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The start is just 24 hours away. I just returned from a very orderly  
and well delivered riders briefing. There were only a handful of  
questions afterward - which is pretty amazing! This event is just  
incredibly well organized, well conducted. Info is posted, or at  
hand, or cheerfully delivered at all times. It gives the teams  
opportunity to really focus, to know what to expect, to have  
confidence that all will be conducted fairly and efficiently - and  
the challenges to be met will be about horse, rider, trail and time.

There are 7 phases (loops) - which is a lot! - and fairly long holds  
between each loop (40, 50, 50, 60, 50, 40) - which gives the horses  
time to cool out, get the body temperature back down, and there are  
also mandatory re-checks on the last 4 loops, so the veterinarians  
have ample opportunity to identify horses which could develop  
problems. Honestly, there is a LOT of concern here about horses and  
heat and speed - and the danger of the heat/speed factor. There are  
17 veterinarians. There is an onsite clinic for the treatment of  
horses. There is also a fully equipped, modern horse surgery in Kuala  
Terengganu (the city) which is a 30 minute drive. If a horse needs  
surgery (colic, fracture) it will be shipped to the hospital.  
Otherwise they'll stay here at TIEP for treatment.

The ride will start at 5:30 pm - which will allow the first phase to  
be held entirely in the daylight.  The officials are probably going  
to impose cutoff times on all but the first phase and I've heard that  
12km per hour will determine the minimum speed - but they hadn't  
decided anything for sure by the end of the meeting.  There will be  
an overall cutoff of 13:20 (which is the same time frame that was  
required for 'CoC' qualification. People are guessing that the  
winning time will be around 16 - 17 km/hr  (around 10 mph). With  
almost 5 hours of total hold time, it could be 9 or 10 am before the  
winners arrive, and after noon before the last riders are in. The mid- 
mornings can be very hot...

Lots of folks are discussing 'favorites' - teams and individuals.  
It's fun to hear the speculation - among top contenders are France,  
UAE, Belgium, USA, Uruguay... but we shall see! So much depends on  
the weather. It rained this afternoon - a very welcome change from  
the fierce dry (relatively) heat of the past few days.

We went to an incredible Opening Ceremony yesterday, held at the  
Sultan Mizan outdoor stadium - which was packed! They're guessing it  
was close to 50,000 people there. We were treated to dancing, drum  
concerts, marching band, Lorenzo the amazing French horseman (really  
amazing!!!), parade of participants, and an overwhelming fireworks  
display to cap the evening. The fireworks were so bright, so intense,  
so loud, I felt each explosion of sound reverberate in my chest, each  
burst of color made me whoop with enthusiasm.  Spectacular.   And  
then it took a full hour to get out of the stadium parking lot :)

I'm meeting so many new people at this event, so many new friends.  
Next year it's looking pretty certain that I'll travel to Russia and  
then to Hungary for the WEC for Juniors and Young Riders. I've been  
promised tours of the best Arabian and Shagya studs. And they tell me  
Hungary has some might fine vineyards too!  And we might just have to  
travel to Assisi (Italy) for the European Championship - it looks to  
be a fairly high profile event.

And of course so many 'old' friends too. Hasumi-san arrived, and he  
is fit and ready to ride! We figured out that he is the oldest male  
rider at 65 yrs. His horse 'Fayette de Cameo'  looked mighty fit and  
ready to go too - she was a handful at the trot-outs.  I saw Emmett  
Ross at the rider briefing, taking in all the details, as he is the  
director of Endurance for the 2010 WEG in Kentucky. Folks are already  
talking about that event too!

and now we're off to dinner - more later,

Steph



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