Catching up with Team North America after XC at Blenheim

Team Rebecca’s Ben jumped beautifully around Eric Winter’s testing CCI*** track at Blenheim Palace Saturday, despite losing a shoe early on course. I caught up with his rider Phillip Dutton, and Phillip’s wife Evie, to chat about the day, the event in general, and about which event in the US might soon be taking on a royal profile!

Many thanks to Phillip and Evie for chatting, and a big shout-out to Kaitlin Spurlock too who has been looking after Ben with such TLC and attention to detail all the while handling her own nerves too!

One of the big bonuses of this weekend for me has been getting to know UK based American riders Cindy Rawson and Liz Halliday a little better. Cindy has called England her home for a while now, and we talked about the differences between eventing here and in the US, and she also told me a little more about her lovely horse George, and the origin of the unpronounceable show name!

 

 

Cindy campaigns four horses, from novice up to advanced level, teaches, and manages to combine all this with a second job as violinist in a busy string quartet. I look forward to hopefully spending some more time with Cindy and meeting her other horses too.

 

Meanwhile it’s all smiles in Camp Canada too – I know, unbelievable! I was lucky enough to catch up with Jessie Phoenix and Amanda,  and Don and Francine Good who own Pavarotti, and the Canadian secret weapon (all will be revealed!) before they left for dinner on Saturday.

 

Thanks you so much to everyone for stopping to chat, and congratulations to all. I’m delighted to be able to report that all the North American combinations breezed through the Final Horse Inspection, looking none the worse for wear at all after Saturday’s exertions and beautifully turned out (photos to follow shortly) . More to come from the show-jumping of course, and we’ll catch up Meghan O’Donoghue and hopefully Liz Halliday after her cross country. Thanks for visiting Eventing Nation and Go the Fidelity Blenheim International Horse Trials!

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