Report from Aachen

Friday, July 14, 2000 7:15 pm

Hello, Its me, Jessie again. I watched the neatest event today. It was the German Quadrille Championships. There were 5 teams of four riders. They were surprisingly entertaining and extremely intricate. They did things like canter half-pass zigzags four abreast and then these intricate designs that weaved in and out and were very hard to follow. The crowds were huge and it was like a baseball game when the crowds would boo or cheer the scores. Tonight's Intermediare musical freestyles were actually disappointing and we left in the middle of them. The music was often poor or had a strong beat that didn't relate to the horse. The cars here are very entertaining as well. I'm prepared to buy myself a SMART. Their length is the width of any other car and you can park them sideways on the streets. Lendon to has found a new car, but nobody should get excited because it happens to be the most ridiculous car I've seen -- a Mercedes even. Most important is that Fab Percaccia from Italy has arrived and she says "hello" to everyone. (She competed in last year's championships.) She looks great and would like to come back for a while in November. She wants to help us put together a quadrille at home. Who should we use? I really wish Jeanne P. and Lisa H. had seen these performances, but I'm sure Gino and Attention are relieved that you didn't. Miss everyone, Jessie

And now a word (or two.......) from Lendon, A busy day today. This morning I dragged Jessie and Courtney to the 12th century Aachen Cathedral which is spectacular. It was originally built by Charlemagne and of course has had various rebuildings since. This afternoon was the second half of the Grand Prix. We sat with Dr. Knipp and received more commentary. Here are some more random notes from him. If the walk is rambling (pacey), no matter how good a movement may be it cannot receive a good score. On the short sides you "load the battery" for the extension on the diagonal. In the Grand Prix test where you go from extended trot to passage, the impulsion of the extension is taken up in the passage. legs change on the ground in the piaffe and in the air in passage. After the extended canter on the diagonal, the flying change must be done in collection. Don't do ones in high collection; go a bit more forward. The collected walk is not slow. The walk is a marching pace; the trot is a swinging pace; the canter is a springing pace. He talks of a horse being safe on the bit (reliable) and the horse trying to get rid of the rider's hands (resisting). After the last British rider went, Mr. Schumacher, who is coaching the British team, came and sat with our young riders. It was great to get his insider's view on everyone. There is a great deal of politics in this whole game. For example the Dutch did not send any of their Olympic riders because they don't want the judges to compare them to the Germans just before the Olympics. It was important that the right Germans place on top (they did), even though the German team is not chosen only on scores. The top British riders are not here because they have their final selection trial at Hickstead in 10 days. There were some wonderful Grand Prix rides today. The weather continued to be horrid. From short spurts of sun to terrible downpours and high winds. Ulla Salzberger and Rusty, one of Germany's best, went during the winds. as she got to the end of the diagonal at medium canter in the beginning of the test, Rusty shied violently at a swaying bush and she came very close to coming off. Capelmann's horse Chacomo is absolutely exquisite -- a bit green still, but what a mover! We had great entertainment tonight during the breaks from a band from the Ukraine and a group of young folk dancers who did amazing things splashing through the puddles and slipping on the wet grass. The footing here is amazing. It somehow keeps absorbing this nonstop rain. Time for bed. We have a 7:30 AM breakfast with Dr. Knipp.