Work it Baby ~ Work it Right
Wednesday, March 07 2012
JustWorld International’s STRUT Fashion Show makes for a stylishly good time High season in Wellington means so many (many many many) events, and so little time. There’s still a whole three weeks to go, and it’s already hard to keep one’s head above water. But during the first weekend in March, rest assured that On the Line tried. In the midst of the madness, I stopped in for a little fun at the JustWorld International STRUT Fashion Show at WEF on Saturday night. After Nations Cup night, before the big Sunday grand prix, and right after Paul O’Shea cleared a whopping Puissance wall, a dozen or so well-known riders took over the transformed Wellington Club at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center and walked the gauntlet runway in front of a sea of smiling faces.
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
Masters of the (Dressage) Universe!
Sunday, January 29 2012
It was not quite a foregone conclusion, but our man Steffen upheld his title as World Dressage Masters Palm Beach champion tonight in Florida, to the delight of a full house and online viewers around the world. Freestyle night of the 2012 World Dressage Masters series season opener was sure to be packed –with people and with excitement, but even though the top two results were the same as yesterday’s Grand Prix, the night wasn’t without a few twists and turns. It’s difficult to pick just a few adjectives to describe Steffen and Ravel, because all that come to mind apply. They simply mastered their freestyle, which Steffen said was the best he’d ever felt with Ravel. “I’ve never done a better freestyle,” he said. “He just felt simply amazing.
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
It’s Not the Stars That Matter, It’s the Stars That Matter
Saturday, January 28 2012
Just another Thursday night in Wellington. If only every dressage show included gold bikini-clad fire dancers, mermaids lounging about in an infinity pool, and chandelier ice sculptures. The organizers of the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach sure know how to attract a crowd, and the place was packed with all of the above, as well as a who’s who roster of dressage stars and their hangers-on last night at the…..exhibitor’s party. What, did you think I was talking about the competition?
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
1 of 27,000
Monday, January 23 2012
Attention horse world: A Thoroughbred racehorse was born yesterday in Kentucky. Rachel Alexandra's first foal was born at Stonestreet Farm in Lexington, KY While you ponder that momentous event and fawn over his famous pedigree (Curlin x Rachel Alexandra), stop and consider this: If this little guy doesn’t inherit his parents’ talent for speed, will he be looked after by good owners for the next 30-odd years of his life? Call me a downer, but the collective oohs and aahs and cute baby foal pictures that saturated social media feeds this morning were a reminder that only a small percentage of Thoroughbreds make it to the track, and an even smaller percentage become successful racehorses. What of the adorable foals just like Rachel Alexandra’s first colt, that don’t cut it? Without jumping into the dredges of the horse slaughter debate (that’s Lauren Gallops ‘ job), I give a nod to all the throwaway TBs of the racing industry that are somewhere out there right now. Many of them started life in a bed of thick straw on a beautiful Kentucky farm, too
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs