I agree - that's disappointing. Our usual courses are an entirely different experience.
On Nov 12, 2008, at 8:58 AM, Janice Taylor wrote:
The 'hills' at the KY Horse Park and surrounding area are gently rolling, so no stress there...as for technical, well......if you count riding around in fields as technical. I think they will get to cross a creek a few times...
Janice ~ disappointed that the world of endurance won't be seeing our usual endurance rides that we all are used to, and love.
As for expanding on the US program, I think that we will be successful, too. I have to think that we might have also finished a team if it wasn't for the virus and the lightning. But those are the breaks, and I can only hope for better luck for our team next time.
I think 2010 will prove interesting. I wonder if the course designers will put in some "technical" stuff, or hills. I know they have hills in Kentucky. :)
On Nov 11, 2008, at 7:30 PM, terre wrote:
Steph said:
In fact Canada finished a full team. Happy turtles :)
They ARE, and we are SO proud of them! We finished 4 out of 5 starting horses. And although our riders were very close to last, they were 'turtles' in 12:30 to 13:30 hours riding time--not too shabby for the conditions! The other horses were just astonishingly faster!
From all indications, this was also probably the best organized and best prepared team the US has ever produced. They started with an excellent strategy, and they kept to it; team mates supported each other. They just had abominable luck (lightning! I mean, really!). I think expanding on this program *will* prove successful in the future.
Bottom line, we North Americans (and some other nations) are essentially a group of loosely allied amateurs competing against professionals. I take nothing away from the UAE teams, trainers, breeders, riders--I think they have demonstrated just how high the bar can be raised. We will have a hard time beating them--but we are sure as heck gonna try!
