Megan Jones Eventing Team

Ok guys I’m getting back online slowly!!!!!! So you read my cross country round and you want to know what we did after……..

Well each stable in the temporary stabling tent had a fluids bar… a what? well to be able to administer fluids to horses you need the bags of fluids to be held quiet high above the horses. So you have a pole that has a dog leg bend in it 2/3 of the way up. The long bit of the pole is attached to the front corner of the stable and the dog leg bend then makes the last 1/3 of it stick out from the corner towards the middle of the stable, so the bags of fluid can be hung off it and then an IV drip into the horse. Just like if you were put on fluids in hospital (a quick photo would have made this a lot easier to explain). Anyway the funny thing is there was a large sign on every stable and the stewards also came around and told each groom that there must not be any more then 15 litres on each pole at any one time… I asked why and got a simple answer. Well if everyone has 20 litres then the portable stable structure is then holding an extra 1/2 tonne of extra weight it can’t take!!! At 15 litres it won’t fall down at 20 it more than likely will. So a pretty good reason to only pop 3 bags up at a time.

The vets pushed through 10 litres pretty quickly to give the horses a good flush out then the last 10 litres much slower. Jester was tied up while his drip was in with a hay net and bucket of water. Karen continued to ice his legs while this was happening and did his Equissage and lights. He had some rubs on his heels so we had to some how keep his heels dry while icing him. So we put a cream on his heels then smeared with vas so the water could not get to his heels. Once the fluids were done we jogged the horses up and they were all looking good.

Why give fluids? Well the simple answer is because they worked so hard in such hard conditions we don’t need them dehydrating (in fact each horse had to have a urine sample taken every morning and tested to give the vets a picture of were each horse was at so if anything started going amiss it would be detected very early on). So they needed to be fully hydrated asap after cross country because there is a good chance the horses wouldn’t actually drink enough themselves anyway.

At 3pm all the horses were loaded up onto 13 matching air conditioned trucks! And by 4.30 they were all back in their stables. We jogged them all up again and they all still looked great. Festy got hungry when he arrived back and started really munching down on his Barastoc cool command and calm performer and his KER Equijewel.

That night I had a quiet dinner back at the mall near our village with Steve and then we had one last jog up at 10pm. All were great so they all went to bed. We jogged again the next morning at 7am and then had to just keep on with some ice treatments until our real jog at 4pm!!! Yes we had to wait all day. Everyone passed phew, jogs are always a tense time. Jester looked great and was quiet excited.

We walked the course at 6pm and the first rider was out at 7.15pm. I was the 2nd last rider out so I had a long wait, but it gave me a good chance to see the course being ridden. Fence 7 the green rails seemed to be coming down quite often and it looked like they were just getting there too nicely on the 8 strides and just rolling it out. I decided I needed to just sit up a little more there and make sure I got Jesters eye on it.

When I warmed up Festy felt great the warm up was perfect, we got everything we wanted and we only jumped a hand full of fences as there was no need to jump heaps with him. I went in feeling great, not worried or nervous. I was aware of the time being tight so I kept my lines as neat as I could. Once I jumped fence 6 then that left hand bend in 8 strides to fence 7, I sat up and Jester just came back too much. I should have ridden forward but instead I added a stride and I whacko I had that fence down so hard I couldn’t believe it. But no time to worry about that, fence 8 was coming up and Jester was running a little because of the terrible ride I gave him to the last fence. I needed to settle him as the 8 strides from 8 to 9 was waiting to wavy planks then a roll back to 10, the airy oxer. Got that done then time to move up to the triple bar at 11 then careful to keep my canter past the in gate to the last line. 2 strides double of verticals then 5 open strides to oxer over a liver pool (a water tray). Yay through the finish line with oh 1/2 a second up my sleave (phew that was closer than I wanted it)! I was so angry at myself making that mistake, Jester deserved a better ride than that and no amount of luck could have kept that rail in.

Oh well time to forget that and focus on the next round. Jester went back and was cooled off and he ate some more and had a drink and was put in ice to help his legs feel fresh again. We walked the course as it was totally different. It was shortened but it was bigger and the oxers all totally square. It really suited Jester. Again he warmed up really well.

We had a triple bar at 1 then right passed the in gate to a big oxer at 2. I didn’t get a clean change so ended up jumping it out of a cross canter, not ideal really! Then guess what another missed change to the double at 3 but still clear. Then a total roll back to 4, the option of 7 strides to a very square airy oxer (the fast way) or 7 to the left to a smaller vertical I chose the oxer he jumped them super. Then a tight u turn back to the yellow wall 6, then a good gallop to 7 a large oxer to wards the Olympic flame in the corner (yes a really big fire). Then wooooo down festy, liver pool oxer to vertical the 5 strides to the last he was running a little I should have sat up more I could feel him crossing his jaw a little.. oh my god this is painful re living this… I had it down @#%&*^%$#@ and some more $$%^&*#@$%#^.

Then for a moment we thought I still had bronze because Ingrid had a fence and one time but we forgot about Tina Cook from Great Britain, she had jumped clear. So I was still 4th. It has taken me a number of days to accept this, I have not cried, I have just been so mad at myself! I ride better than that, I made two tiny mistakes and paid form them both hugely! But have decided I was just being a brat and that I should be more than happy with a Silver medal it’s more than most athletes get at their first games. I have a sound fit happy horse and I will just have to ride better next time!

Now onto the after party… firstly we had a press conference, these seem odd to me as you have to speak to the media as soon as you get off your horse so they ask you loads of questions then so at the press conference they don’t have many questions left to ask you. Seems like a waste of time really. But in saying that it’s fun to feel special as we don’t have anything like this at home ever so it’s something I’ll remember forever.

But just before we went in to get our medals I was told I was needed for a drug test. So after the pres conference I went in and started really drinking to make sure I did enough pee! I have been caught out before with this, I thought I need to pee once and I did but not enough I was short by 30mls!!! So it took me 2 hours and litres of water to get the last 30mls. But I had to drive home from Werribee 3DE after that so I was stopping every 10mins to pee on the side of the road! So now I make sure I’m close to busting before I take the test.

So by the time I got out it was 2.15 in the morning and then we had a TV interview as a team to do outside our village with channel 9 or 10 at 3.15am. Once that was done then I got out of my jods and we went to the other Olympic hotel were some officials were staying and reserve riders. But it had a bar and everyone went there. We danced and some drank. I as usual managed oh 2 glasses of champagne for the night. Big effort for me! The as the clock struck 5am the bar closed and Steve and I went home.

And now once again I’m tired form all this riding and partying.

Megan

Dad (Peter), Me, Karen & Mum (Margaret)

Hello everyone,

Yes I am still alive and I’m sorry for being slack and not writing anything for a few days….. or is it more? I think my last blog was the night before cross country and I was pretty excited, well I still am.

Cross country morning drew very early as I wanted to walk the course before it all started at 8am. So I was up at 4.30am and grabbed a 5am shuttle out to the course at Beas River. I was meeting Karen at the stables at 5.40 to decide on what studs I was going to run and to reshape Jesters cross country boots and to go over the final plan.

By 6am I was on course walking in the rain with my Olympic issue umbrella we received in a Johnson and Johnson pack. I had each fence nailed on my walk and I was feeling relaxed about it. (I don’t do stressing that well, so I figured there is no need to stress) I was at fence 23 and I had this weird feeling that someone was behind me but in a weird way. Then this someone grabbed me…… ahhhh…..it was only Steve!! He had come out early to find me, he is so cute. We walked the last part together and when we parted he gave me a good luck kiss and some words of wisdom… “You can smoke this course up baby”.
So that’s what Jester and I did.

In the start box Wayne (our coach) just said be good and be fast. Off we set and Jester felt great, the first test came at fence 5 the first water, it was a tall hanging rail in 3 strides to a large roll top, then 4 strides to two angled houses 1 stride apart, then out of the water. That was the first minute marker. Then up to 7 a table over the hill and down over some lumps in the ground, to 8 a natural rock and grass mound. Around a wet corner and to the left hand side of the rope lane to get the smoothest line to the big hedge down the hill 4 strides long to either a left or right hand side triple hedge arrow head.

Around the corner to the 2nd min marker. Again stay left of center on the ropes to get the perfect apex off the next sharp corner to the right to be able to angle fence 10, so I can keep a straight line before and after to save time and Jesters energy (the less I have to pull him around the better). The gallop through some pretty windy corners getting good apexes again, then 11 rails over a ditch, then a soft right curve to the 2nd water 12a/b and 13a/b. I jumped in over the big hedge at 12a left of center to give myself a slight curve right to the skinny prawn in the water the longer way out over the left hand side duck. Gallop around the corner to a very wide square oxer the 3rd min mark. By this stage I’m down by 15 seconds on the time but I’m going as fast as jester can go. He is still feeling great with plenty in his tank yet.

Then on to fence 15, the massive ditch and palisade…. weeeeeee! That one is fun until I land and I get a soggy spot and Jester stumbles… oh well no time to worry about that must keep galloping. Onto fence 16a/b/c the great wall of china fence. It’s a filled stonewall oxer 6/7 strides on a curve to the right to rails down a hill, right curve 5/6 strides to a very wide corner (or apex as they are also called). I think I did 7 and 6 strides, 6 and 5 would have been faster but I didn’t do it. Keep galloping to the 4th min at the tall and narrow mushroom fence in the trees. Then down and around yes another corner and up another hill and then down to the flower boxes at fence 18a/b/c, a raised roll top in 4 forward strides to the very narrow and very tall red and yellow flower tray then 4 strides up a bank to a very tall hanging flower tray with a big drop behind it… weeeeee! That one was fun, felt like I was in the air for hours, like on a show ride or something.

And yes foot down and keep galloping down and up and turn to the last of the water jumps. This one was softer so I angled the hanging rail in and splashed through the water and up to the foot bridge angled over a ditch, I added a couple of strides here that I probably could have done without! Doing it waisted precious seconds. Then the 5 min marker. Galloping on to the dragons at fence 21, two dragon tails on a very big angle 1 stride apart. When I first walked it I was thinking about going slightly long and doing 2 or 3 strides on a curve but decided to go straight on the 2 walk around. Clear so far and Jester is still feeling confident, focused and fit.

Gallop up the hill and around the corner to 22, a massive corner over a ditch. On TV this fence probably looked small but let me tell you it was nothing but huge with a nearly 90 degree angle on the corner!! Then up a steep hill and around some really tight corners, for a change, to the 6th min marker and down to fence 23, just a huge wide hedge oxer. I jumped it on the right side to avoid the soggy spot where every one had landed, as this was a low point in the course and wetter to gallop on. It also gave me a good line to the next corner turning up a hill.

So on I galloped to fence 24a/b. This was my only scary moment on course, on TV you only saw me jumping over 23b and taking out the flag with my right leg. Well what happened was, I had a big distance coming in over 23a but I didn’t want to add a stride as that wasting time so just went big but it was then a left hand curve to 23b the big bench. It would have been ok but Jester hit another wet spot and stumbled further past my line than we really needed to! So it was a moment of ‘come on Jester’, as I really rode him back onto my line and he got his eye on the fence again, but he knows where the flags are and he will always try to go through them.

Then the 7 min mark by now I was down on my time at 7 mins, by something like 28 seconds. So I was pushing jester pretty hard. I am very nice to my horses, I don’t make time that often on the good horses once I know they can go fast and jump, I then save them at the small events. However the Olympics is really not one of those time so I didn’t feel bad asking for Jester to give me everything he had that day, as I know I’ve only ever really called on him like this a couple of times in his life. So I was chasing the clock home now with just a couple of fences to go, an oxer at 25 then down a hill to the last real test. A house to help just set you up then continue down the hill to two angled tall hedges 2 strides apart. They had caught quiet a few horses and riders out before me. I got my line kept my legs long and strong around jester, kept a strong contact and eyes up. He jumped them very well. He was feeling great still, he just couldn’t gallop any faster to the finish line. I don’t recommend riding to the finish line like I did and I can assure you I won’t be riding little jester that hard again for a long time! Maybe the next Olympics if the time is so hard again. So I was the 8th fastest of the day and Jester pulled up great.

A very big thank you to all the cooling team we had at the finish line. It was a mix of vets, Australian show jumping team grooms and the poor farrier Sandy Parker who had to take out studs while the horse was getting ice water poured over it and Sandy. He was totally drenched.

So I am totally exhausted now after going cross country again! (more on SJ and the bling to come!!)

Bye for now and thank you all for your amazing support.

Megan and jester.

Jester is feeling good. Excited about tonight. He’s currently having a rest…

Jester Resting

I did it and I didn’t faint when I rode up the center line…….. no only joking about that. Though I did get a bit nervous at times….. well ok, a lot during the day on Friday!! But come crunch time I wasn’t at all. In fact, I can’t even remember how my test felt!!! How’s that for blonde?! I’m sure my brain could have gotten rid of some unused information stored and made just a little room for my memory of my test????? Who knows?

Anyway wasn’t Festy clever? He tried so hard, he was feeling really good warming up so I used the roar of the crowd from the rider before me to perk him up a little. And I do apologise if I was pulling crazy faces while doing my test but I was concentrating very hard. Karen did a marvellous job as usual of turning Festy out so he sparkled. So thank you Karen.

We have just got back from walking the course again and settling the horses into the xc stables. Jester took his usual 3.5 mins to settle in… water - check… haynet - check… feed bin full of tasty energizing feed - check… carrots - check… Karen plaiting her own hair - check check! Done and settled.

I’m about to head out and get supplies for tomorrow to keep Karen energized.

But wow!!! I’m coming 4th! It hasn’t really sunk in yet, I think that is because I still have tomorrow to finish… oh and then the next day.

So a big WELL DONE TEAM!!!!! We are leading so all we have to do now is hang onto it with both hands, our teeth and toes!!!

And I just need to thank my amazing sister for keeping the Kirby Park web site alive and updated.

As one fan has said may jester find BUDDHA in his head! I love it!

Megan and Festy
PS – Festy has been practicing his ‘go fast’ face in preparation for tomorrow

As you can imagine, Megan has her game face on and is totally focussed on the competition at the moment.

She asked me to put an update here for her.

Thanks to everyone who has been sending her messages, she is reading them and she’s loving the support

She was happy with her test yesterday, little Jester tried his heart out and she’s very pleased with him. She’s been keeping herself busy by RUNNING, yes running! around the cross country  course. I guess if Jester has to be fit enough to gallop it, then it’s only fair that Megan is fit enough to run it

“May Festy find wings on his fetlocks, fire in his heart and Buddha in his head.” Written by Kris in an email yesterday and I just it’s brilliant and perfectly sums up what I’m sure so many of us are thinking.

Cheers

Emma

PS… I am keeping www.kirbypark.com up to date with links, videos, results etc

Ok so I missed a day sorry, or is it two days? It has all been blending into one. BUT now it’s show time and I will know exactly where I am in the week, (quite an achievement for me being blonde and all).

Yesterday we got to walk the cross country course……….. and……….. it – is – tough!! Only 8 mins as it has been shortened and there are pretty much now galloping stretches to make up time. It is twisty and requires a lot of accurate riding and if you go for time, the fences just get harder. It will suit our team of nippy horses as you really don’t want to be sitting on something that pulls at all. In the first 3 mins there is something like 21 jumping efforts!!!!!!!!

We do our jog this afternoon at 4pm then I will quickly ride Festy again after this morning’s ride. Then we have a Hong Kong welcome celebration held for all riders officials and owners. My name was pulled out of the hat to be flag carrier for Australia equestrian. This is an honor to do this even if it means I’m the one who has to stand out in the pouring rain getting my Elvis outfit drenched (you will know what I mean when you see the opening ceremony outfit for the whole Australian team). I’m not knocking it as it will really stand out and look great……..!

We will have a running order by tonight after the jog but for those worried about having to get up early to see me well all I can say is don’t panic you probably won’t need to. But my lips are sealed until the draw is done.

Festy still going well, Karen has plaited the bit of hair by her left ear at least 1000 times this last few days (and for those who know Karen, know this is similar to a nervous twitch) so everything is normal.
I cannot tell you how much it was raining this morning when I went out to ride across to the indoor, I had my waterproof jacket on and I carried an umbrella over jester and I in an attempt to stay dry it did work quite well and jester didn’t mind it either.

My parents have also arrived, clippity clop clippity clop…

catch ya
Megan

ps… we’re shopping for shoes! The formal team shoes aren’t appropriate for the trot up (high heel, open toes) so we’ll doing an 11th hour shopping run!

Well it looks like and feels like ground hog day today as another typhoon is coming in just like one did at last year’s test event. Everything is closed down in Hong Kong as the whole place takes shelter and we are amusing ourselves in strange ways.

Yesterday afternoon I had a leave pass to go and see Steve who arrived the day before - yes I needed a pass as we all must be accounted for on a 24×7 basis with movement out of the village and the training venues very restricted.  As I was leaving Rob called to say I had better get a wiggle on as the typhoon had just been upgraded to number 8 and, at level 9 everything closes - no transport. So I scurried back to the Village on the train (what a wonderful train system they have here in Hong Kong - fast, cheap and efficient).

I got back ok and had a long brekkie with some of the American and Canadian team members. We decided to have a team uniform walk off displaying our most outrageous pieces of clothing. The Canadians won hands down with their funky patterned happy pants and matching vests. We figured the designer had the zebra theory in mind when designing then - when in a group they will confuse you……. ha ha.

So we are all trying to pass the time while this wild weather passes and I’m typing even slower than usual just the one finger typing this time not my efficient two finger (search and destroy style) I normally use.

My wonder sister Emma has sent me through my hero messages as, of course, I had no idea they were out there in cyberspace just waiting for me to accidentally type in the correct words in my browser bar to find them. Thank you all for writing to me it’s very nice to read them all and they make me feel warm and fuzzy inside but keep the messages to Jester low key as he is getting a bit of a rock star attitude now he is here - demanding makeup artist and soft lighting - that’s just so he can leave his box!! Karen is working very hard and doing, as expected, an amazing job of looking after
Festy (and me).

I’m off to the gym now to pass some more time away then maybe a spot of shopping to buy gifts for the two amazing girls at home keeping the rest of Kirby Park going while I’m here. So to Amanda and Bec thank you very very much.

Maybe if anyone wants to comment on my blog on what gift I should buy each of then we will do a survey? Sounds like another way to pass some time.

For those coming over the typhoon should pass by today and everything is looking ok (although showery) for the event.

Catch ya

Megan

Ok, it’s now Tuesday and the real action is getting closer by the hour and the excitement is starting to build.

We had a really nice surprise yesterday when we were introduced to the ALO (Athlete Liaison Officer) assigned to equestrian (as well as a few other sports). Who is the ALO - well none other than the test cricketing great - Steve Waugh. We had a great lunch with him then hung out for while before going off to a reception with various very important people. The reception was in a lovely garden up in the mountains around Sha-Tin. Steve is a very nice, approachable guy and having him there really made me and the whole team feel really quiet special. He kinda comes with a lot of street cred doesn’t he?

Today Steve (I am a bit of a name dropper aren’t I?) came out and watched us gallop in the morning and saw how we looked after the trusty steeds afterwards. I must say I thought he was quite impressed with the whole show.

I also worked Jester on the flat this morning and he felt even better than the other day. Harry Bolt is with the team now and he saw Jester and I work for the first time and he thought he was working super good. We had our first press conference today and that seemed to go very well - hopefully some of it will get played back in Oz - keep on eye on Channel 7 I suppose.

Well I’m off to potentially get lost trying to get a train to go and see Steve (the other one) who arrived last night. So off to Mong Kok where he is staying in the Langham Place Hotel which I believe is where lots of the people, who coming over from Oz, are also staying.

Gota go, see (some of you) later in Mong Kok

Megan, Festy and Karen

Well, it’s Sunday today and what a busy day. Firstly, up before sunrise to go for a walk up the mountain behind the Village. I took a different route this morning up to the 10,000 Buddha monastery - then back down without going in as it was shut at 6.15am! However, a good walk up. At the top of the mountain (well big hill really) I was met by heaps of monkeys in the sunrise - a pretty nice way to start the day. I returned down the mountain taking my normal route up. Today a gate that is normally shut, and for a good reason, was open and sitting in my path was one very large angry looking dog. I stopped and contemplated my situation and, I must say, I was a little nervous. But the dog got up and walked back into it’s own area - it may have been frightened by me! I continued on, still ok, but when I was about 15 meters along from the gate, 3 very large and very angry dogs came running out barking at me. I can tell you it took all my self control not to do a perfect impression of the road runner and get the hell outa there but I coolly walked on, at a brisk pace, and survived.

Later in the morning I rode and just walked out for an hour with Hayley (dressage team member) and Isabel Wearth (I know, I’m just a shameless name dropper!).

After the ride I decided that Festy needed a haircut. So, given the killer misting tent and hose and then Bear’s tube didn’t kill him, the clippers would hold no fear. Not to mention the horror of horrors of, earlier in the day, having to walk by Kristy Oakley using a juicing machine (to make fresh juice for her horse to mix in his water to make him drink better). Festy is now a fetching blue colour as the Frederick’s clippers cut quite close!!!
I’m glad the show jumping vet Andrew Hunt is such a showy, as he has the job of turning Festy white again for the vet inspection with baby powder.

Later I found my inner Computer Queen crown and helped Sonja and Hayley find their ‘whereabouts’ forms on the net and organise their passwords and fill them in for them. These forms are for the drug testing squad so they can swoop in and take random tests. There are many reasons you have to be an idiot to dope and this is just one.

I had a 4pm lunch, a cup of tea and an afternoon gossip, then went back to JUMP JUMP JUMP. We jumped tonight under lights in one of the floodlit outside rings and Festy was very good.

Going for a late dinner now then off to bed.

See ya,

Megan, Festy and Karen

Gold Medal art…

Photos below, courtsey of the EFA, taken by Russ Withers

It’s Friday 1st August (Happy Birthday to all Aussie horses!) and I gave Jester his first proper ride today and he felt great!!

I rode in the main ring as it was open for a few hours this morning and I felt like the odd one out -why is that I hear you ask? I was wearing a helmet and not a single other rider was - yes it is hot but this was a very typical European sight. There was no way I was going to ride without a helmet, as I always wear one and drill it into my students. Also, I had spent $600 on a ultra light weight air flow hat and there was no way I’m not getting full use out of this puppy.

After riding, team meetings and lunch I convinced Sonja, Hayley (dressage rider) Shane and Sam (assistant show jumping coach for eventing) to come on a walk that Vince Roach showed me last year at the test event. It was a good sweaty walk and it helped pass some time away doing something constructive, i.e. learning how to really cope with 30 degrees and 90 percent humidity.

Jester has a terminal fear of hoses so, when Karen tried to hose him off after I had ridden him while in the misting tent, he was not amused. To top it off I wanted him to have a drench after he had been worked to get him drinking better so, along comes Bear (the team vet) with yet another hose to stick down his nose. Poor Festy he really does hate hoses now however it had the desired affect and he drank up nearly straight away.

I’m going to ride later tonight in the main ring under lights. Wayne hasn’t announced our riding order yet so I don’t know if I will be riding dressage early in the morning or at night. So, at this stage, I’m covering all bases and getting Festy in the mood for great test no matter what the circumstances.

Well, I’m off to the pool now and I may even get myself back on the treadmill for a second time today. The pool and gym here are great!

See ya

Megan, Festy and Karen

Festy got away on time however the human flight out of Sydney was delayed for two hours. Finally made into Hong Kong after 20 hours on the road, tired and very glad to be here.

I rode Festy this morning and, in true super star style, he was great - no after effects from the flight over. All horses were weighed on arrival and he had lost a few kilos but that is to be expected.

Room arrangements have changed and I’m now rooming with Sonja.

Well the day finally arrived after 4000 or so sleeps. Everybody up at around 3:30am packing gear and horses onto trucks. Its very early and there’s an air of anticipation and excitement - this is no ordinary event we are going to.

We are kitted up now with all our Olympic gear that includes new tails and jumping jacket. We now know what the billeting arrangements are in the village: I’m sharing with Lucinda, Shane with Clayton and Sonja with Kristy Oatley.

All our horses are fit and look ready to do the job. They are travelling via Melbourne with Bear, Sam and Shane as baby sitters. We are out of Sydney at 10:30 this morning and will meet up with then in Honkers later on today.

There was talk everything being delayed a day but fortunately (4001 and one sleeps would have been too much) that didn’t happen.

Steve set of at 4:00am this morning with poor Floyd all alone in the back of the truck. We set up a TV for him with episodes of Mr Ed on a continuous loop so he wont be too lonely and, maybe, he will learn to talk. Actually saying goodbye to Steve was not the final goodbye - after he had left I realised that Festy’s lunch box for the flight was still in the truck so I had to call him to stop and drive out to get the hay baskets which are full of the feed Festy loves - I’m sure he will prefer these baskets to ‘airline food’.

Speak to you soon, Megan, Festy and Karen

Photos below courtesy of the EFA. More photos on the EFA site

Hi everyone!

Camp is drawing to an end finally just 5 more jog ups and one more gallop to go. We have had a good week here starting with a great lunch at a very nice Rose Bay restaurant on Tuesday. One of Shane’s owners wanted to take us to lunch before we went  (this is the same owner that took us to dinner at the amazing Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong last year while we were at the test event). It was a very long lunch with plenty of great wine consumed but as i don’t really drink i was the driver for the day,(well the week really as I get so car sick I have to drive) I did indulge in one glass of very nice French Champagne at the beginning of lunch.

All the horses are going very well and everyone is in good spirits we were all summoned to head quarters (EFA National office) on Thursday afternoon after we had galloped. Floyd managed to pull off a shoe warming up for the gallop so Karen had to lead him back to the stables and Jester had to gallop on his own. He is not so good at this he likes the goofy company of Floyd, it keeps him inspired to gallop faster than Floyd is. So i had to wait for Shane to finish galloping and get him to put Floyds shoe back on so i could go back out here. He was not amused to be galloping on his own. But this made us a touch late to lave to get the head quarters for what we didn’t know?

Once we got here I just parked the car in the first free space i could find……… but not knowing the special ways of the “office car park” i did what all country people do and park in the wrong spot. We didn’t work this out until later. We went inside to  see Brett (high performance manager) and see why we had all be summoned………. It was just to collect our new jumping coats and dressage tails, saddle cloths and a few bits and pieces. Once we had finished we went to the car only to find the “OWNER” of said car park had parked her car behind us to block us in. But she/he underestimated the AUSTRALIAN EVENTING TEAM we should have videoed this, but we have a team car fondly known as the wombat (as the car is a Tarago) and we had a spare car space on the left of the wombat so with skilled directing from all girl team members I managed to turn the wombat around in our space doing I think an 8 point turn and drive out. But we now know the rules of the “car park” as one tenant in another building came to get her car during our team building exercise and informed us the number “8” meant it belonged to office “8”.  We will know for future visit to head quarters.

Friday we jumped and I am about to go and get out of my running gear and into some joddies as Harry is due soon and I’m the first lesson.

Megan Jester and Floyd

Hello everyone,
We have been in Sydney at SIEC now for just 5 days and it feels like a life time! And we only have oh, 10 days to go……… lucky there are loads of bike tracks and single tracks for me to ride Hot Dog (my mountain bike) around on or I may just go a little crazy. Stephen is still here after driving up with me last Tuesday, however,  he will leave Tuesday to go home when the Olympic Team goes into Quarantine lock down for the final week of training.
Harry Bolt, our Dressage Coach, was here Wednesday through to Saturday helping us to perfect our dressage. The horses have had a big week of training so far with two rides per day every day and one of those rides being  a very intense dressage session.  I also jumped both of mine on Friday afternoon.
We had a great opportunity this week to work the horses in a competition environment as there was a mid week horse trials here at SIEC (Sydney International Equestrian Centre) on the Wednesday and a lot of people stayed on for the week which kept the whole centre alive.
We were able to run through the new CCI**** Hong Kong Dressage test again in a competition environment on the weekend - with judges and full party dress (tails etc). The new test for Hong Kong has been reduced to  4 ½  mins so that the dressage phase can be finished in good time – this makes everything happen a little faster than the old test.
We then show jumped one round followed by another round where the jumps were made higher - just like we will do in Hong Kong. The lower round to decide the Team Medal (Go Aussies!!) and the higher round for the Individual Medals (Go Aussies!!).
Festy did a great test and was winning by 5 points to Shane Rose then Sonja Johnson and Floyd was 4th! Go Floyd! Wendy was 5th and 6th with Chris Burton in 7th.  They both had one fence down when we jumped in the first round and both jumped clear in the second. It was great to jump some rounds as I haven’t been to a jump show since Melbourne 3DE.
We galloped today (Sunday) so only 2 gallops to go after this. Both boys were great, feeling fit and looking like  Olympic Athletes. We have a day off  on Monday with just hand walking out for the boys and plenty of EQUISSAGE for them. The weather is just amazing up here sunny and nearly warm.  Floyd changes colour every day getting darker in the sunshine.
Love to you all
Megan, Festy, Floyd and Karen

Hi Everyone,
We received the official team nomination announcement last week and are now awaiting the official AOC (Australian Olympic Committee) team announcement on July 11th. There will be no change to the nominated team I am sure.

I had a fantastic weekend, as you have seen from the photos on the web site (www.kirbypark.com), my great friends arranged a totally wonderful party for me. With a turnout of around 80 people coming to wish me well and the best of luck on my next life journey……. the Olympics games!!!!!  It was a great day and very emotional with my Dad bringing me, himself and many others to tears with his wonderful speech.

Karen and I are in the midst of getting ourselves and Jester ready and packed. We need bags for camp, bags for Hong Kong and ……….. just the thought of it makes me giddy with all the lists we have written and now need to act on.

We have had the coldest week so far at home. Not a great preparation for the heat and humidity of Hong Kong! I have been told that Hong  Kong has had the wettest June in the last  125 years! Nearly 5 inches of rain per day. Let’s just hope that it rains itself out by the time we get there.

One week to go, and Jester, Floyd, Karen and I are off to camp at SIEC.

Megan

Photos from the celebration & goodluck BBQ can be found on the Kirby Park website

Hi Everyone!

Well the last week has been quite exciting to say the least.

As short listed riders, we knew that we would be getting a call on Monday 30^th June to let us know if we had been selected for the Olympic team or not. I decided to take the day off to distract myself and went into Adelaide with Steve just waiting for the call. I was so nervous every time my phone rang, but each time it rang it was not the caller id that I was looking for.

Almost the whole day had passed and on our way home at 5pm with no call so far I was starting to wonder. I had had so many calls and text messages asking me if I knew yet, but I had hear nothing so didn’t answer my messages. Then the call came through at 5.30pm, and as it was an “03″ number, I just thought it was someone calling about the pre novice horse I currently have for sale, but no it was “EFA High Performance Manager” Brett Mace. My stomach knotted ………….. he put me on a conference call with Chairman of selectors Jim Dunn…………… and Jim gave me the good news………… all I could muster to say was…………thanks……….!

That’s it’s just …..thanks. for once in my life I was speechless!

Then all I felt was a huge wave of relief from such a long day of anticipation!

Now I had this exciting information and I had to keep my lips sealed until the official press release was put out on 3^rd July. As you can imagine, this was pure torture.

So now we can talk about it and YAY YAY YAY YAY! I am getting slightly more excited each day, but I know how far we still have to go from here( still a month).

I want to say a huge THANK YOU to all my Sponsors and Clients for all your amazing support leading up to this amazing part of my life. I hope to do you all proud.

Also a even bigger THANK YOU to my Mum, Dad and Sister for your unwavering support as without it, none of this would have happened…………….MMMMWHA thank you xxx

Megan