Cross-country at the Event

After I sprayed some weeds this morning I went to watch the cross-country races at the Event at Rebecca Farms.

I rode my bicycle, and on the way to the Event, I had to cross an area where the county is rebuilding the road. This section was gravel and after crossing this section my rear wheel was out of true. I had thought I had broken a spoke as I have been doing that occasionally this year. My bicycle wheel is old and has many miles on it and broken spokes happens more frequently these days. I loosened my rear brakes to lesson the rubbing on them. Not much I could until I got home. To my surprise at home no spokes were broken, it was just one had loosened up quite a bit.

The other 'hassle' with my bicycle was that my rear tire was flat when it came time to leave. (The tire's tube has a slow leak which I can't easily find and fix.) I have been adding air each day and that lasts, I had filled the tire before I left today, so I imagined a sharp rock did my tube in. Wrong again. I had a pump along and added air to my tire and it held the rest of the day.

I didn't get to the Event until 1:30 pm. I was in time to see the last half dozen or so riders in the CICS class - the top class. I went to the "Duck Pond" first and watched these riders. The top riders jump the two carved ducks. I believe they are the only riders to do so. The other competitor classes jump the logs and shorter obstacles.

The next class to run the course was the Prelimimary class. Apparently this class is the middle class between the Novice and Intermediate classes and the CICS classes. I was told each class has several levels within each.

Since there was a half hour until the Preliminary class I walked the course to the Trout Ponds. These are two water courses side by side with one pond having three carved trout in it. The hillside above the Trout Ponds provide the best viewing on the course. No shade, but the best viewing. From here you can see over half the course.


At the top of the hill overlooking the trout ponds is a large jump. Then the rider needs to control her horse on the downhill as at the bottom is a large jump, then immediately a small jump into the water. Cross the water and jump another obstacle before going out for a turn then two more obstacles in and out of the next pond before a wide turn and a long run to the next obstacle.

I could tell the level of riders on how they approached going downhill to the water. Some didn't appear to hold their horses back; others noticeably slowed their horse down. A few times a horse would balk at the jump and the rider would have to retry. Each "refusal" was a 20 point (second?) penalty. Three refusals at one obstacle and the horse was disqualified.

A few horses looked like they would crash or not make it over. All did but a few seemed to rub their belly doing so. Most people around me were more knowledgeable than I and some would comment about how a rider was lucky to have a good horse to make up for her inexperience.

Two times during the day a rider fell off the horse. Each time it was not at one of the water jumps. One time it was the section before where I was and the horse came running.

"Loose horse!!!"

Course officials chased the horse down and the ATVs and golf carts roared into action rushing to the rider. I never heard how the rider fared though each time an ambulance wandered over to the rider. More than likely as a precaution. I spoke with a few mothers of riders and they hold their breath when their daughters run the course.

I say "her" and "daughters" as 98% of the riders are women. It is unusual to see a man race the course.

I chatted with a number of people who came and watched from my vantage point, which was the best, though without shade. People from the valley and people visiting. I may have 'missed' concentrating on the riders for over half the time I was there as I was deep in conversation with various people.

One couple, Guy and Pam, are from the Valley. They have horses, don't do Eventing and participate instead in "reining". Pam described it to me as a western - and not so formal and snobby - version of Dressage. She rides two horses in the reining events and her husband rides one. They told me about a big reining event the first week of August here in the Valley and I think I will try to attend and watch some of the participants. She told me the organizer is putting up a $100,000 purses so the "gods" will show up to participate. By "gods" Pam explained the top competitors, the ones she aspires to be as good as.

Guy and Pam also ride a number of the trails around the Valley on horseback. She prefers that to hiking. They usually ride trails outside the Park due to the hassle of riding in the Park due to rules and restrictions, the crowded trails, and the snotty comments from hikers who don't like to share the trail with horses. During hunting season they ride in the Park.

I got a number of good suggestions for good trails and views to hike on and plan to do so.

Pam wore a tiger stripe blouse. It looked good. I like that look but most women can't carry it off. She also pinned her hair back in a style different from the rest of the women. In this heat almost the women had their hair in ponytails. Pam also had a wicked fun sense of humor. Too bad she was married.

I told Guy and Pam I was going on a date Sunday with a woman who rides a horse and that if our date goes well maybe I'll see them on a trail on horseback. Later a women who had overheard me say that, and who was involved with and knowledgeable about 'Eventing", warned me to be careful with these horsewomen as they are intense. I explained that Collen wasn't one of the Eventing participants.

After the cross-country event was over I walked my bicycle over part of the course to where the horses were stabled. One of the sponsor's pickups drove up beside me and the women asked if I wanted to ride around with them. I had my bicycle with, and there were already women in the pickup's bed, so I declined. I got the impression that it was "my loss." Probably true. This evening was the Event's bar-b-q and I think there was dance afterwards. I have a feeling males - other than Fathers and a few husbands - would be in short supply.

Tomorrow is a full day of show jumping so I imagine the ladies wouldn't get too rowdy tonight. But considering how buff, tanned, and toned many of the women were, one never knows what sort of 'trouble' one could get into.





The trout ponds, starting with the big jump on top of the hill, then the race down to the water.



This horse is balking at the jump. The horse in the next photo shows the horse after the jump exiting the water of the second pond. In the background is the course. The preliminary riders race between the two hills. The top class riders goes up and over them, down, then up and over the second one.



An example of how the Event tries to make the obstacles have a theme and be fun.



Lastly, here is a photo of women riders coming out to support a fellow rider. This looks like a group you'd wouldn't want to mess with.



It was a hot day and most all the younger women watching were dressed 'appropriately'. Hoo boy! That often was a distraction from watching the horses race.