RE: [RC] USA Gold Trail Blazer Chef D'Equipe Report part 4 - Tom Sites
Sun Walt and Cher Habu passed unaimously.
More horses were trotted. Another vote, 8 pass, 4 pull. Now it was
time for BayMar. As Larry commented, "I've felt pressure before, but this
is unbelievable!" BayMar was jogged.
A little swing to the gate but he "looked good
enough to go on". It was not a unanimious pass, so a vote had to be
taken. First Judge, No , Second Judge "Can we see him trot again?
Head Vet, Not allowed, all horses are judged in the exact same manner.
Make your decisions on what you saw."
Begin the vote again. No, No, Yes, Yes, No,
Yes, No-At this point my thought was "Gees, I've lost count, what is the vote?."
Seven pass, five pull. BayMar
passed.
Throughout the ride each rider had a crew.
Jeannie Waldron had her friend Sue Riggs and her husband Robin who also served
as Team Veterinarian. Mike Marino had friends Melody Booth-Coull and Paul
Ronio. Jeff Benjamin who was touring Europe joined his crew also.
Viki had her husband Marky and her sister Athele Evans who came in from Hong
Kong to help. Tom Sites had his son Michael and friend Larry Lewis from
Kansas whom he'd known from the Great American Horse Race
We were also greatly helped by Mike Robinson and
Jeff Cunduff both stationed in Germany with the Army who formed one crew.
Mike has returned from Germany four times to compete in the Old Dominion
Run. Curtis Hyatt, an American living in Germany and three of his friends,
Ellen Reindl, Elke Leinsinger, and Peter Baunann formed 2 other crews.
With the help of everyone, Mike Marino's comment, "We were covered like a
blanket", was certainly true.
The Awards Ceremony went well, with the USA
receiving their Gold Medals, Top Ten Finishers receiving trophies and the Team
receiving the German Sterling Silver Plate. The ceremonies were followed
by another great party of Bavarian keg beer, song and dance, dancing on the
tables, singing German songs with all the riders intermingling.
By, Lee Wittle
(the most successful Chef D'Equipe the USA Has
ever had...my comments. ts)
