Rolex Dressage Day 2 Wrap Up!

Wow! So much for a "day off!" Friday was a busy and FUN day that started a little before 8 am and ended with me trekking back out to my car after 9 pm...if I don't mention it later, come to the Horse Park prepared to WALK. A LOT. Rolex has a ton of shuttles, but even my magical "all access pass" wristband can't make them appear when I really want/need one all the time. I am guessing I walked no fewer than 8 miles yesterday, 4 of which were on XC. Anyway...

What did I do besides walk all over? A recap!

--shopping! Visited USPC sponsors Dover Saddlery, Professionals Choice, Revitavet, Triple Crown and Perris...will try to hit a few more tomorrow!

--celebrity games! Totally hilarious to watch Kelly Sult (my boss for the weekend), Laine Ashker, Cathy Weischoff, and silver medalist Gina Miles play with the Prince Philip Cup riders. Also awesome to see those PPC riders looking beautifully turned out and representing USPC with style and class!!!

--jump school for Hollywood! I had the privilege of setting jumps for Kelly's afternoon ride. We joked with General John Burton that Kelly alternates between vaulting and using a trampoline to get on the 16.3 hand Hollywood (anyone who laughs at my jokes is pretty awesome in my book!) Kelly and Reggie put on quite a show for an audience of at least 25 spectators. He looks rarin' to go!

--Land Rover obstacle course! I forgot my license (and gnome!) back in the barns, so Michele (Kelly's sister) was our driver. It was INSANE! You had to navigate a steep hill, water turns, and...a teeter totter! I plan to go back and drive tomorrow...I wonder if they would let me do the course in Indy (teeny Ford Focus)? Well, I'll let you know how this bona fide city driver does!

--course walk! Laine Ashker led a USPC course walk and in true Laine style, managed to cajole a few of her fellow riders into discussing the obstacles. I went out quite a bit later, pool floaties and gnome in tow. Had a minor panic attack when we got to fence 12 and I realized that I. Did. Not. Have. My. Phone. CRAP! Ran back to "special edition" sunken road (#11) - I call it special edition because it's not supposed to have water in it, but even course designers can't fool with Mother Nature (she wanted a 3rd water jump, I guess!). Anyway. I panicked. My heart raced. I did not see my phone. Start feeling around the base of the road. Nothin'. I start using language unbecoming of a Pony Clubber. Still, my phone does not appear. Michele and Jen come back to keep me from a total freak out and help me scour the water covered road some more. I owe my life (okay, maybe a bit much) to Michele for fishing my Kate Spade-clad iPhone 4 from the mud. I even had a text from Deep South's HMO! Much rejoicing! Phone (on which I am now writing this blog in a fit of insomnia) seems to be a-ok. Phew! I had to take the rest of my pics with a regular digital camera, but yes, I have pics of Grady the Gnome at every fence!

--Highlight of my day: I'm prancing (if you know me, you know that yes, indeed, I DO prance!) around the Head of the Lake complex wearing a purple swim cap, children's size swim goggles and a zebra pool floatie, posing for pics with Grady in HIS Floatie and trying to vault on the ducks when current leader, Tiana Coudray says to Kelly, "She's funny."

Rock on!

P.S. 82 days 'til Festival!!!




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