It seems like only yesterday Meg was sitting on the side of the road in Ocala. Since then, the Tate Team has landed safely at The Fork in North Carolina. Preparations are underway for the big event. Thanks for writing, Meg, and thanks for reading.
Day 8 – The tough life at the Fork continues. . . .
Hola EN. I am glad you all survived the server meltdown and April Fool’s Day. Thought I should update you on what has been happening in fast town of Norwood, NC.
Last you heard from me, we were parkouring at Southern Pines. Since then our days have been filled with rolling grass, manicured dressage rings, good wine, and a whole lot of Canadians. The Fork is definitely a unique place, and beautiful in every way. Most people don’t realize how much hard work goes into producing a top event, (not to mention managing a facility of this caliber day in and day out) but the staff at the Fork is way ahead of that game. I (seriously) joke with Sinead’s mom about if I were an employee at the Fork, I would be fired by my first week’s end. Every time I get a phone call from Dana Cooke or Rebecca Howard I answer, “What did I forget to do?”. These ladies (and gents) have true dedication to turnout from horse to barn to kitchen to parking lot to rings, and while their jobs are tough, they work together like a well-oiled machine from top to bottom.
Somewhere along my studies I realized I would never be that disciplined, but I definitely strive towards their example of excellence in barn management. If there is one barn in the country I would entrust Taterball with, it would be the Fork. So my hat goes off to you Fork… but I promise it won’t be left on the floor.
Now while at the Fork for these extra days, no pair of idle hands goes unnoticed. Everyone pitches in cleaning dressage rings, flagging and decorating, scrubbing, folding, power washing, etc. There is even a client currently putting up Easter décor and a working student on a large ladder polishing the stalls. Sinead is out to town getting jumps for flowers, Rebecca’s parents are running every last errand known to man, and Dana’s mom is feeding us all. Its like one giant family reunion. Family reunions aren’t QUITE vacations, but they most certainly are memorable. I think I am the creepy cousin that probably shouldn’t have had that third glass of wine.
As far as the SHE ponies, they are all VERY excited to get some top notch turnout. Taterball gets a babysitter (me) every day for three hours, and while he has remained face-to-grass for every last minute of that time, I am increasingly paranoid the second I walk away he will hurl at Mach10 through the fence screaming “SERENITY NOW!” I have yet been able to walk further than 20 feet away. I am pretty sure everyone is judging me.
People and horses are slowly trickling in from all walks of life, and every day the driveway more closely resembles the Golf Cart and Gator Autobahn. Tomorrow begins the US training sessions with a fairly light day, but Wednesday will be chalk full of lessons morning to evening. I believe by Wednesday I will have gone completely dark, and will be swallowed whole by the 2012 Fork International Horse Trials to be spit out again somewhere in NJ on Monday. I hope you all get to see this amazing place at some point on your journeys.
For all of you that are going to be here this weekend…. Don’t forget to come to the 2nd Annual Course Builders cookout on Thursday at the Henson House. BYOC (chair).
