For a city that levies a £10 congestion charge per drive through, London’s about to get real crowded. Regardless, it’s still the best city in the world, as evidenced by this artful Transport for London Olympic poster. Hear Ye, Hear Ye: Make way for the (no kidding) XXX Olympiad. To avoid running directly after the games, Gatcombe’s Festival of British Eventing, which typically takes place around the end of July, will now run three weeks earlier (July 13-15), the same weekend as Brightling Park (about which Gardie Grissell, Brightling’s organizer, is said to be “not pleased”).
Five dauntless events will run concurrently with the Olympics, including Hopetoun International, where organizers plan to “make the most of it” with an Olympic Opening Ceremony party and a big-screen broadcast of Olympic highlights throughout the weekend. [Horse & Hound]
For early advice on public transport, consult [Get Ahead of the Games]
On tap in the U.S. this weekend:
Galway Downs HT-CIC*** [Ride Times]
The Ark HT [Ride Times]
Rocking Horse HT [Ride Times]
Texas Rose HT [Ride Times]
Morven Park HT [Ride Times]
Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister will also be repping the States in the Belton CIC*** [UK]
Rolex entry update: Phillip, Andrew Nicholson and Marilyn Little-Meredith have all entered multiple rides; William Fox-Pitt’s list of five has been whittled down to one: Burghley Winner Parklane Hawk. Grand Slam in the works. [RK3DE]
OTTB-piloting four-star moms Colleen Rutledge and Martha McDowell are living their dreams. “I don’t want to be reduced to a snapshot of who is the best fit for the team at this particular time. I want to go to Badminton and have a great dressage test, then continue that improvement in the next two phases,” said Colleen. [Practical Horseman]
Aussie Olympic Eventer Stuart Tinney has jumped on the equine compression suit bandwagon. Place your bets: Will we see compression suits in use at Rolex? [MSNBC]
Missing your old PC buddies? Pony Club will host an alumni reunion at their Kentucky Horse Park headquarters before Rolex Show Jumping. [RSVP]
HN Today: Jimmie & Dom Schramm take the Equine Planking contest to a hilarious weirdness level; Biz Stamm takes her pro-athlete outlook to an inspiring fitness level.
Best of the Blogs: “At the Weldon’s, Dante decided in the very last stride that the right side of the fence was scary and it would be better to jump the left side instead. The six and a half foot side. Oh yes, there was a large shrub on the landing side on the left too. I have a memory of going up, and up, and up.” [Comedic Eventing]
Runner-up: Boyd and his show cats, reunited. [B&S M]
Top of the Tweets: Paul Tapner: @ShannonEventing, so if you win @bhorsetrials which victory dance from this video are you going to do? Bobsled for me! [Warning: video contains excessive showboating and some uncensored, NSFW lyrics]
Last, but not least, since planking seems to be all the rage these days here’s some good old fashioned ground planking from our friends at SmartPak, starring Jennie Brannigan and Donnie Steele at SmartPak.
