Kate Miller, acting head groom for Jolie Wentworth and Good Knight, is blogging on behalf of the Kismet Eventing Team, who have landed in Germany and are ready to contest the Luhmuhlen CCI4* this week. Many thanks to Kate for sending in this blog and photos about the team’s trip across the pond. Go Jolie and Ari!
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Good Knight enjoys a hack in Germany.
From Kate:
Hello from Luhmuhlen, Germany! Let me introduce you to the Kismet Team: Good Knight, aka Ari, Chief Eventing Equine and Star of the Show; Tracy Bowman, Chief Trainer and Owner; Jolie Wentworth, Chief Rider; Kate Miller, Acting Head Groom; Sherry Stewart, Real California Eventer’s Private Paparazzi; David Wentworth, Chief Man about the Barn; and last but not least, Roakie Bowman, Canine Assistant. When Jolie was honored with the Broussard International Grant, we were not quite sure how we were going to use it, except we knew we were going to go places! We decided the best way to use it would be with a trip to Germany, and we are quite excited to report on our first European CCI**** as the next week progresses.
Coming from California to Germany is quite a venture, and started Wednesday, June 5 at 5 a.m. Pacific. We drove to JetPets in LAX under sunny skies, handily arriving by 2 p.m. With the early arrival time and the excellent management of Lindley Hasenauer, owner of JetPets and manager of all things Equine, we had plenty of time to verify that the paperwork for both horse and dog was completely in order, we were only bringing over exactly what we wanted, and in short, be as ready for our flight as possible. We soon discovered that we needed all that extra time, as Roakie needed revised papers for travel. This small hiccup was no problem for the excellent staff at JetPets, and in short order Thursday saw our departure to Amsterdam.
Upon arrival, we waited for Ari and all of his stuff to clear customs, and by 2 p.m. we were on the road to the layover facility in Lastrup, Germany. We are incredibly grateful to all the staff at Guido Klatte Horse Transport for booking us in last minute to stay overnight at their layover facility, easing Ari’s travel. In the morning on the 8th, we woke up at a civilized time and departed for the show grounds of Luhmuhlen. While Ari has settled well, he was the only horse on the property for 24 hours till Jennie Brannigan and Ping showed up, and we are happy to have a bit of company. Ari has been enjoying his hacks through the woods, though we are all eager to get into the week ahead!
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- Ari enjoys a hack in Germany.
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- Ari’s container on the plane, seen through the secret door.
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- The truck driving to the plane. Ari was in the very first box
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- Ari in his shipping crate.
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- Jolie, Roakie and Tracy enjoying the last In & Out burger.
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- Departure from Martinez, Calif.
