Went to the RDS today with Hoofpot to watch the Nation's Cup or, as it is more commonly known in Ireland, The Aga Khan. Eight different nations, four riders per team and two rounds of some of the best show jumping around. The weather in Dublin was lovely, for a change, and the going was good in the main arena in the RDS (can't say the same for Ring 1 where the showing classes were held, it was a quagmire). The course was nice and hard and there were only 2 clear rounds in the first leg of the competition. Even Germany, who were favourites and have won the Aga Khan the last two years (you get to keep the trophy if you win three years in a row. So far only 3 nations have done that - Ireland, GB and I can't remember the third) managed to accrue 21 points in their three best rounds. They pulled it together in the second round and had four time penalties, which left them with a total of 24 points and got them third position. Team GB had a fantastic first round with 7 combined points and went on to have an equally good second round to take first. Despite having Eddie Macken, Cian O'Connor, Jessica Kurten and Olympic hopeful Denis Lynch, we failed to live up to early promise and came second. Better than the last few years when we were third. I long for the return of the days when we won all the time.
Funnily enough, even though the jumping was exciting, I didn't enjoy the RDS this year. I've only missed going to the Horse Show once in the last ten years, and I've always enjoyed it but not this year. Maybe it was because I was feeling tired, or low or just because I seem to be sucking the joy out of everything recently. I don't know, it was a shame and I think I ruined Hoofpot's day too. Sorry Hoofpot. It was interesting watching my fellow spectators though. Like one woman who stood up and blew kisses at Eddie Macken or the face of another woman who found someone sitting in her seat. Licking lemons doesn't come close to how sour her mouth looked.
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3 comments:
It sounds like a good day, what a shame you didn't enjoy it.
Hearing that Eddie Macken was there brought me back 20 years or so! How long is it since he was a regular on the team?
If you are sucking the joy out of everything, shouldn't you be filling up inside with jollity? really, you should have had a great time! But if the ingested joy turns poisonous, perhaps you should give it up. :)
My new motto: not everyone can be a tree.
Swizerland was the 3rd but that was back in the early days when it was army only and there was a great swiss team (they may not have won in 3 consecutive years as that rule came in after they won) it is a terrible shame you didn't enjoy the day - poor inky
Hi Valpot, Eddie Macken is now based in Vancouver (well Langley, in B.C in Canada) where he rides and trains. He hasn't competed in Dublin in about eight or nine years. The problem with sucking the joy out of a situation is that you are draining all enjoyment and discarding it, not hoarding it for a bumper crop of merriment for yourself. It is like sucking snake venom out of a bite, you draw it out and then spit out away. No joy is ingested. It is a lose-lose situation. I like your motto, what inspired it?
Hi Anon. Thank you for supplying that information, which I confess I was too lazy to google. It is interesting that the Swiss were great in the army days. I know there are still a lot of army show jumpers in Ireland but they are out numbered by the civilians these days. The puissance was very exciting today. Apparently it is the father of show jumping - the high jump. They used to do a bare back high jump. Oh for the days when they cared nothing for safety and had fun!
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