Much has been written about the ‘strangest’ of years and how it’s been a shortened season - but in so many ways that hasn’t diminished the quality on display at Pau this weekend.
A French adventure had always been on the grand masterplan for this season, long before we knew Covid-19 existed.
But like all good novels there’s been some major plot twists along the way - a pandemic, redundancy, quarantine not to mention lack of prep runs and cancelled events left right and centre. Along with the tinge of sadness that the special one wasn’t joining me out in Pau for one last hurrah.
Pau emerged as the shining light almost the gloom of 2020 and despite the pandemic’s best efforts throughout throwing just about every challenge and obstacle possible in its way - last Wednesday I finally packed the car and pulled out of the drive.
For anyone considering a trip out to the Pyrenees, I can wholeheartedly recommend it. Its the perfect 5* mix of usually a great draw of world class competitors (this year we enjoyed the top 3 riders in the world), a relaxed atmosphere and without doubt the best food on the eventing circuit.
Although I can’t completely recommend driving the 904 miles from my house non-stop to Pau with raging sciatica and chronic fatigue to be honest. But the drive is thankfully easy enough, toll roads take you the majority of the way and their service stations offer plenty of excuses to enjoy French cuisine.
Did I mention the food?! The many delights of Pau
And so to Thursday morning when we rolled into the event, unfashionably late missing the previous evening’s first horse inspection but thanks to a change in day job, I was scarily short of annual leave so needs must.
Just enough time for a quick cross country course walk before the afternoon dressage action got underway and to take in the wonderful access you get to the schooling arenas here at Pau - to watch those quiet prep moments between horse and equine is a real treat.
Ros Canter & Zenshera enjoy an early morning schooling session on Thursday before dressage, Les 5 Etoiles de Pau, October 2020
Walking into the main arena, to turn and look over my shoulder from the ‘togs’ pen inside the main arena and to see an eager French crowd staring back at me was one of the strangest experiences. I was suddenly so spooked and conscious of their presence behind me. It turns out I’d rather got used to the clinical Eventing experience sans crowds that we have experienced here in the UK since the summer re-start.
Mollie Summerland & Charly van ter Heiden put in a foot perfect 5* debut to go into the lead on Thursday, Les 5 Etoiles de Pau, October 2020
Pau’s organising team were great, everyone challenged those not complying and dodging the mask. It’s been a great education in how to stage a large scale event with crowds and tradestands.
With a gastronomic menu of determination, forward thinking and sheer bloody mindedness to get the show on the road. There was a rumour circulating that we were seriously close to all being sent home on the Thursday evening so Pascal and his team’s efforts to literally keep the show going should be heralded as heroic quite frankly.
This year we also had the added extra that the Driving element of the event was upgraded, as Pau were hosting the FEI World Singles Driving Championship - watching the marathon on the Friday afternoon I didn’t know whether to be in awe or just aghast at their bravery and craziness, flying around the cross country track on their carriages.
The exhilarating marathon phase of the FEI World Singles Driving Championships, Les 5 Etoiles de Pau, October 2020
The Thursday evening bought news of further curfews being introduced by the French government so after much deliberation and quite frankly bravery and determination - it was declared that the show must go on. Saturday’s anniversary spectacular was hastily bought forward to Friday evening to avoid the new curfew coming into force Saturday evening.
Cross country was insane - Pieree Michelet hadn’t got the memo about dumping down the course any in light of the interrupted season - a 5* should after all still be a 5*.
Alex Bragg & King of the Mill tackle the mammoth trakehner at fence 16 on Pierre Mitchelet’s tough 5* cross country course, Les 5 Etoiles de Pau, October 2020
The usual mix of sharp corners of blind turns, that pesky swan again along with the frighteningly wide La Palois - that seems to eclipse the Cottesmore leap as a mere inferior cousin.
Richard Coney & Mermus R Diamonds tackle the rider-frightener La Palois fence, Les 5 Etoiles de Pau, October 2020
22 degrees of afternoon French sun and blue skies ensured that the photos turned out as hoped and plenty of action was had. I decided to start the day at the far end of the racecourse training centre and work my way back - 21,000 steps were trodden that day, more than making up for the time spent in the car on the drive down.
Laura Collett & London 52 put in a stellar cross country performance to go into the showjumping phase as leaders, Les 5 Etoiles de Pau, October 2020
So much of 2020 hasn’t lived up to pre-season expectations. There’s been so many dreams lost this season. But one little dream remained, from the early glance at the Pau entries, one little dream emerged - could gorgeous Dan make amends for the unlucky tragedy of the Europeans last year. I spent a lot of the journey down to Pau praying that this would come true. All week I kept crossing paths with part owner Karen Bartlett, friend Margie Gibb and Laura’s mother Tracey - best wishes were given and hopes past on.
Team work makes the dreams work - Laura Collett and her support team along with part owner Karen Bartlett all come together to celebrate the well-deserved victory of Laura and Dan, Les 5 Etoiles de Pau, October 2020
To be around the exit to the main arena on Sunday afternoon, to witness the tears of joy from Laura, Karen, Tracey, Margie and Laura’s support team - well I’m not ashamed to admit that I joined in with the tears.
Emotional scenes after Laura & London 52 clinch victory, Les 5 Etoiles de Pau, October 2020
Eventing is a bloody tough sport, the thousands upon thousands of hours dedicated to training and preparing both human and equine often goes under the radar. Those special moments when all the hard work pays off should be celebrated as hard as you can.
When you realise all the hard work has finally paid off! Laura is speechless after he victory on London 52, Les 5 Etoiles de Pau, October 2020
Any winner of that event would have been worthy, but Laura and London 52’s victory was the sweetest of them all. I was there at the Europeans when Laura, Dan and her mother Tracey walked back from their early finish to cross country round, truly inconsolable - so it was so lovely to be there to witness the redemption of fortune as well.
A massive thank you to everyone at Pau, my wonderful publication that allows me to go to these wonderful events, to the clients existing and new that made Pau so enjoyable. It has been amazing working with the Equiratings team to help document Katie Preston’s Pau Diaries over throughout the competition too - Pau was very fun on and that’s just how I love it! But the biggest thank you goes to all my lovely followers that have liked, commented and shared my content over the week - hope you have all enjoyed the coverage.
Katie Preston & Templar Justice fly through the second water on cross country, Les 5 Etoiles de Pau, October 2020
1,850 miles, 6,000 photos and several blue cheese heavenly meals - Pau: done!
If anyone needs another fix of the action, the event is available on-demand over on H&C to watch back.
Now to look on the end of the Eventing season - charge the batteries, clean the camera, review the season and look forward to the adventures that hopefully 2021 will bring - until next time…
The winning smile - congratulations to Laura Collett on winning 2020’s only 5* - Les5 Etoiles de Pau, October 2020