Chelan Kozak’s Galway XC Recap

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From Chelan:

So this post will be brief. Linda Paine has made 600 gin jello shots to raise money to send Gin & Juice to Badminton. The Paine’s have always shown me tremendous hospitality over the years so I feel I should do my part in supporting their horse’s efforts! Plus I had a bit of a rough day on my XC today so since I’m not burdened with show jumping tomorrow, and don’t have to drive…. The lovely intermediate horse I ride got a little flustered and wasn’t himself and so I pulled up. He is a really nice pony and will see another day.

The 3 star was over before we knew it. Ian Stark again has made a fantastic job of the courses here–just enough trouble but not too much if you know what I mean. At one point during the day I was on the back of his golf cart and let me just say he goes even faster without a blindfold! EN readers may recall the Golf cart madness of last Falls CCI3* here…

The moat had a couple of glance off’s. This year there was no ‘guide’ at the second element to help the riders get straight. So it had a few problems. John Michael Durr from the stallion Warrick had a fall at the second water at the skinny out. Let me just say that the stallion originally is from my neck of the woods. It is a very challenging ride, and John Michael is exactly the right rider for the horse. There was a brief hold on course, but both horse and rider walked away okay. Wishing for one more stride, I am sure, but okay nevertheless.

John referenced the scoring drama. How it actually unfolded was after zipping to the office and speaking to Trish Gilbert (how many THOUSAND rules are there in this sport…) I’m then on the phone to John and Hawley zips by. I had just sent Hawley a text saying, “Who’s winning this thing?” She had no idea what was actually going on either! As John reported they are both great friends, and, as Hawley said, she didn’t want to win on a technicality. For the record before I came to send this post I bought Ali a jello shot. Not her first of the night…I suspect not the last. Ali rode great but did have a fantastic save at the same skinny where John Michael had his spill. Velcro butt, everyone deserves a little luck sometimes and all of that!

The weather was SPECTACULAR. I was actually a little chilly this morning. Sure beats the heck out of 90 plus degrees for XC!

By the way I stand corrected. The reptile(?) That was sunning itself earlier this week on my Ecogold pad is apparently a LIZARD not a Gekko. Since I am not a biology nerd, I had no idea. I just know that he and many of his cousins live in the wood pile next to my horse trailer at Kingsway Farm and I have had to work hard not to step on them on several occasions over the past several weeks.

For the record, I did not name Sue Church’s horse Five O’clock Somewhere, but do tend to buy Sue gifts with that motif if I see them out and about…

Enjoy the video and GO EVENTING!!

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