Dressage Day Kentucky

After we walked around a bit to get our bearings, we sat in assigned seats for a day of dressage, 3-Day Event style. An interesting test, with extensions, half passes in the trot work, flying changes, counter canters and specific transitions in the canter work. Some horses were very good... others not so. We had terrific seats, right in front of an area where the riders had to halt in the canter serpentine (with counter canters and flying change leads) - then do a rein back, then proceed in a canter. Some were super smooth and beautiful... some bucking, some rearing, some launching! Remember, event horses are super fit, so not always real obedient!Becky Holder riding her new horse, Can't Fire Me. Becky won previously with her Courageous Comet (who is now retired), so she had the home town crowd rooting for her.

Boyd Martin riding his Trading Aces. Another American that had the crowd with them. Notice the jumbotron... it immediately displays the score for the movement they just did and next to it, the score to beat! Pretty high tech - and fun to watch!

Buck Davidson rode 3 horses! Imagine the endurance that man has, to do 3 cross-country runs in one day at this level. This one's Park Trader.

And Great Britian competitor, William Fox-Pitt on Seacookie had a lovely dressage test. And up for the Grand Slam competition.

Kentucky Rolex

Back in April a few of us from the barn went to see the Kentucky Rolex 3-Day Event. America's ONLY 4-star event. This attracts competitors from all over the world and is part of eventing's "Grand Slam"... like winning the Triple Crown of eventing.

We arrived Thursday for the first day of the dressage phase. And found the Kentucky Horse Park grounds just beautiful! The entry lined with blooming trees, white board fences and green Kentucky blue grass enough to make us all sigh with pleasure right there!

Everywhere you looked, beautiful fencing and green grass. Be prepared.. if you ever go here... for LOTS of walking. The parking is way out in the fields and the various venues of places to go and things to see here are spaced far apart... as a horsey place should be.

The stadium where the dressage and stadium jumping phases are sports the iconic statue of the first winner of this event... Bruce Davidson aboard Might Tango. This whole Park and city and county and country! abound with statues.

Also here at the Kentucky Horse Park is the remains of Secretariat, and a lifesize statue. All around the monument are stones with reminders of his life, past grooms, trainers, owner, sire, dam . . . all aspects of his life.

Puff Daddy

Our favorite huge cat... Puff Daddy .. has passed away due to old age. We will miss this friendly giant... He lived a grand life.