G’day. My name’s NormAus – pleased to meet you. You may think it’s a bit of a funny name (you may think I’m a bit of a funny fella) so let me introduce myself properly.
My main claim to fame (apart from the fact that I’m a talking animal who can use the Internet) is that I’m the little brother of Norman, the official mascot of the 2014 FEI Alltech World Equestrian Games. You may have seen him popping up in press conferences around the world, smiling at the cameras and patting French officials on the back. It got me thinking. There’s Norman on a big jaunt, all expenses paid (and probably all the Normandy apples he can eat) travelling all over the world. I figure I can do that.
Big brother Norman's been busy - I've got some catching up to do Photo: Normandy Organising Committee
I know these people at An Eventful Life and heard they have some people blogging for them and I thought, why not me? So here I am – about to embark on a trip from Australia to France to bring you my view of the eventing world (I just want to make it REALLY clear here I’m not going to be jumping any of those cross country fences. Frangible pins or no frangible pins – I’m not mad)
So you may be wondering what’s a horse like me doing in Australia? Stuffed if I know really.
My brother Norman makes a big thing of his parentage – his father was supposedly the American Reining champion at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky and his is mother a jumping champion from Normandy. Let’s just say that in the family there’s more than a touch of suspicion about this supposed parentage but Mother never talks about it. Norman and I are brothers on her side – so I have plenty of French blood (and wine) flowing through my veins.
My father has to remain a secret for now but, coming from Down Under, you can probably guess that my lineage goes back to those good old British thoroughbred lines with a touch of Australian Stock Horse thrown in (anyone remember Ringwould Jaguar at the 2010 WEG? Good Aussie Stock Horse friend of mine). Family rumour has it that one of my forebears was brought over from England with the settlers as a POM – yes, that’s Pony of Mother England
Anyway, got to trot as I’ve got a few things to organise – FEI passport, vaccinations, all that sort of stuff before I hop on the plane. Luckily I don’t get hoisted up in a pallet – bit undignified really; I’ll be watching movies and chatting up hosties in the proper cabin but if I get a chance I’ll try and post a tweet (@eventfulifebook) or something on that Facebook thing during the journey
See you à bientôt mes amis (you’d better get learning the lingo if you’re coming to Normandy next year)
NormAus
