Rolex-Day Two- Cross Country

The horses legs are greased to help them slide easier if they hit the jump.

Hawley Bennett on Livingston

Hawley and Livingston over the Double Diamonds
Waylon Roberts on Paleface
Blair King on Kings Whisper going over the Picnic Table

Philip Dutton and Connaught finished the Xcountry in 10:59 and after show jumping won Rolex!

Julia Steinberg and Mr. Big sail over the Stair-Step Table

Day Two was amazing and very sad.

The beauty and the force of these animals and riders are beyond anything I had ever seen. The sound of their hooves pounding the ground, heading off to the next jump at 21 miles an hour is incredible. To see the jubilation of the rider cross the finish line, to hear the horse's breathing at the end and the congratulations of the groomers and vets, is something we hope to witness again. To have the guts to do something like this...truely beyond words.

We witnessed and photographed a fall at jump 13. The Quiet Man didn't get his right forleg over the fence and shattered his shoulder. Near the end of the day, Frodo Baggins didn't clear the Flower Basket and sommersaulted over the jump and on top of his rider, Laine Ashker. Laine remains in critical condition at the University of Kentucky Hospital. Both the Quiet Man and Frodo Baggins suffered injuries that were beyond repair and humanly euthanized.

A beautiful and dangerous sport. Both horse and rider are elite athletes, training and competing together at top level. Horse and rider become one.

Laine and Frodo Baggins were on their way to the Olympics.

As in any sport, there is always risk involved.

On my poor planning, we left Sunday before the stadium jumping and awards ceremony. That was really frustrating not to see the end! Next year we will be there until the end...can't wait!