Phillip Dutton and Mystery Whisper make their way around the Greenwich course
A few years ago I had just arrived in America as the Beijing Olympics started and didn't see much of the behind the scenes action as the riders fought for selection. I had barely heard of any riders other the Phillip Dutton (obviously) and David/Karen O'Connor. Since that time I've gotten to know most of the riders and have seen their efforts to make it to London this year.
The main difference between the American and Australian selections is the absence of the 'home-based vs overseas-based' rider argument. All of the riders are based here in the US and compete against each other on a weekly basis. Although this makes it a somewhat more straightforward process, it's no less difficult or nerve wracking for all those involved!
After their initial selection trials here, they narrowed it down to 12 horses that they would take to England to perform in the final trial. With three horses being Boyd's and two being Phillips, 2012 had quite an Australian feel to it. And of course one of Phillip's horses was Heath Ryan's old horse, Mystery Whisper, who has been winning anything and everything in sight. As a side note, by my calculations, Boyd has competed against Mosses (Mystery Whisper) on three different continents now and I've competed against him on two!
Anyway back to the Olympics US/Australian style. For four days the orders in my barn were to get the work done and meet at my house at 5.30am sharp! NOTHING was scheduled for before 1pm and all my horses and lessons were in the afternoon. For someone whose life is based on a love of the Olympics, I have to say it was quite something to be sitting in my house in my chosen country to live, watching my working students and owners watching the Olympics on TV. For my youngest working student it was her first time, can you believe for the last Olympics her parents had taken the family to Bermuda for a holiday and they didn't see it?! What else could you be doing once every four years! I'm surprised people even still turn up for work!
I was happy to cheer on lots of Nations including the Kiwis
For me I was cheering on the Green and Gold, my new Red, White, Blue friends and of course the Silver Ferns! I'm sure I'm not alone in noticing the first two riders on the cross country could have easily been the first two riders at any Goulburn event. I'm sure I wasn't the only one to notice the first rider (Boyd) in the dressage ring wish the second rider, his old friend (Burto) and compatriot, good luck. For me I had a slight flashback to living in Branxton, but that's another story!
I was super excited when Boyd finished clear with a couple of time faults, even more excited when Burto finished clear and under the time! I groaned when Clayton's horse slipped over, groaned when Will Coleman (American) had a stop at the bank. I cheered home Jocko and Phillip! That's the thing about our sport, it transcends nationality, you barrack for who you barrack for! Having said that, I almost cried when I realised we weren't going to get a medal...
So with the Olympics done and dusted for another four years, it was back to normal heading to Millbrook Advanced with four of my horses. Millbrook is a prominent event on the US calendar running all levels through to advanced. It's located in the hills just north of New York City. For me it's a six and a half hour drive, which always ends up being at least eight hours. There isn't really a direct highway between Washington DC and New York that doesn’t involve some type of traffic jam or major city. And for some bloody reason I always end up lost and driving within eyesight of the Empire State Building! As cool as that sounds, it's some of the most intense driving I've ever done. As I said, there is always traffic. And there's always some guy in some fancy car who doesn't want to be stuck behind a trailer! There's always a storm. Complete with crazy lightning and driving rain. There's always a car accident - generally the aforesaid guy in the fancy car! And the roads are anything and everything from nine lanes wide to narrow winding roads, which aren't designed for large truck trailer combinations.
Cole at Millbrook in the Advanced. Photo with permission of Ava Wehde
So all driving aside and the horses schooled and settled in, it's time for the competition to start. I had horses from Novice (Australian preliminary) to Advanced. And who followed me in the one star (US preliminary) but one Boyd Martin! Both he and Phillip were back competing on US soil 48 hours after competing in London. All of my horses were good, achieving qualifying scores and having great runs. I was quite happy as several of them are headed to the National Championships at the beginning of September.
So it was back home for a few days, then a short one and a half hour trip to Fair Hill with some more horses. Both Boyd and Phillip were there, as was a third member of the US team, Will Coleman. Once again I scored a ‘good draw’ riding in the one star, followed by Will then Phillip. Again, I had a good competition and I was back home before lunch! This week I'm competing on Thursday, home on Friday, competing on Saturday and Sunday. Then competing again on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday/Sunday. Busy time of the year!
Bucky at Fair Hill
So as I sit here watching the broadcast of the Closing Ceremony, it's quite surreal to think that I've spent the last two weeks competing against two people who probably should be sitting in that audience watching the Spice Girls zip around atop their cars, taking videos with their iPhones! But that's eventing isn't, no rest for the wicked!
