Where do I start?
At the beginning I guess! We drove the 140 odd km journey from Niki’s in good time, with no involuntary detours. Third time lucky through that intersection!
As we got closer to Badminton, we were able to tune into the radio station that broadcasts the commentary. So we got to hear about the first test of the event to break through into the 30′s and take the lead off Burto. Not sure if the commentary team were more excited about that or the arrival of the long awaited bacon butty.
Our first task was to get John a warm hat, tweed of course! It was cold and windy, with a little bit of rain thrown in for good measure. I have been needing a new pair of top boots for a while now, mine are held together with black electrical tape, which has stood me in good stead for the last 4 months, but whenever I’ve had to hose Astro down, I’ve got soggy socks, so what better time to replace them than at this shopping Mecca? I now own a brand new pair of Italian boots. Woo hoo! I have also dragged poor John into countless other stores, and only parted with precious pounds on a gift for my long suffering husband at home, and some leather balsam. Not a bad effort.
Lunch today wasn’t nearly as decadent as yesterday; sandwiches and fruit, but at least it was prepared by someone other than me!
I caught up with fellow Kiwi Laura Wallace who I haven’t seen in over a year, and it was with great delight that I tagged along with her to join Blyth Tait in his guided course walk for a bunch of girls enjoying a “hens night”.
The afternoon dressage session was full of some very impressive tests. One of which was Zara Phillips, who was being judged by her step mum! Interesting conflict of interest there. I joined Bek, Clarke Johnstone and Burto in the rider's enclosure to watch the afternoon tests (I’m black and blue from pinching myself – there I was rubbing shoulders with the elite of the sport, little old me, mother of three and totally amateur rider with Blyth behind me commenting on the tests, I was in heaven).
Watching Michael Jung, Andrew Nicholson, Jock Paget and Mark Todd as well as the others was just incredible. You could just feel the tension and anxiety. Delighted to watch some very impressive horses working, sadly Nereo got tense and lost a few marks, and despite getting several 10′s finished in 6th place. How dearly I’d love Andrew to win the Grand Slam. It took a good deal of restraint later that afternoon for me not to push WFP off the back of the golf buggy that I shared with him from the stables to the main arena, but I decided that this probably wasn’t behaviour befitting a member of the press (or mother of three and amateur rider)
The weather did improve and became quite sunny, but the wind was bitter, hopefully tomorrow will be a little calmer, but otherwise it is perfect going for the horses. They’ve got a mammoth course to compete over tomorrow. It truly is the most fantastic venue and I am so looking forward to the XC that I don’t know where to watch it from!
Will keep you all posted,
Kate
