Well, it’s Tuesday afternoon, meaning you’ve successfully managed to procrastinate entering the Third Annual EN Blogger Contest until the day before tomorrow’s 8 p.m. EST deadline. Wylie, who won the inaugural Blogger Contest, provided some pearls of wisdom in her Do’s and Don’ts post yesterday, and I’m here now to give you that final push you need to stop browsing CANTER listings and start typing your entry. Since joining the team as an EN blogger last fall, I’ve traveled far and wide to provide live coverage for you awesome readers. Here are the top 10 things I’ve learned along the way and why I think you should throw your hat into the ring.
Top 10 Things I’ve Learned as an EN Blogger
1. Do not bother checking the weather before leaving to cover a big event. Instead, assume that weather conditions will vacillate between hurricane and heat wave for the duration of your trip. This means finding a way to fit rain pants, a winter coat, waterproof shoes, shorts and sunscreen into one suitcase. Good luck.
2. All press tents are not created equal. By the end of day two of dressage at a big event, selling a kidney in exchange for a decent wifi connection doesn’t seem so far outside the realm of possibility. Be patient, and remember you can always head back to your hotel in defeat to finish your work.
3. Always try to set up your laptop in the press tent next to the party crowd, which is almost always going to be the Kiwis. They seem to have the supernatural ability to cause champagne to materialize out of thin air, which makes for an impressive party trick.
4. Do not set out to power walk a four-star cross-country course. It will win. You will pull muscles you didn’t even know you had. You will have to manually lift each leg in and out of your car for the rest of the event. Just do not do it.
5. When you’re told to “dress nicer” for an upscale press luncheon, ignore this advice. Journalists are by nature sleep-deprived slobs who can’t be bothered to wear or even own clothing such as “slacks” or “blazers.” Walk in there in your mud-crusted Dubarrys and dirty jeans like you own the place.
6. Do not listen to your friends when they tell you driving in England is terrifying. It’s actually a lot of fun, and you’ll feel like you’re driving a go kart at an amusement park. And don’t be too concerned when you glance off the curb of every roundabout you try to navigate. It happens.
7. Certain airlines, such as Lufthansa and Air Canada, provide complimentary alcoholic beverages on international flights. Let me say that again in a way that fully conveys the gravity of this discovery: FREE BOOZE. Always book your flights on these airlines. Always.
8. Do not use distinctly English phrases when speaking to riders whose first language is not English. More specifically, do not ask Michael Jung “what spots on course he thought were tricky.” He will not understand you. And you will feel like an idiot.
9. Observing hungry journalists circle the press tent lunch table is not unlike watching a documentary on the Discovery Channel. Line up early at the food table or risk tuna and mayo on white sandwiches being the only leftover option. And you’re better than tuna and mayo on white.
10. Realize that you’ve been given an incredible opportunity to be a part of the highest level of your favorite sport. Work hard, and when you feel like you’re too tired to keep going, dig deeper and work harder. Go eventing, and click here to enter the Blogger Contest.
