The Eagle Has Landed

Jennifer — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 23:58:00 GMT

OK, that's a bit of hyperbole, as I feel more like a weary eaglet than a soaring eagle at the moment. But I'm happy to report that I am in Lexington, and I've made my way to the media-credentialing office and then out to the Kentucky Horse Park and the press center there, and now I'm taking care of this bit of business before hitting the very welcome hay.

Pretty much everyone here is in the equestrian spirit. A spacious Alltech WEG souvenir gift shop greeted me at the Lexington airport. Even the various stores around town are offering equine-related merchandise, as you can see from this photo, shot in haste as we drove by:

The main lament around town is the fact that the hot, dry summer has done a number on the famed Kentucky bluegrass, which is now mostly brown. Not the lush Thoroughbred nursery that visitors were probably expecting.

Out at the Horse Park, things today, just one day before WEG opening ceremonies, were not overly crowded but a bit chaotic nonetheless. Golf carts laden with workers and volunteers scurried to and fro. It seemed as if everything, from security checkpoints to the press center itself, were still in the process of being set up. Sprinklers watered freshly laid sod. It's the eleventh hour, and it felt like it.

Here's a photo of the main stadium. In the foreground is part of the "Head of the Lake" famed cross-country water jump, which is used each year for the Rolex CCI**** and which will be a prominent feature of the WEG eventing competition. What you can't see in the photo is the huge carved wooden, painted Canada goose that will serve, I believe, as fence 17C.

Coverage addendum

I have some additional information about the planned online video coverage of WEG events. The US Equestrian Federation's online video channel, USEFNetwork.com, has announced that it will offer more than 65 hours of free coverage, including live coverage of the opening and closing ceremonies and live coverage of endurance, reining, driving, and vaulting competition. USEFNetwork.com will also carry taped coverage of para-equestrian dressage.

Why the split -- with USEF's channel offering only five of the eight disciplines free of charge -- finally dawned on me today. It's because NBC and its affiliate UniversalSports.com (which is offering pay-per-view live streaming) have the broadcast rights to the Olympic sports, and the the disciplines of eventing, jumping, and dressage are Olympic sports. Duh. I didn't connect the dots the first time, but now it makes sense.

On deck for Saturday

Here's what's up for tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 25: opening ceremonies, of course, at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Driver Tucker Johnson and eventer Karen O'Connor will carry the American flag for the US delegation.

During the day: two sections of team reining competition, including Dutch dressage superstar Anky van Grunsven, who took up reining as a second sport and got good enough that she made the Dutch WEG reining team. All five US reining competitors' horses (four team members plus the alternate) passed the veterinary inspection today: Shawn Flarida/RC Fancy Step, Tom McCutcheon/Gunners Special Nite, Craig Schmersal/Mister Montana Nic, Tim McQuay/Hollywoodtinseltown, and reserve pair Matthew Noel Palmer/Whale of a Whiz.

Countdown to WEG 2010 : Lexington, media, stadium, online, dressage, pay-per-view, reining

The Eagle Has Landed