Red Hills is ready

Wow the week has gone fast, it is Friday morning and first horse starts dressage in less than 3 hours. I have had an amazing time so far. Everybody on the team is welcoming friendly and above all focused on making this event the best possible. There is no doubt that the Red Hills Team have an event that is world class and strive to exceed the high standard they have set in the past.

Unfortunately the ghost of Red Hills 2008 hangs vividly in the memory of the team and we all have worked to ensure that 2010 is a re-birth of this wonderful event. I have now moved to the Mistletoe Plantation which is about 20 mins north of Red Hills just across the Georgia State border. This vast property is very nice and Andy Griffiths and I are sharing a 2/3 bedroom cottage equipped with everything we could possibly need.

From a technical point of view this event is very similar to any other FEI event I have been to in Australia, but there are some major differences. For starters yesterday many of the riders were out hacking or doing flatwork. Perhaps 90% were wearing old school skullcaps, with no chinstrap. In Australia this just doesn't happen. The other one I struggle with is everybody has motorbikes and quads. They are being kept at the Stables, anyhow it is the differences that help us to learn.

I aCIC 1* class and have 22 starters to look after. My ground jury consists of Uli Schmidt who is an American born in Germany and Joe Dimmek a German judge. So anyhow my entire team including myself has German roots. There is certainly a plethora of overseas offficials with a judge each from Germany, Scotland and Hungary as well as myself and Andy Griffiths from the UK. It is great to have that level of experience on the team and I am learning a lot.

Every single night since I arrived has involved some sort of function and that continues right through. Last night was the Competitors, Officials and Volunteers Welcome. Tonight we back up with the sponsors party and tomorrow night is the competitors party. On Sunday we have a wrap up dinner back here at Mistletoe. And then I'm off to Lexington Kentucky with Joe Carr. Joe is here and just loves to stir everybody up, as I said we are having a ball.

The other day I went along with Andy and Hugh Lochore the Course Designer to do some radio interviews to drum up spectators for the event. Given our exotic accents in Florida we were told we very popular, if that helps get bums on seats great news.

Today we will do final checks on the XC course and meet to ensure all safety and response plans are in place.

I look forward to watching and meeting some of America's top riders over the next few days.

Bye for now.

5 March 2010