So, my Mom and I left early Tuesday morning and it was dark and raining. No sooner had we started driving an the light came on for low tire pressure! So we had to make a quick stop for air. Then we off again, until our GPS told us to turn around and start heading home! We didn't listen to it for too long and then we never trusted it after that and we kept our printed directions front and center. We were hoping for a scenic drive but no such luck. The rain stayed with us most of the trip and we also had fog in some areas and even hit some traffic. We got to stop at our favorite fast food spot for lunch, Chic-Fil-A! Thanks to their website which lets you plan your trip and tells you where there are Chic-Fil-A's along the way. The drive was pretty long and we got to Kentucky about sun set and our hotel by dark.
We were up early the next day to go to the Kentucky Horse Park for the WEG. We weren't exactly sure what to expect, but it was huge and amazing!
First we had to park in a huge field and take a shuttle to the actual show grounds, which wasn't terrible except the field was huge and apparently we would have done better coming in later because getting there early we were farther away from the shuttle! And walking was what we had to do all day! The Kentucky Horse Park is huge and there was a lot to see and do. I knew there would be a big vendor area but there was also vendors spread though out the park and there were several permanent buildings to see as well. John Deere was a big sponsor so I had to take some pictures for Tyler.
One thing I didn't realise was the number of demonstrations there would be and they had at least5 different areas set up to do this and almost all of them going all day long! We had tickets for the Team Show Jumping Final which was supposed to be at night but while checking Facebook on my phone on the drive up I saw a notice that an afternoon session was going to be added and our tickets were good for both. If I didn't check Facebook we would have never known. We heard people in the evening saying they wish they had known about the afternoon session. The top teams and would be going at the end of the evening and the US team was in third but the scores for the top teams were all close, so we were really looking forward to that!
While we were walking around we ended up near the stables which were off limits but then I saw a warm up ring and thought I saw a USA blanket so we went over (I'm still not sure if it was a restricted area or not) and I got to see my friend Lee and his wife Erica, who
was riding the super star horse, Sapphire.
She does all the flat work for McLain. It was my first time seeing Sapphire in person, I have followed her career but with on-line coverage. I was happy to see my friends because I really didn't think I would get a chance to see them.
We spent some time watching some of the amazing demonstrations had a little food and then it was time for the night class. I was so hoping the US team would do win it, I thought they had a strong team but it just wasn't their night! Everyone but Laura Kraut(0)had a bad night! Lauren Hough had 12, Mario had a good round going then disaster, horse nearly falling, him nearly coming off and a score of 13 faults, and then McLain came last and I thought for sure he'd go clear. Sapphire is sooo consistently clear that it felt like a given she'd do it again. But she had two down!!! The US finished 10th, too bad! Unfortunately the team scores carry over toward the individual finals and that really put McLain down the bottom of the list (He did recover however and put in two brilliant rounds and move from 26th to 7th but it wasn't enough to get into the final four) So then we had a late night had to follow the crowd back to the shuttle and wait in a long line to get on a bus back to the huge field. We were tired from all the walking but we got an early start again the next day, but our plan was to watch a little of the Para-Dressage (for the disabled) and finish up some shopping, watch a little more demonstrations and then leave early. We saw the most amazing guy (we never got his name but I've since found out that his name is Guy McLean). He's an Australian cowboy and he did amazing things with his horses. He would ride one and have three others loose with him!
He also would get on one of the loose ones with no tack at all and ride amazing. He was very inspiring and made me want to find out more about how he trained his horses, Spencer look out!!
After lunch we decided to go for a drive to see some of the horse farms (we couldn't to a tour because they were booked up) and we just drove around for a while and also stumbled upon the Old Friends Farm but it had a walking tour and we were all walked out by this point! Then we had plans to visit my friend Carrie (from my college days) and her husband Bo (a Race horse vet) for dinner and they are not far from Churchill Downs. So we took a detour and went to see the famous track and the Kentucky Derby Museum as well. I was surprise to see a beautiful statue of Barbaro out front (and his ashes are entombed there as well).
There was even a memorial for Eight Belles (I didn't get a picture of that one). Oh and in the museum they had a little section for the Farriers Hall of Fame and also for Veterinarians and there were a few names I knew!
We finished up our trip with the visit with my friend and we got to see her lovely farm and house and had a great dinner. (I tried the Kentucky "Hot Brown" and m Mom had "real" Kentucky fried chicken!) Carrie is always a great time and I wish we lived closer together, she hasn't changed a bit!!
Mom and I were both tired, stiff and sore from all the walking but we got an early start and headed back east. We were sad to leave because it was a great time and so much more we could have seen and done but I could only leave the family and animals for so long!
P.S. I heard my old boss and his wife were there and I never ran into them, thank goodness!!
P.S.S.
If the WEG ever comes back to the Kentucky Horse Park, I will be there! And I will encourage everyone I know to go as well!!!
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