Eventing equals insomnia


It is a long way down

Hello Eventing Nation, I know I have said it before but I am sure one of the definitions of Eventing includes somewhere insomnia. Late to bed and early to rise is par for the course, sleep-when-I’m-dead is motto.

Yesterday was great fun, I got around XC another two times and I am starting to get the track clearly in my mind. My first impressions have not changed. It is BIG, it is relentless and the terrain will be (as always) a big factor.


This will be interesting

The most exciting thing yesterday was to see the steady flow of riders and horses arriving at Burghley. It is hard to forget that only the best-of-the-best make it to Burghley. I wandered around the truck park yesterday with Samantha Clark and we chatted with Boyd, Hamish, Chris ‘Burto’ Burton, William Fox-Pitt and many more.


It looks fun. A double bounce of steps

We watched Toddy riding and walking past glued to his smartphone, we think checking out our tweets about him walking past. I also said hello to Neville Bardos, he looks super fit and really happy, I am so glad to see him here.

The action starts today with the Trot up (Jog) this afternoon, so we will get to see some great outfits I am sure. As I have a job this weekend I will leave the general reporting to Samantha and the guest blogging team which seems to be growing by the day.


No comment

That said, I wont be able to help myself and write but will probably limit my reporting to once a day. I have got twitter working on my Blackberry now so will be updating regularly including some pics on that @JohnVacy.

After seeing the photos from last week of Chris ‘Burto’ Burton wearing Boyd’s Team USA jacket I asked Jim Wolf from US Eventing if they had formed a Selection Committee to help find an American wife for Burto so that he could ride in the Red, White and Blue. The response “whatever it takes mate”, in all seriousness Burto is really starting to shine, he has a great team of horses here in the UK and is settling in brilliantly.


The views can be distracting

Samantha and I were talking last night about our tips for the weekend, who will win? Who can win? The reality is, the field is so strong that about half could be in the running, there is no clear favorite. I will be taking my winning (unclaimed) from the bet I placed on Toddy at Badminton with The Outside Chance and putting a few pounds on Burto to be in the running on the final day.


The first fence

Today, it will be great to hear the first impressions of the riders after they have walked the course. Very few have seen anything more than the online preview, they all know to expect it big but we will see what they think later today.


A local icon

The weather forecast for Saturday is sunny and 24 deg C or 78 deg F which will be perfect. Fingers crossed.


The second last fence

Yours in Eventing,

ESJ

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