How many times have we wished that the world would stop turning so we can get off for a few minutes....?
I’d be the first one to raise my hand.
We all have so much going on in our lives, so many swirling plates that surely we’d all be grateful for a couple of weeks downtime? Right?
Wrong?
Firstly, a global pandemic is rather OTT don’t you think?! No one would wish this as a cause for the roundabout to stop spinning. It’s been heartbreaking watching the news, long since have the deaths been named, they are now merely referred to by number count only.
Secondly, I wasn’t prepared. I like to be prepared, to have colour-coded lists and an action plan. We all saw the death toll rise in China, yet why didn’t I sit down here and get planning?
Birthday girl - Current European Champion Ingrid Klimke, pictured here with SAP Hale Bob OLD, Luhmuhlen 2019 - FEI say they are looking at options for next years European Championships, as currently they’ll be less than two weeks after the re-scheduled Tokyo Olympics
The beautifully colour-coded calendar on the fridge of all my national and international Eventing fixtures is now obsolete. Wiped out. Gone.
One by one the fixtures make the inevitable announcement, cancellation is sadly communicated.
I’m used to operating at eleventy billion miles an hour, three jobs, endless tail-chasing. Obviously out of necessity but honestly also out of self- help. You keep going because stopping and having time to think is just not a prospect even dared considered.
And then there’s the physical aspect, I run at a million miles an hour because if I stop, reigniting the engine will be a long and painful process. Chronic fatigue is best fought by never stopping, never giving it a chance to win. And I hate losing any battle.
It’s mad it has taken a global pandemic for this busy world to press pause.
Dancing into contention, who’s do these hooves belong to?
Re-watching past episodes of Our Girl to while away the confined boredom and the intro song plays ‘there’s no such thing as a perfect life..’ and how true that rings.
Whether it’s endless rain sent from the heavens or a virus from the East, there will always be something to trip up the finest of plans.
Now that Tokyo has been postponed to next year, it’s almost like the pause button has been pressed. Pressed on the entire season. No Badminton, Chatsworth or Bramham. Wake me up after Lincoln runs next spring and I may not realise I have missed anything.
Oliver Townend & Cillnabradden Evo, Badminton 2019
Despite all the somber headlines on the news, I remain desperately sad. Sad for all the moments that might now have passed. Whilst the postponement of Tokyo was without question the right choice, all equestrians know, a year is a long time with horses. I just pray that Team GB hold such a strong hand come this time next year.
On a positive, all the ‘new’ combinations that were rushing to acquaint themselves in time for Tokyo (click here for link) will now have been gifted an extra 12 months to cement the partnership. I don’t fancy the Coordinators job much though, trying to shoe-horn an Olympics into an already bursting 2021 programme of Sport.
When all the social distancing is but a weird, distant memory, we shall again begin to plan those adventures and journeys. The color-coded calendar shall be re-born and off Eventing we shall go.
Until then stay safe, keep your social distance and enjoy plenty of time to refine those skills - practice your flying changes and be prepared to dazzle me when we all come off this enforced box rest.
For those who have made it this far, firstly I salute and thank you and secondly here’s a little quiz, just for fun, to keep the grey matter ticking….
What was the winning score at Badminton 2019?
Which rider had the most 4 & 5* international runs over the last five complete seasons?
Which horse has the highest OBP (opposition beaten %) at 4&5* level in 2018/2019?
What is CILLNABRADDEN EVO’s stable name?
Which cross country course features the Ice House Pond?
How many fences made up the Burghley cross country course last year? (Combinations to count as 1)