There is a Cameroonian proverb: “Rain does not fall on one roof alone. ” Today I could have coined a new Canadian proverb: “Rain does not fall on one rider alone.” There was constant rain today for the CDI3* (Concours Dressage International) at the Caledon Equestrian Park. The rain rained on all the riders competing in the Grand Prix Special. This competition is the last chance for riders to acquire scores toward qualifying to be on the Canadian Dressage Team for the World Equestrian Games in Tryon , North Carolina in September. Today it was down to the wire!
My coach Belinda Trussell and her horse Tattoo were the first of the WEG contenders in the ring.
Tattoo did not seem to mind the rain.
Next in was Megan Lane on Zodiac. The rain decided to rain a bit harder on them but Megan always smiles rain or no rain.
At the end of their test both horse and rider were soaked. Zodiac looked like he would be happy to get back to his stall.
The gate keeper had come dressed for the rain.
The third of the contenders for WEG was Diane Creech riding Diane C. I think it rained the hardest for them.
But they carried on.
In the photos all the horses look black but only Tattoo actually is a black horse. Zodiac and Diane C are both bay (brown with black legs and tails) but they look black because they were so wet. We have had a long spell of unusually hot and dry weather and I think this rain travelled a long way for the opportunity to rain on these riders!
All three riders did a good job in the conditions and now the scores are in. To be selected for the Canadian Dressage Team for WEG there will be a calculation of scores from other competitions here in Canada and in Florida during the winter. The process of this calculation is a complicated one and I do not really understand it myself, so would not venture to try to explain it to you. Also, the horses in contention will be seen by two Canadian Team vets and examined at their home barns. Equestrian Canada will make the announcement of who is on the team sometime in August.
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