They used to call it Rolex. Now they call it Land Rover or simply, Kentucky. But they’ve always called it the “best weekend all year” and you can never go wrong with that name, it’s just too true. By the end of April, winter finally starts to release its grasp on the Northeast, and no matter what the calendar tells me, I don’t feel like it’s really spring until the last weekend of April, when I make my annual pilgrimage to the bluegrass state, where there are foals galore and the greenest, lushest grass.
It could be the best weekend all year simply for the joy of spending a weekend in the horse capital of the world with my horse girl friends, drinking bourbon and microbrews, shopping for horse things and talking about horse things. But the competitor in me is always thrilled about the event itself–North America’s only 5* three-day event drawing top riders and Olympians from around the world. Now, I am not an event rider–never was and I never will be. But I can appreciate that there is something really special about these horses and riders to be able to be so versatile–to pull off the precision of a dressage test and go gallop for 12 minutes across hilly terrain and jump 30 downright terrifying solid obstacles the very next day. Oh, and don’t forget being fit enough to jump stadium the day after that on a horse smart enough to know not to touch these fences…
Certainly eventing is not everyone’s cup of tea (or as a friend likes to say, “why do I want to watch riders who suck at three disciplines?”) and like any sport, it has its flaws. But for me, it’s a lesson in how to be tough as nails, how to fight for something you really want, and how to dig deep when everything is going wrong. You can see all of that on display in a single trip around the cross country course, where it’s not just the physical demands on the horse and rider, but the mental focus and split second decision making. British rider Piggy French had an unfortunate slip around a turn on her WEG gold medal horse, Quarrycrest Echo, and the pair almost went down. In a heart stopping save, no one falls, she trots off for a few moments to make sure her horse is sound and kicks on towards the next fence. Halfway around the course, they have an awkward landing into the water and for a second you think she’s headed for long route or making a circle to compose herself. But no, she knows if she points her horse at the flags, he will jump, and they are clear out of the water. With all of those near-catastrophes, she finishes with just a few time penalties, jumps clear on Sunday, and winds up in fourth place. If that’s not determination and grace under pressure, I don’t know what is.
Sure, Michael Jung has made it look like an extended hunter derby in past years, but the beauty in that is knowing how unbelievably hard he has to work day in day out, year after year, building partnerships with each of his horses to have that level of trust and skill to make it look that easy. That’s the other aspect I am so inspired by in attending this event year after year: just the massive amount of work it takes to get a horse fit enough and skilled enough to qualify for a 5*, and the monumental effort to get a horse and his entire team to that event, then to wait and hope and pray that nothing goes wrong over 3 days of competition. I can only imagine the heartbreak when a lost shoe, a lunging accident, an unlucky fall, or roughly eight million other potential glitches derail that dream. But year after year, those that can show up and try again. I’m inspired by the riders who have made a handful of trips with the same horse and feel like it’s a testament to brilliant horsemanship to see a 17-year-old horse tackling that track and finishing with pricked ears.
Last but not least, don’t forget the fairy tales. I know the best riders are still mounted on the best horses and are funded by big name sponsors but… it’s not out of the ordinary for an OTTB to wind up on the American team at the Pan Ams or the Olympics or the WEG. You’re never going to see that happen in dressage or show jumping. “Ordinary” horses just won’t cut it in those disciplines. But in eventing, you will see tears at the joy when a rider completes cross country on a horse they’ve bred and trained themselves. And stories like that of Chris Talley, the highest placed youngest rider at this year’s event, who finished on a 10 year old he found on the track and is proud to share his love and adoration of his partner. I admire the eventers for their devotion to a sport that relies on a horse’s heart and intelligence, showing all of us that dreams do come true and diamonds in the rough do exist.
So three cheers, eventers! I may not want to EVER gallop downhill at a giant ditch brush, but I do want to tackle my training challenges, show disappointments, and horse life obstacles with the same grit, tenacity, and never say die attitude as you do. Thanks for inspiring this one hunter-turned-dressage rider and sharing your best weekend all year.
