As a horse husband it is occasionally our duty to accompany our significant other to various horsey events. In this case I rode along (pun intended) to the 2015 World Cup Dressage competition in Las Vegas.
On this world stage, we really get a chance to shine. Yes, that means that we get to carry random items of unknown origin around an even larger group of people we don’t know. The worst part is that this is actually the better option versus her carrying some of these items. If you have ever seen a dressage rider carry a whip through a crowd, they carry it as if they are riding. In a crowd this involves whacking small children in the head and anyone who happens to be walking behind them in the thigh. Seeing as I don’t know how to passage, I decided it was better to carry the whip myself.
The other observers at this event are a delight to be around. Actually, for the most part this is true. We met some really fun and nice people while there. However, everyone knows everyone else, and if they don’t they know someone that knows them. You can hear this repeatedly throughout the event as you walk around and hear the familiar high-pitched squeal of “BECKY…IS THAT YOU? I AM SO GLAD TO SEE YOU” followed by niceties which usually involve a parting sequence of “we have to get together sooner next time” and my bet is that would be at the next event exactly like this.
So, here is my advice to make this a much more palatable event for the casual observer in the future:
First; We need color. Make them all wear different colors of jackets, hats and saddle pads, preferably with large numbers and names. Sorry, from 20 rows up, you can’t even usually tell if it is a guy or a girl riding, this would save a lot of embarrassment.
Second; Musical Freestyles. These could be improved immensely with music that was tolerable. Enough of the classical. I only heard one freestyle with anything that was done in the last 15 years. And quit using the musack version of the songs that are songs we know, even if they are older, that is worse than the classical.
Third; Get some of those guys from the baseball games out there selling peanuts and popcorn. Tossing a hotdog thirty feet across a crowd and yelling “get your cold beer here” would definitely add some excitement to the event.
Fourth; Introduce betting. Anyone can guess a score with a little education, but if you could have 10:1 odds on the black gelding missing the two tempi’s, that would be awesome. It is Vegas after all.
Fifth; take a hint from the car-shows where they are bringing in some fun things for other family members to do. We could have the men’s corner and have go-kart races. How about a bouncy house for the kids, you could put it right outside A so that the horses have to pass it on the way into the ring. That would make this all more entertaining for everyone.
Lastly, Make the beer cheaper. How is anyone ever going to get in the mood for the aforementioned changes on ten dollar beers.
Congratulations to Charlotte and Blueberry (Valegro) on their big win. Whoever they are.
On this world stage, we really get a chance to shine. Yes, that means that we get to carry random items of unknown origin around an even larger group of people we don’t know. The worst part is that this is actually the better option versus her carrying some of these items. If you have ever seen a dressage rider carry a whip through a crowd, they carry it as if they are riding. In a crowd this involves whacking small children in the head and anyone who happens to be walking behind them in the thigh. Seeing as I don’t know how to passage, I decided it was better to carry the whip myself.
The other observers at this event are a delight to be around. Actually, for the most part this is true. We met some really fun and nice people while there. However, everyone knows everyone else, and if they don’t they know someone that knows them. You can hear this repeatedly throughout the event as you walk around and hear the familiar high-pitched squeal of “BECKY…IS THAT YOU? I AM SO GLAD TO SEE YOU” followed by niceties which usually involve a parting sequence of “we have to get together sooner next time” and my bet is that would be at the next event exactly like this.
So, here is my advice to make this a much more palatable event for the casual observer in the future:
First; We need color. Make them all wear different colors of jackets, hats and saddle pads, preferably with large numbers and names. Sorry, from 20 rows up, you can’t even usually tell if it is a guy or a girl riding, this would save a lot of embarrassment.
Second; Musical Freestyles. These could be improved immensely with music that was tolerable. Enough of the classical. I only heard one freestyle with anything that was done in the last 15 years. And quit using the musack version of the songs that are songs we know, even if they are older, that is worse than the classical.
Third; Get some of those guys from the baseball games out there selling peanuts and popcorn. Tossing a hotdog thirty feet across a crowd and yelling “get your cold beer here” would definitely add some excitement to the event.
Fourth; Introduce betting. Anyone can guess a score with a little education, but if you could have 10:1 odds on the black gelding missing the two tempi’s, that would be awesome. It is Vegas after all.
Fifth; take a hint from the car-shows where they are bringing in some fun things for other family members to do. We could have the men’s corner and have go-kart races. How about a bouncy house for the kids, you could put it right outside A so that the horses have to pass it on the way into the ring. That would make this all more entertaining for everyone.
Lastly, Make the beer cheaper. How is anyone ever going to get in the mood for the aforementioned changes on ten dollar beers.
Congratulations to Charlotte and Blueberry (Valegro) on their big win. Whoever they are.