as new merchandise. And, serious, the color selection and variety of items was not good. Wake up Rolex merchandize people.

Now that I've vented...I'm more than ready to turn my attention to Saturday and the exciting cross-country action. Anything can happen in the sport of eventing and placings can change in the blink of an eye on cross-country day. Fingers are crossed that it will go smoothly and everyone will have a great day.

That's all for now!

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It's Rolex Time....

EQUESTRIANEditor — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:03:00 GMT

It has definitely been a busy week at the Kentucky Horse Park - even busier than usual this time of year. Not only has the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (RK3DE) come to town, but there was a special ceremony held before the jog on Wednesday.

The long-awaited new outdoor stadium was officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, preceded by lots of speeches and "thank yous." Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear was on-hand, along with his wife, Jane, who happens to be a longtime equestrian. John Nicholson, Executive Director of the Kentucky Horse Park, served as the host speaker and shared the story of the people who worked for the realization of the $25 million new stadium.

It really is impressive. It has over 7,000 permanent seats, plus it is adaptable to seat as many as 30,000 for huge shows and events. Plus, and super importantly, it has state-of-the-art footing which is the foundation for any world class facility. A German company named OTTO Sport und Reitzplatz GmbH installed it in the main arena, as well as the nearby warm-up area.

No one was forgotten in the program, and the large crowd that gathered then had an opportunity to tour the facility and see up close just how nice the arena turned out to be. From the hospitality area to the main stands to the VIP areas, it's a class act all the way and will bring a new sense of style and stature to the events that it serves.

To the Big Event....

Speaking of that, the first equestrian event it served was today's dressage phase of the RK3DE. The dressage phase of eventing isn't the most electrifying, high-energy thing, but when the dressage test is done brilliantly, it can be inspiring. I've always been a fan of the "fast and furious," so the cross-country and show jumping phases literally make my heart pound.

At the least, this dressage phase was officially the first competition to be held in the new arena, and makes this year's Rolex the first of the World Equestrian Games test events. Pretty cool.

The morning saw fans come from every corner of the country, all in pilgrimage. The diehard eventing fans want to catch as much of the tests as possible and they make it a point to be there when the very first rider enters the ring. The crowd develops across the morning and peaks with the return of action after lunch.

Speaking of lunch - that brings me to another of my favorite topics...food.

Yes, "atmosphere" is a big part of the RK3DE experience. And since I've been coming to this event for literally decades, the food court and vendors have continued in their development and growth. In fact, some people come to this event and never even see a horse unless it is formed in jewelry, painted on a canvas or screen-printed on a t-shirt. Nonetheless, it seems like everyone at one moment of the day or other, makes their way through the food court.

As far as the food goes, it is possible to get a healthy alternative to the deep-fried candy bars and nacho cheese drowned chips and fries. Last year was the first year I remember seeing what I call the salad stand. Simple in its appearance, it can produce a line of eager eaters a mile long and in a split second. Last year, I had no sooner got in line than I had 15 people walk up behind me to form a queue. I guess I got there as it just opened or the moon had aligned with Mars or something. Anyway, the salad was humungous (you had a choice of lettuces and greens), and it was loaded with your choice of accompaniments. Mine, of course, was drowned in bleu cheese dressing and croutons. I never said I was meaning to eat healthfully; I was just craving the toppings and didn't want to eat a hamburger or corndog. Price tag: $9. "Good" don't come cheap at the RK3DE.

The other treat I look forward to is the sweet fruit tea that is sold out of the crab cake stand. My allergy to shellfish prevents me from spending a fortune on the small, but delicious-looking sandwiches, so that is a good thing. But, I cannot resist their iced tea, and iced tea is pretty much the house wine of the South. I have been known to purchase one and revisit them for refills to the point of ridiculousness. I am a Southern boy, and we do love our iced tea.

Of course, you can find a plethora of other things to nosh on. Deep-fried Oreos sound like a sugar nightmare, but I have to admit I bought some last year with two friends. We each were so curious to try them, so we pitched in and shared an order. I have to admit that it was amazing. But, I can't imagine eating more than one. They are the stuff that fat kids dream of (and I would know as I was a sugar-gulping Pugsley). Of course, there are funnel cakes and waffle ice cream sandwiches and the more usual event-type fast foods.

Wow...I have a toothache from all that.

Back to the real action....

Before today's dressage began, two horses found themselves spun from the veterinary jog that took place yesterday. Sad as it was, Leith's mount, ESB Irish Doctrine, was found to be lame in his left hind. According to Ashley, the horse has never been lame in his left hind, and he looked really good earlier in the day. Imagine the frustration...but you have to do what is best for the horse. There is no other way to do it. Craig Thompson's mount, Orion, seemed to be suffering some problems with his right front and was withdrawn, too.

The eventers took to the arena beginning at 10 a.m. with Bruce Davidson, Jr., starting the competitors off. It was a beautiful cool morning, and as the day went on, it only got better. It seems like we may actually get through this year's competition without the sight of rain. That would be a very good thing.

The numbers for the first half of eventers putting down dressage scores were respectable, overall. This year's roster of riders is quite special as it contains quite a few foreign athletes that otherwise wouldn't come to the States except for Rolex.

And it was interesting that the foreign riders staked their claim by edging out their American counterparts and taking the top three positions after Day 1.

Dutchman Tim Lips and Concrex Oncarlos led with a score of 42.0, putting in a solid performance. The Brits brought up the second- and third-place spots (Oliver Townend aboard Carousel Quest and William Fox-Pitt and Navigator, respectively).

The lead U.S. rider was California's pairing of Jolie Sexson and Killian O'Connor who just so happen to be making the RK3DE debut this year. They showed their stuff and were able to earn a very respectable 47.3 score for their efforts.

The dressage phase of the RK3DE will conclude on Friday when the remaining half of the riders ride their test and post their scores. With temperatures firmly in the mid-80s and the forecast calling for gusting winds, it will be interesting to see who sits atop the leader board heading into Saturday's heavily anticipated cross-country competition.

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Horse Awards Galore at the 2008 USEF Annual Meeting

EQUESTRIANEditor — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Day Three of the USEF Annual Meeting in Cincinnati, OH, began with more breed and discipline meetings after a night of celebrating those members of the Performance Horse Registry during the Silver Stirrup Awards. After the awards let out, the hotel bars began to fill with revelers, none going to let an early day of meetings get in their way of enjoying their personal victories and raising glasses to toast their fellow winners.

However, the sun did rise early over a frozen downtown and the buzz of activity among the hallways of the Cincinnati Netherland Hilton soon got everyone's blood pumping. There is little time to waste at the Annual Meeting and every minute of the day is jam-packed with activity - many times overlapping itself.

One group that had wrapped up much of its work by this point was the Licensed Officials group that was very productive during its series of closed meetings. Their agenda included evaluations of approximately 130 applications for various licenses and programs. In addition, the committee reviewed new drafts of a number of proposed rule changes referred to the committee. A two-hour open meeting was held Thursday morning. Members of the committee were available to talk with any interested members about the function of the committee or issues regarding judges, stewards, technical delegates, and course designers. In addition, a yearend Licensed Officials Department report was available as a handout to those present. The discussions were both informative and valued.

After a luncheon, the afternoon sessions began and included several breed association meetings, a gathering of the Youth Sports committee, a closed session of the Legal Review committee, plus Legislative and Technical committees. It's simply impossible to attend every meeting, so it's not odd to see attendees jutting in and out of various sessions to try to keep their fingers on the pulse of what's happening as best as they can.

But, if there was one event on Friday that had everyone's attention, it was hands-down the exciting Horse of the Year Awards. It's the annual celebration where the general membership of the Federation - some 90,000+ strong - are honored in every possible Federation breed and discipline from Andalusians to Western riding. It is easily the highlight of the year for those competing in USEF-sanctioned shows, and it is their time to step onto the stage under the bright lights and receive their awards and enter the equestrian pantheon of those great riders and athletes that have come before them. The range of emotions is amazing and the energy in the large beautifully decorated hall is palpable.

Another exciting event is the naming of the one horse, among the thousands competing in competition during the previous year, as the 2008 Farnam/Platform USEF Horse of the Year.

Five candidates were in the running in 2008, including: Adams Fire (a Half-Arabian owned by Starline Arabians, LLC); Dante FQ (a Friesian owned by Friesian Quest, LLC); Flexible (an Irish stallion/jumper owned by Harry and Mollie Chapman); Jamaica (a driving, Dutch Warmblood owned by Chester C. Weber); and Tiziano (a Dutch Warmblood hunter owned by Stone Hill Farm).

At the end of the night, Chris Jacobi (of Farnam) and David O'Connor made the exciting announcement that Jamaica was named the 2008 Horse of the Year.

Jamaica, the foundation of Weber's four-in-hand team is a 17-year-old Dutch gelding. What's so remarkable about the horse's story is that he was saved from a trip to the slaughter house. The horse made its way to Weber's farm.

The winner of the top Horse of the Year award became a part of Weber's team and lead the driver (along with three other horses) to success at the 2008 FEI World Four-in-Hand Driving Championships in Holland, bringing home to Individual Silver medal - the highest ever for an American driving team.

"The horse is amazing," said Weber after receiving his trophy from Jacobi and O'Connor. "It is great to be part of his life."

In addition to the performance in Holland, Jamaica was also a part of all six of Weber's Four-in-Hand National Championship teams.

Tomorrow - Saturday - holds even more award programs. The first will be the presentation of the USEF Media Awards, along with the annual recognition of international athletes in attendance during the Athlete Recognition luncheon.

Later in the evening, after the last of the many breed and discipline meetings, will be the final and anticipated "big event" - the 2008 Pegasus Awards where the stars of the equestrian world will shine and the highest Federation awards for athletes and those involved in the industry will be presented. Included will be the Equestrian of the Year, the Junior Equestrian of the Year, and the highest honor - the USEF Lifetime Achievement Award.

To learn more about the happening at the USEF Annual Meeting, you can go to www.ClubEquestrian.com and watch videos and read more.

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The Breeds and Board Spoke, Plus “The Winner Is…” at the USEF Annual Meeting

EQUESTRIANEditor — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 02:15:00 GMT

The momentum that began on Wednesday continued through and picked up pace on Thursday at the USEF Annual Meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio. The day was filled with breed-specific meetings in addition to a Budget & Finance Committee meeting and the big event of the afternoon - the USEF Board of Directors meeting.

But, it wasn't a day of all debate and counterpoints.

The USEF Board of Directors first of three meetings took place and it serves as the seating of the new board members, establishment of new committees and the beginning of a new year of work.

USEF President David O'Connor presided over the last seating of the 2008 board, and oversaw the changing of the guard as new board members were elected and working groups were aligned and chairs chosen.

O'Connor was quick to thank the staff of USEF for its work over the last year. He noted several areas in which he and the board felt the staff had excelled, including the Customer Care Call Center, the Drugs & Medications Program and the improvements made in the Federation's hearing process.

In the arena of sports performance, he first praised the second consecutive Olympic Gold medal earned by Team USA's show jumping squad. He also mentioned many of the various high-performance and national champions that brought so much pride to Team USA's overall efforts.

O'Connor moved on to address the Federation's budget and what he called a "need for practical optimism." With economic hardships facing so many individuals and organizations, this common sense approach is key. He feels we must optimistically look ahead in regards to specific proposed programs, knowing some will be curtailed in light of economic stresses.

After the two-hour-plus meeting, it was time for a much-deserved Happy Hour and the first of a series of exciting and fun award programs roll out with the presentation of the Silver Stirrup Awards.

When The Jockey Club, the breed registry for all Thoroughbreds in North America, launched the Performance Horse Registry (PHR) in 1994, many Thoroughbred owners "raced" to register their horses in what would become known as the first centralized database in North America to combine pedigree and performance records of Thoroughbreds and half-Thoroughbreds, documenting the influence of the breed in events away from the track.

And, it was in 1994 that the first Silver Stirrup Awards were presented in an effort to recognize, reward and promote excellence in the sport.

Two years later, the PHR expanded its record-keeping scope and built a comprehensive database to include the entire sport horse industry. Despite the organization's youth, the PHR's early years revealed sires and broodmare sires which were producing successful sport horses on a consistent basis.

In 2004, the PHR merged with the USEF, and is now considered an official branch of the National Governing Body. With the move, the registry became the Federation's source for sport horse breeding. All breeds are now eligible for registration with the PHR in an effort to develop a comprehensive database of pedigrees and breeding influence on the sport horse world.

In addition, the Silver Stirrup Awards continue to recognize performances of PHR horses at all levels of competition in every major discipline, including widespread recognition in dressage and eventing. The program also recognizes leading sires, owners and breeders. Once registered with the PHR, a horse may be nominated for inclusion in the awards program on an annual or a lifetime basis.

Following the formal seated dinner and live musical accompaniment, emcee Charlotte Skinner announced the awards for those who were in attendance, as USEF's Executive Director Lori Rawls handed out the prizes and share in photos with the well-deserved winners.

Tomorrow - Friday - is yet another day of meetings and the awarding of the coveted Horse of the Year awards. Sponsored by Farnam/Platform, five special nominees will vie for the ultimate prize of the year - the 2008 Farnam/Platform Horse of the Year Award.

And, for the first time, you can find video highlights from the Annual Meeting and award programs - exclusively - at ClubEquestrian.com!

To learn more about the USEF Annual Meeting, visit www.usef.org.

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A Big Chill Welcomes a Big Event: The 2009 USEF Annual Meeting

EQUESTRIANEditor — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:14:00 GMT

Not even record-breaking cold weather could stop the fast pace and high energy found at the downtown Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza as the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) kicked off its annual gathering of breeds and disciplines in a five-day series of conferences, presentations, board meetings and fantastic and highly-anticipated award ceremonies. In short, once the first meeting began on Wednesday morning, it will prove to be a marathon experience for the movers-and-shakers and Federation members who have come to “River City” to take part.

The United States Hunter Jumper Association held a day-long meeting from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, but the real spectrum of meetings took off promptly at 8 a.m. today with the Equine Drugs & Medications and Licensed Officials committee meetings. USEF President David O’Connor was on-hand to speak to the International Equestrian Federation’s National Joint Meeting, sharing his own personal vision and thoughts.

I happen to be staying on the same floor in the hotel as David, so we shared a 20-plus floor elevator ride down to the busy land of meetings and forums early this morning.

“Are you ready?” he asked me, smiling and carrying a thick stack of papers and agendas. I replied with a grin, “Ready or not…here we go!”

As the morning progressed, the registration area was busy with the process of welcoming attendees that will participate in meetings and events not scheduled for today. USEF’s Director of Events, Ilse Dehner, possesses some sort of superpower as is evidenced by the incredible number of tasks she single-handedly performs – all at the same time.

That sums up the spirit of the Annual Meeting in a way. It’s an event that is months in the planning with countless hours of work by staff, committees and organizers to get everything just right. And then, once it starts, it rolls like a massive freight train. For the uninitiated, it might seem like a three-ring circus. And at times, it really does feel like it. There are overlapping and extended meetings across the five days. If you want to be at the pulse of equestrian sport administrative and awards action – this would be the place to be.

“Things are going well…at a smooth, steady pace right now,” she said of the registration process. She is truly an asset to the Federation and all attendees at the Annual Meeting.

A new addition to the registration area is the fresh and revamped line of official USEF merchandise. Sporting the Federation’s new sleek logo, the line hosts a wonderful collection of very smart shirts (from long- and short-sleeve polo shirts) to embroidered jackets, scarves, neckties and hats. There are also etched glassware sets available.

After a box lunch that provided lots of delicious sandwiches (I chose the curried tuna with arugula, raisins, almonds wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla…delicious), more meetings filled the afternoon, led by the NCAA meeting. There was also a series of forums (International Rules, General and All-Breed), and then it was finally time for fun and relaxation as the day wound down with the two-hour Welcome Reception.

The host hotel has already served as the location of the Annual Meeting a few years ago. The location has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior, and it continues to receive acclaim as one of the finest examples of French Art Deco architecture in existence. It’s a perfect place for a party, and tonight was no exception. The libations poured, the food proved to be excellent and friends old and new enjoyed a chance to kickback and gather their collective strength for tomorrow’s packed schedule. For anyone with a penchant for fine cheeses and sweets, it was a moment for decadence. I have officially consumed a toxic amount of Manchego (a Spanish sheep milk aged cheese) and brie.

The Annual Meeting is great because this event may be the only chance you have to see special friends made over the years. Each year serves as a time to come together and share in our mutual passion for horses and horse sport regardless of breed or discipline.

With the first official day of meetings at a close, the many attendees of the Annual Meeting are prepping for yet another long day of meetings and working groups. Of note on the agenda is the first of three USEF Board of Director meetings, which are always very interesting to attend, plus the first in a series of fun award programs. The Silver Stirrup Awards, presented by the Performance Horse Registry, will be handed out tomorrow night.

To learn more about the USEF Annual Meeting, visit www.usef.org.

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Things I Will Miss About Hong Kong

EQUESTRIANEditor — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 06:11:00 GMT

After three weeks in one of the world’s most vibrant cities, I’ve come to a few conclusions during my stay in amazing Hong Kong. I’ll get to those in a moment.

Typhoon Nuri is now a thing of the past, however, it left more than 18,000 passengers stranded at the airport as of noon Saturday. Many of them will find their ways onto airplanes, but others will not. Cathay Pacific Airways seems to be the hardest hit, with passengers showing up at 5 a.m. to get on flights that had yet to leave as of sundown.

I’m hoping my Sunday midnight flight to Seoul, Korea, and then on to Tokyo, Japan, are all in order. The extra layovers reduced my ticket price, so I booked it to save a few bucks. We’ll see if it is a headache or not. As much as I love Hong Kong (I had no idea I would enjoy the city as much as I have), I really am missing home and my family and friends. It sometimes take a nice long trip like this to realize just how much their craziness, problems and pains are a part of you, and you miss those things. Strange, isn’t it?

Yesterday, I spent most of the day walking around. It was the most beautiful and comfortable day over the last three weeks. There was a great breeze and the humidity (for the first time in three weeks) didn’t kill me the minute I walked out the door. I actually got several blocks from the hotel before I broke a sweat.

I walked, and walked, and walked. For five hours, I walked up-and-down the streets of Hong Kong, taking photos and stopping for the occasional bit of A/C in a nice shop. I even got kicked out of one Chinese store for taking photos. That was kind of fun. Made me feel like paparazzi or something.

I also finally succumbed to the many hawkers for tailor-made clothes, and I went into a shop and had two linen shirts ordered.

“They will be delivered to the hotel tonight, sir,” said the man from Bangladesh.

How can they make them that fast?! I picked out the material, was measured and the gentleman assured me they would be delivered by the end of the evening. They were.

I went to Hollywood Street on Hong Kong Island - the place is like an open-air flea market where you can find antiques, the odd item and things you’d not find in the more Western stores in Kowloon. Despite the urge to spend every last Hong Kong dollar, I withheld and did not purchase things that I couldn’t get home or carry onto the airplane. Leaving Brazil last fall, I looked like a refugee carrying bags and boxes and rolled up hand-painted canvases into the airport in Rio de Janeiro. I will do better this time.

Now to my list.

I thought hard about this, decided to do a list (as I usually do) before leaving my new-found home away from home.

This list will be the “Things I Will Miss About Hong Kong.”

It goes a little something like this...

I will miss walking a hundred paces to find the most amazing authentic Chinese food you can find. At home, it means a car ride, and then you get the American version - which is NOT authentic Chinese food. Even if a nice Chinese couple that emigrated to American prepared it. The ingredients are different. Maybe it’s something in the water, or the wok or the air. It’s just different - trust me on this one. I’ve eaten a LOT of Chinese food here.

I will miss screwing up the jukebox at my new favorite local pub here in Kowloon. I can’t seem to make the darn thing play the songs I want to play. But, some Chinese song always plays that seems to get everyone up on their feet and dancing and clinking mugs and raising glasses. I guess I should not complain, but I really wanted to hear a favorite song in English. Oh well, I guess that is why I have an I-Pod.

I will miss the very nice and welcoming people. How often do you walk into a pub or anywhere and you have someone talking to you and you feel like you have a new buddy within two minutes? Not many places. And I’ve been to plenty of them. I’ve met people here in Hong Kong that I feel like I know better than people I have known in the States for six months! Super friendly and sincere. This has left a big impression on me - but, then again, I’ve spent lots of time among the “common Hong Kong” citizens. I’ve made it a point to go to places and talk to people who are not English or Western, and it has paid off in a wonderful cultural experience I will never, ever forget. Actually, most places I have frequented have been “homeland” spots - 95% Hong Kong or Chinese and it has been a blast. I’m so glad I chose this path. It has taught me so much about this country and people. And, thankfully, they speak much better English than I speak Putonghua (a local dialect) or Cantonese.

I will miss the ever-popular red taxi. They are everywhere - just like the yellow cabs in New York City. But, the great thing is that here in Hong Kong the taxi rides are very inexpensive. The same ride that would cost you $20 in the U.S. will cost you less than half that amount here. Incredible.

Perhaps most of all I will miss the Olympic experience. It only happens every four years, and it is the one event in the world (with maybe the exception of soccer’s World Cup) that brings together almost every country on the planet. It’s really a fascinating and memorable adventure. Sure, there are crazy schedules and deadlines and never enough time to see or speak to everyone you want to, but there is nothing else like it. I’m so lucky to get to attend these events. I can guarantee you the experience is not lost on me.

I’ll also miss the chance to bump into these world-class athletes, share a taxi ride, hang out with them for a bit and just chat about things - equestrian and otherwise. It’s great to see them out of their sporting environment and attire.

Things I Will Not Miss...

The chips bags. To get into a bag of chips in Hong Kong, you must have a left-handed monkey wrench. Or a blow torch. Or a diamond-tipped drill. Seriously. They are CHIPS…they are not the Crown Jewels. Give us a break. I have almost chipped my teeth on a sealed bag of chips purchased from the 7-11 (and there is one on every street corner here). I guess the Chinese and Hong Kong folks take freshness o f their chips to a new level!

I will not miss the Indian folks who hawk tailor-made clothing and “genuine” duplicate watches - such as Rolex, etc. - on the streets. They will follow you for blocks if you don’t shut them down quick. If I hear the words, “Hello, big boss!” one more time, I might lose it.

I will not miss the humidity. I do not care what anyone else has to say about it not being hot and humid here. You can walk down the streets at 4 a.m. in the morning and still be drenched in sweat in one block. I’ll probably go home to a heat wave - my luck.

In closing...

Thanks to all the blog readers out there. The response has been great - and from all over the place. I hope I get the chance to do another one from some neat and exciting place sometime soon.

I hope you have enjoyed my insights and stories and tales from Asia. Blogging them has helped me solidify these memories - memories that will last a lifetime.

If you’d like to, e-mail me at bsosby@usef.org, and let me know your thoughts - or just to say “Hello!” I’d love to hear from you.

For the last time...from Hong Kong, China, and the 2008 Olympic Games - that’s all folks!

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Whew...and That’s the Way It Was

EQUESTRIANEditor — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:18:00 GMT

The equestrian portion of the Olympic Games are now over - well, maybe. Seems there is the topic of doping control, which will takes days to complete and all the finals results be known. But, for as much as the daily trips to Sha Tin and the equestrian venue, my work is done.

A flight with horses supposed to leave this morning was postponed last night due to Typhoon Nuri which is centered about 45 miles off the cost of Hong Kong Island as I type. Supposedly, it is going to leave about 24 hours later as a precautionary measure. Good thinking.

The airport is probably a zoo right now. I’ve not been there, but whenever there is a Signal 8 raised, it tends to make things there a little hectic. I heard journalists last night at the media center long after midnight say that their flights were already seriously delayed - by as much as 24 hours. I’m just hoping my midnight Sunday flight is a go. I love Hong Kong, but I do miss the beautiful rolling hills and laidback vibe that is my hometown in Kentucky.

Last night was a lot of fun. I took the bus from the venue to Sha Tin metro station. Sitting behind me on the bus, talking on the telephone, was someone who looked very familiar. I turned around to find Brazilian show jumper Rodrigo Pessoa wearing his green and yellow team shirt and shorts. Cool.

A new buddy, another fun taxi ride.

The bus arrived and instead of taking the subway to the hotel, I decided to treat myself to a $15 taxi ride to the hotel. After all, the competition was over and I wanted to get back to my room, change and maybe go out and walk around a bit, maybe find a friendly “Cheers” type bar to venture into and mix with the locals.

Walking to the taxi at the metro stop, I noticed there was only one waiting for a passenger. Ten paces behind me was Rodrigo and a lovely blonde girl with him and I overheard them say, “Oh no, no more taxis.” Before my taxi pulled off, I stopped the driver and rolled down the window. “Are you guys heading downtown to Kowloon?” I asked.

Rodrigo said, “Yes, we are, may we share your taxi?

“Of course, Rodrigo, jump in,” I replied.

After brief introductions, we began a great conversation about the night and jumping competition.. I asked him about his plan of attack, and he was very forthcoming about his thoughts on the courses, the competition and the final results. He also asked me about what I did and all about the 2010 WEG that is coming to the Kentucky Horse Park. The conversation then led to Kentucky and our international reputation for fine bourbon and race horses.

It was a great 20 minute taxi ride and I feel like I made a new buddy. He was super interested in our conversation and it was a really fun way to end my last venture from the competition venue - with one of the world’s most celebrated show jumpers.

Rodrigo and his friend were staying directly across the street from me, so our taxi driver dropped us off right between the two hotels. Then came the scramble to see who would pay for the fare.

“Rodrigo, let me,” I said. “It’s been so much fun chatting with you.”

“No, I pay, I insist, Brian,” he replied. So, I let him pay, but insisted that drinks were on me.

It was a fun night and for a die-hard show jumping fan, it was a great memory - yet another one of the dozens and dozens that I’ve formed while here in Hong Kong.

Another memory is being awaken this morning - rather early - by the hotel staff. They came into my room and put masking tape on the large glass window that overlooks Victoria Harbour. I didn’t quite know what to think about that.

Not the best wake-up call.

“Signal #8 now, but soon to be raised,” the very nice and very short lady said. She turned over my metal wastepaper basket to stand on it to adhere the masking tape.

“You must keep window curtains closed today in case of injury,” she said as she left.

HUH?! I just heard on the TV that the Signal #9 was just raised. It is the first time since 2000 that a Signal #9 has been issued in the territory. So far, 190 flights have been completely cancelled at Hong Kong Airport. I'm glad I'm not waiting there!

Flying debris? Let’s hope not.

E-mails, catching up on some writing and going through piles of paperwork from the media center are on my agenda today. Plus, if the shops are open later, I want to go to the Gentleman’s Market and see if I can pick up a few inexpensive (but nice) gifts for a few friends back home. I was thinking of taking the train into Mainland China today, but with ol’ Nuri messing things up, that might have to wait for another day.

We’ll see.

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What Do You “Need”?

EQUESTRIANEditor — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:22:00 GMT

After checking in with the folks in the team office downstairs, I decided that it might be a good idea to go through the underground maze that is downtown Kowloon and make my way across the street to the New World Centre - a huge shopping complex many stories underground, right next to the harbor. With a typhoon on its way, I wanted to stock up on some things, just in case it really arrives. Some have their doubts. I noticed they were already taking down the equestrian figures that had been a part of the large display above the storefront. Kind of a bummer.

After trying two ATMs that did not want to give me Hong Kong dollars, I finally found one that would work. Thank goodness. I was down to my last $35HK and that won’t get you too far around these parts.

I headed straight for one of Hong Kong’s popular supermarkets (inside the underground mall) called Needs. And the name is very fitting, because it holds almost anything you could possibly need. As I walked into the store, there was sign obviously displayed on a large easel - Signal 3. It’s on the way - Typhoon Nuri.

Walking up and down the countless aisles of Needs, I found so many things. I was like a kid in a candy shop. Things for the home like a butter tray that dissects your stick of butter in perfectly proportioned bits - perfect for spreading. I think the Chinese like order in every sense of the word - even in butter. I had to purchase it, there was only one left. Obviously, a popular item for the well-kept Chinese home.

The liquor section sent me into a panic. I wanted to buy some bottles to bring home to friends, but if I get typhooned-in tomorrow, I might break down and pop open these bottles in place of raiding my well-stocked mini-bar. I’ve tried my best to be good - and I’ve done pretty good so far.

After learning about the upcoming Moon Festival, I remembered that I wanted to buy Moon Cakes - a super popular thing here in Hong Kong (and China). There are billboards and ads for them in every subway, and I knew it would be bad to leave here without some of them. A box of four standard size Moon Cakes costs about 250$HK - or about $35US. Not cheap - but it’s a holiday thing here, so I guess they get you on having to have them. I bought a tin of them for a gift for someone special at home (who has a very big sweet tooth and will love trying these exotic pastries). I also bought some pineapple cakes, bottles of water, juice, chips and a few other little nibbly-bits to tide me over for a day or so.

As I was standing in the beverage department, I noticed that the cost of a Heineken beer was $8HK (about a little more than a 1$US), while a Budweiser (ugh) was $14HK (or $2US). That made me laugh. After all, I guess it costs more to import an American beer to China than a Dutch one.

I stopped in the Vienna Café before coming home and treated myself to a coconut iced coffee, which was incredible. I’ve been off the coffee for some time (tea is the main drink here) and the caffeine has my blood pumping for sure. Hence this quick entry into the old blog.

I sat next to a couple from Germany that was here to support one of their country’s teammates. They mentioned the possibility of rain for tonight, but we all agreed that we would all think good thoughts and stave off the clouds.

Well, it’s almost time to get ready, pack up the laptop and head off on the train to the media center to take in the final night of show jumping and wrap-up the equestrian portion of these Olympic Games.

No rain yet, but the large armbands of Typhoon Nuri looks like they are coming this way. The sky over Hong Kong Island is getting rather gray and cloudy, which means raindrops are on their way. I’m hoping the jumpers get over the course before the sky breaks loose.

But, maybe this typhoon thing will hold off completely and swing in a different direction altogether. I’m keeping hope alive.

Go Team USA!

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Typhoon #2 - Here Comes Nuri

EQUESTRIANEditor — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:44:00 GMT

Well, the Olympic Games here in Hong Kong experienced a typhoon named Kummari the opening week, and it looks like we are going to go out with a bang as the equestrian events close in Hong Kong with another typhoon - this one is named Nuri.

Typhoons are no laughing matter here in this part of Asia. This particular typhoon swept over the Philippines and left people dead. And, it’s headed right for Hong Kong - on a beeline.

The Hong Kong Observatory - the source for the latest weather news in Hong Kong - raised the Signal 1 yesterday. They have said they are raising the Signal 3 this afternoon. After that, that leaves only 8, 9 and 10. You really don’t want to be outside involved in any of them.

The cleaning staff just came by my room and the very nice lady said to expect a Signal 8 sometime tonight. Possibly more. This look like a strong one coming our way.

I’m hoping we can get through the final night of show jumping tonight. I would hate to see the horses out there in the middle of a rainstorm, fighting for a medal. Perhaps, if the strong winds and rains get here early enough, they will postpone until tomorrow the final leg of Olympic competition? Who knows yet. We will wait and see.

I tried to change my flight to come home a few days early since things have gone so great here. Looking at the weather five or six days ago, there was no cause for thinking another typhoon would roll over Hong Kong and the venue. But, weather is a forecast - not a perfect picture of what is to come. Sometimes, you have to just wait and see how storms and weather patterns develop. Looks like this one is turning out to be an unwelcome one at that.

When the Signal 8 is raised, things shut down. Transportation. Schools. Businesses. Events. It sort of grinds to a halt. A Signal 9 and 10, well, it means batten-down the hatches and hold on.

Since the airports shut down too (people were delayed a long time when the last typhoon rolled through), changing my ticket would have turned out to be a futile effort. Looks like we’re in for some interesting weather for the next day or two.

More to come as it develops. Cross your fingers for a successful and exciting (not weather wise!) night of show jumping where several Americans are poised to end up on the medal podium.

It would be a great way to end Team USA’s Olympic effort - more medals.

Let’s hope Mother Nature is a big fan of Team USA!

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Biting My Tongue

EQUESTRIANEditor — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:59:00 GMT

Tuesday night was the final night of dressage. The American hopeful for a medal was none other than Steffen Peters and Ravel. But, as it turned out, they landed in fourth place, just one place off the medal podium. I have to admit, I was bummed.

I wasn’t bummed with Steffen and Ravel’s performance. That made me smile the whole way through.

First of all his music for the Kur was great - who can’t help but smile when you see Steffen lead Ravel around the dressage ring to the Rolling Stone’s “Sympathy for the Devil”? It was awesome!

I especially thought that the opening line to that classic song - “Please allow me to introduce myself. I’m a man of wealth and taste” was classic!

Of course, the rest of the song’s lyrics tell a different story altogether. But, Ravel looked like a handsome devil, in deed, during his Kur.

From the Stones, it went into an oldie from the 80s one-hit wonder band - Men Without Hats - and their smash hit “The Safety Dance.”

I couldn’t help but tap my foot to the techno beat and watch with a huge grin as Steffen and Ravel entertained the crowd at Sha Tin.

But, a medal just wasn’t meant to be…and if you ask me…it was unjust.

Dressage can be a very frustrating sport when it comes to scoring. The international panel of judges have their own perspective. And, in the end, you have to deal with what their eyes see and what they have to say about a person’s performance. It’s not like show jumping where you either keep the rails up and make the time or not. With dressage, it’s tricky business. And I was sorely disappointed with what happened to Steffen and Ravel. I really think they deserved the Bronze medal.

I rarely speak out and say I think a judge needs a new pair of glasses - or better yet a new attitude. Or that they should not be a judge. Or that they were unfair.

But, I’m having to bite my tongue right now. And I’m not the only one, I’m sure of that. Questions of the judges during the following press conference were pointed and, at times, blunt. And the press core (many of us) were none to happy with the strange responses one judge, in particular, left with us.

I think this kind of mystical scoring hurts dressage and really frustrates spectators and fans alike. There needs to be some kind of system in place (such as was instituted in figure skating) that better defines accurate judging. Throw out the high and low score and deal with the remains. It would be much more accurate in my mind.

However, Steffen Peters showed a level of dignity and class - as he always does. He is a true attribute to the U.S. team and a class act. There’s no arguing that point.

He represented his country with style and great dignity. No complaints. Just hard work and lots of heart.

It’s been something that I’ve seen in many of the events that have happened at these Olympics Games. I’ve watched other athletes whose Olympic medal dreams slipped from their fingers go over and congratulate the ultimate winner. That’s what these Games are about. And, in the majority, its been in abundance.

I guess the test of someone’s character really shows in moments like this - when they don’t get what they want, but they are graceful in defeat. It’s an important lesson that we’ve all been reminded of.

Thanks, Steffen, for a job VERY well done!

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Sing, Sing A Song...

EQUESTRIANEditor — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:29:00 GMT

Last night I had the most memorable taxi ride of my life.

Show jumping was thrilling, and the U.S. team rose to the occasion and made the country super proud by charging across the tricky and technical courses to seal the deal on bringing home a Gold medal. It was brilliant.

I was on a high, and after the press conference, I headed out the door to the bus to get to the metro. For some reason I still can’t figure out, the buses were moving slower than molasses. I finally got to the metro, and it was already much later than I hoped it would be. So, with a bit of cash in my pocket, I decided to treat myself to a cool taxi ride home instead of dealing with the metro.

Here is where the fun began.

Instead of walking up the long, sloped sidewalk to the Sha Tin metro entrance, I crossed the path of the many buses lined up and jumped in the first taxi I saw. Immediately, I noticed the gentleman turned down his music that was playing.

“Nathan Road and Mody Road - downtown Kowloon, thank you,” I said to him.

“Yes,” he replied, nodding his head, knowing exactly where I wanted to go.

I noticed he hadn’t turned his music back on, and since I was in a great mood and my I-Pod battery was dry at the press center, I told him to turn the music back on, if he wanted to.

“You like music?” he asked me, turning the radio back on - it was on 100.2 FM, I noticed. I wasn’t sure what kind of channel this was. I really didn’t care as long as it wasn’t opera - which tends to give me a headache. I was hoping for something upbeat.

What I got was a whole lot more. This station turned out to be some sort of “oldies” channel - a weird mix of 40s, 50s and 60s.

“Please release me, let me go!” sang the crooner on the radio, loudly at that. My new friend-in-music didn’t hesitate when I said turn the music on. Since I had told him I liked music, he must have thought I meant loud, as well (which I do).

After a second, I realized this was the one and only 60s smooth operator - Engelbert Humperdinck. I couldn’t help but start laughing. That would be the first of many to follow on my 20 minute ride through the lights and tunnels of Hong Kong.

I couldn’t help but hum along with the old tune, knowing it from wherever it found its way into my musical vocabulary. And, as if my humming was a cue, my taxi driver burst out into song!

“…For I don’t love you…anymore!” he sang, in a thick Cantonese accent, not quite getting the pronunciation correct, but knowing each word by heart!

I was floored. I sat there for a second, thinking I was on Hong Kong’s version of “Candid Camera,” another blast from the past.

And it kept on coming. I continued to hum (not knowing the complete lyrics) and he continued to sing, full-throttle, until the very last word of the song.

I burst into immediate applause when he finished. He looked in his rearview mirror and said, “I thank you very much, sir!” This guy was one-of-a-kind. I had yet to meet anyone like him in Hong Kong over the last two weeks. I doubt I’ll ever meet anyone like him again.

I laughed so hard I thought I would cry. This was turning out to be the best taxi ride of my life. Who would have thought I would get into the taxi of the King of Hong Kong karaoke?!

A commercial came on - in Cantonese - after the song. I couldn’t help but wonder if he would be moved into singing when the music returned.

He had.

From the first notes, I knew the song. It was one of the world’s most famous holiday songs, and I was stunned that I was hearing it, in the back of a Hong Kong taxi, in the middle summer.

“White Christmas” by Bing Crosby.

This song holds a special place in my heart. And I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard this song, surrounded by my family at Christmastime. If the earlier song hadn’t been such a laugh riot, I probably would have teared up and cried. While this trip has been that of a lifetime, there is nothing like missing your family, especially when there are hard times at home. This was also a favorite song of my Dad, who I miss very much, since his passing.

“I’m dreaming of a white Christmas,” began the song. “Just like the ones I used to know.”

A lump formed in my throat. My taxi driver sang the song with heart and soul. I don’t even know if he celebrates Christmas, but you would have had no doubts if you have been beside me in the back seat. I was suddenly in a totally different mind frame and world.

I knew this song, and I didn’t let one note or word go unsung.

Another commercial followed that Yuletide great. A good thing, too. I needed a moment to refocus, compose and remember where I was. Right…headed back to the hotel for a cool shower and place to prop up my feet.

After the commercial played out, it was back to more music. And the twists and turns this radio station made were as sharp and out-of-left-field as the ones my driver was making through the maze that is Hong Kong.

The next song began….

“What’s new pussycat? Whoa, whoa, whoa!”

I thought I would fall into the floor of the backseat of the taxi.

The Karaoke King knew every single word of this song, too. And, I must admit, I knew a line or two myself.

I couldn’t help it or hold back. I joined in song, once more, bringing me back from my solemn and emotion-filled prior number.

“Pussycat, Pussycat, I've got flowers, and lots of hours to spend with you!” we both sang, he much better than me. I laughed so hard I could barely form words. He was having the time of his life…and so was I. He must have thought I was a record producer, and he was auditioning for “American Idol.”

He gave it his all. Line after line, chorus, refrain. It was a taxi ride that went on for about 20 minutes, but I would not have cared it he had driven around for an hour. I was having a blast. It was like something out of a screwball movie about going to Asia.

It was brilliant. I will never, ever forget it.

We arrived at my hotel, and I paid him the fare. And, of course, I gave him a generous tip. I told him that was the very best taxi ride I had ever had, and I hoped he had a very good night.

“Thank you very much, sir. You practice and sing better,” he laughed.

I smiled back at him and shook my head, knowing my vocal limitations.

Walking into the hotel, through the lobby and up to the room, I couldn’t get the songs out of my head. I had to go immediately to my desk and grab a piece of paper and write down the songs before I forgot them. I knew I had to share this story.

I guess it’s appropriate that tonight’s event is the musical freestyle in the Olympics final and deciding night of which horse-and-rider combination will take home the Individual medals in dressage.

And if any one of the athletes uses a song I sang last night, I know it will be an omen.

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