The US short list assembled themselves at Barbury Castle, just outside Marlborough, Wiltshire on Wednesday afternoon, arriving in various lorries and cars from a few different locations, but with one common goal – to impress the selectors this weekend and make the Olympic team for London 2012. The horses to a fault all look wonderful – fit, strong and healthy and have obviously benefited from a week at the lavish Lavendar Hill Stud, and in Sinead’s case, Maizey Manor for a bit longer. Far from taking it easy, they have been galloping at the magnificent Jackdaws, and taking dressage and jumping lessons with team trainers Lauren Hough, Linda Zang and of course Captain Mark Phillips, as well as in some cases, their own trainers too.
Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen – ready for their GQ shoot!
–
Clark’s wife Jess, and her mother arrived in England early Wednesday morning which is a relief as the mother in me definitely thought Boyd, Clark and Will Faudree looked as if they were in need of a couple of square meals, and as I’ve been lucky enough to have dinner chez Montgomery I know that now they’ll be in good hands! Jess was recently a guest on the Eventing Radio Show and described Glen’s strict fitness regime that Clark has implemented since Rolex after consulting Philip Dutton, and indeed Glen looks much leaner, lighter and ready to run for his life.
–
Not only that, Michael Barisone, Silva Martin’s trainer, who is here helping Boyd was also admiring Glen, and told Jess he thought that with another year’s maturity under his belt he had the makings of a real dressage horse. I chatted to Clark briefly before he rode and asked him about how he’d settled back in to England, and how he’s dealing with all the unknown quantities.
–
Clark worked Glen for a short while with Linda Zang, and he looked fresh and seemed to be moving really well and freely. The horses all worked in a huge open warm-up area on the side of a gentle hill. Come Thursday and Friday the dressage will be in the main arena. The footing is absolutely superb – Tiana told me this was one of the first events she came to in the UK last year and she remembers walking around in awe NOT being able to hear the horses galloping on course! I caught up with her and Ringwood Magister (“Finn”) made a cameo appearance, but unfortunately she’d already ridden in the morning so I didn’t get to see them go.
(VIDEO INTERVIEW OF TIANA TO COME, UPLOADING INCREDIBLY SLOWLY!)
–
Will Faudree’s Andromaque looks well but I missed them riding, and I haven’t laid eyes on Phillip Dutton or either of his horses, and only saw Will Coleman and Twizzel in the distance. The Americans share a barn with the Irish, and as I drove in I bumped into (not quite literally, thank God!) Captain Geoff Curran riding his relatively new ride, the striking chestnut Shanaclough Cercora. My Eventing Radio Show Co-host John Kyle (Happy Birthday Wednesday!) had talked about this horse and sung it’s praises when we were discussing Tattersalls a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve been curious to see him ever since. I’m glad to report he does not disappoint one bit in the flesh, he’s exactly what you’d expect a typical Irish stamp of a horse to look like, and all athlete. Geoff told me that even though he’s young, just 10 years old, and quite green, he would be his first choice for Greenwich for Geoff said although his dressage still has a lot of improvement, he’s very capable of staying on that score. Last year at Boekelo in a field of 120 horses in the CCI*** Geoff rode the fastest clear on this horse, AND with the lowest heart rate, he told me proudly. Go Irish and Go Eventing!
–
–
Boyd has a strong hand with three horses running on the short list, and it’s a credit to his programme and to his groom Lindsey that all three are still in the game at this point and running at Barbury this weekend, and always look immaculate.
–
Lindsey and Otis
–
In between rides Boyd stopped quickly to grab a sandwich and chat briefly about his horses,
–
Boyd and Otis working on the flat with Michael. Boyd was borrowing Clark’s helmet and spurs as his were coming in the next lorry load!
–
After some rain earlier in the day, the sun did come out briefly but unfortunately I don’t think it’s forecast to stick around, looks like we’re going to have more rain Thursday and for the duration of the weekend.
–
Mr Medicott looks as good as I’ve seen him all year; in his coat and condition, but also mentally he seems very settled and ready to work. I only talked to Karen very quickly as they headed back to the stables, but she also seems quietly confident, as well she should.
Q-time: Max and Mr M.
–
I haven’t seen Sinead Halpin and Manoir De Carneville (“Tate”) since their guinea pig test at Rolex, and just as Sinead tweeted a couple of days ago, Tate is indeed great. He looks really strong and despite a couple of ‘French’ moments, (asserting his independence!) he showed some really solid work in his session with Linda this afternoon. I stood next to Sinead’s mother Bernadette, and couldn’t resist asking her how she deals with her own nerves, and Sinead’s, and if she has a plan to help her daughter cope with whatever the outcome may be after this weekend?
“I’m a big believer in what’s to be will be, and at the end of the day you put the work in, and if it’s supposed to be it will be, and if it’s not, then the time’s not right. With horses, you live every day and just enjoy every day; I find myself getting caught up in the “what if” and then I just take a deep breath and say if it doesn’t go for whatever reason, there’s a reason. Something else better, or something else different.”
That’s not to say Bernadette doesn’t suffer from nerves – she shared that if Sinead does make it to Greenwich she’ll be watching from a moving vantage point as she finds it impossible to sit still and watch from a screen, “I’ve got to be moving around and I’ve got to be somewhere where I feel I can run if I have to.”
“At Kentucky she had this look on her face the whole time; it was like she was in a different world, she was in a zone and she stayed there, and she feels almost the same now, she’s got this zone going. Everything else is outside it – she can carry on a conversation and do all this other stuff but it’s not touching on where she is.”
–
Harry and I walked around most of the CCI*** cross country course Wednesday, and we’ll post those pictures sometime Thursday hopefully, (we’re already stressing my mother’s internet to the point of detonation by trying to upload the videos , “it’s the thick walls” (?) and God help us if it starts raining too because apparently that makes it even slower, surely not possible?!). However there are plenty of massive tables and hedges to be jumped, as well as questions starting as early as 4A and B, two narrow but stocky wishing wells on a bending line where it would be all too easy to have a cheap run-out and kiss those Olympic dreams goodbye. The course will be a great selection trial for those nations who haven’t yet picked their teams as it twists and turns and doubles back on itself, and makes full use of the terrain, plus as a bonus for the spectators we can see almost every single jump from the main arena area. More pictures to come Thursday, as well as dressage news and the usual ridiculousness. Don’t forget to get on twitter at 5:45pm GB time Thursday, which is 12:45 pm US Eastern and ask Mark Todd questions via the @BarburyCastle twitter feed; Laura Collett did the same thing a couple of days ago and it was very interesting, and entertaining, PLUS, just by taking part you’re giving yourself a chance to win his new book – what’s not to like? Thank you for making Eventing Nation a part of your day, Go Barbury and Go Eventing!
