Between the Keeneland September yearling sale, feature deadlines, and moving offices, it’s been a hectic couple of weeks for me, and I apologize for not posting sooner.
Well, the World Equestrian Games at the Kentucky Horse Park are upon us here in Lexington…my aunt and her friend are here for the duration of the dressage events and are staying at my house this week, so I’ve gotten some updates on what the scene is like out at the Horse Park. Sounds like quite a spectacle! They also told me how star-struck they have been by all the big names that are out there, and the riders they have idolized for years being so close they can touch them.
I’m actually heading out to the Kentucky Horse Park this afternoon because my husband’s band is playing there, and while I wish I could sneak into one of the equestrian events, I know that’s probably not possible.
The discipline I’m most anticipating is definitely the three-day eventing this Thursday-Saturday (Sept. 30-Oct. 2). I recently wrote an article about retired Thoroughbred racehorse Courageous Comet and his rider, Becky Holder, who were named to the eventing team as individuals, so I’m super excited to see how they perform!
Here is a link to the full list of riders and horses that have been named to the US eventing team. Look at how many Thoroughbreds were named!
I think that most of their names have been changed if they were once racehorses, because I couldn’t find them in The Jockey Club system, except for Truluck (one of the alternates), who was a grade III winner during his racing career.
Are any of you in Lexington for the World Equestrian Games? Tell me what it’s like out there! If you’re not out there, have you been watching any of the events on TV?
I plan on writing an update next week about how the US eventing team performed, and hopefully I will also have some photos for you of my trip out to the Horse Park today!
Also, make sure you check out Oct. 2 issue of The Blood-Horse. It’s a special report on the issue of unwanted horses, and I wrote an article about Jane Lyon and her daughter Karen Bailey’s quest to bring home horses connected to their Summer Wind Farm. They are two of the many amazing people dedicated to taking responsibility for the horses they breed.
