Following Canada's Equestrian Team

Sorry for the lack of postings for the past couple of days. It’s been an eventful 48 hours that have passed by at warp speed. It’s now 11:45pm as I write this, and tomorrow is going to be a craaaaazy day (Eventing Jog & Opening Ceremonies!), so I’m going to paraphrase below, include some pics, then hit the hay.

The following are excellent examples that a great deal of the “behind-the-scenes” stuff that happens at a Games is rarely anything to do with the horses & competition itself.

In no particular order……

1. I drowned my iPhone. While I do have a COC-issued phone, I always keep my iPhone with me in the event that someone needs to reach me and don’t have my COC number. Not to mention I can take advantage of writing some emails when I have free WIFI, acts as a quick backup camera, and more importantly has my list of contacts.

So when you accidentally “drown” it while in bed trying to multitask by writing emails, answering texts on the COC phone and having my squeezie-top water bottle beside me…..it’s not good. Squeezie-tops are great, so long as you remember to actually close them. When you don’t, I found out that the bottle quickly empties itself all over your bed coverings, soaking anything in its’ path. My phone has been sitting in a bag of rice for 3 days and tomorrow will be judgement day when I charge it and try to turn it on.

2. It’s amazing just how reliant we are to the Internet. When you are part of support staff at a major games, quadruple that. And sadly the internet at the hotel has been pretty non-existent. In fact, the only reason I’m able to post this is because I figured out how to turn on the “mobille hotspot” on my COC phone. It’s not super-fast, but at least it works. The grooms hotel, on the other hand, has FABULOUS wifi…..but we’re not there very often to take advantage. So that is partially why it’s proven to be extremely difficult to blog. When I do get Internet, I’m furiously sending and replying to emails.

3. Paperwork. There is LOTS of it to be done! Applications for venue passes, print outs of schedules, forms to complete for clothing exchanges.

4. Our Eventers had another opportunity to ride in the main competition ring today with the dressage ring all set up, judges booth in place, video screen active, and music playing. Whoever is the DJ is awesome! Stone Roses, Specials, Madness, Spandau Ballet, Pet Shop Boys. I love England! Our guys all looked great and all were very happy with their schooling sessions and the quality of the footing. It was fun to see them riding at the same time as the British team, and to see just how really awesome our Canadian Eventers really look.

5. Tina and I had our first visit to Canada Olympic House, which is located at Trafalgar Square. It officially opens tomorrow. We went to pick up Family & Friends tickets….expecting to pick up Eventing’s which is the first equestrian competition, and very confused that LOCOG decided only to release the first days of Dressage Dressage, and Jumping Jumping……they aren’t release the Eventing tickets until late tomorrow afternoon. That will make for some interesting logistical planning on our end to get these tickets into the hands of Friends and Family before competition starts the morning of the 28th!

It’s now midnight, and tomorrow will start at 7am and last until 2 am (Opening Ceremonies!)

So I leave you with some pics, and ask your forgiveness for this being so brief.