I love the German spectators, they are not afraid to voice their opinions. For example, in one of the jumping competitions one of the horses was completely overfaced, and it was a very ugly ride. The shouts of "Aufhoeren!" ("Quit!") were not subtle, and luckily the horse (!) took the hint and refused twice for elimination. SAP made it possible for the spectators to judge the dressage competitions via a phone app, the spectator judging didn't count but the score was shown next to the judges' scores. Interestingly, the spectators gave IW (Isabel) a lower score than the judges, and there was lots of grumbling, as the overall consensus was that Doro Schneider should have placed first in the GP freestyle.
It's mind boggling how all the horses performed in a "Hexenkessel" ("witches cauldron"), with 8000 screaming people and a noise level akin to a rock concert. During the indoor event, for example, the crowd went wild when Michi Jung went on course. His eight year old mare stayed focused on him the entire time, completely in tune with her rider. (Take note, Remy!).
I came home all eager to get back to riding, but alas, a bummer of a cold / bronchitis came along as 'unwanted souvenir'. Not at all what I had in mind! I don't even feel like touching the 'wanted souvenirs' (my mom's Christmas cookies and my dad's homebrewed Specials). But the trip was more than worth it!
I still smile when I think about the trip to McDonald's with my parents. For years, they had been curious what McDonald's was all about so I finally took them (never mind that I don't go to Micky D's in the US). It wasn't the awkward trip I feared ("nothing to eat"). Surprise: They have veggie burgers and yummy salads in Germany. Picky Mom got a veggie burger, Dad a Classic, and I had the Greek Salad. My very health and status conscious parents had fun and were happy - go figure...
Here are some impressions:
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Schluchsee - Schwarzwald
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| Piaffe performed by a "Fire Rider" |
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