Santo
Domingo
Pan Am Games 2003
August 6 - 10, 2003
Wradar, Oldenburg Stallion
Competing for Barbados
Day 1
Tuesday, Aug 5
First glimpse of the Palmarejito Equestrian Center
This is something that was under
construction the first day - however, we never got to see what it
was for as it was dismantled the next day! Main ring in the
back ground and bleachers - yes - that's why it was published that
was seating for 600. I never could figure out why so few until I saw
it.
Akoela and Wradar in the warm up
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We arrived on Monday
night.late due to weather in Miami, and our rooms were not
available. This actually turned out to be not so bad as Ron and I
were "forced" to spend the night in the Presidential
Suite.
This meant we got off to a really late start in the morning, waiting
for our rooms to be changed. In the end we couldn't wait any
longer and left Ron to sort it and I went with my mother to see
Wradar.
$30US gets you from the hotel to the horse park. The road is not
finished. We went on a dirt road, one car wide through a little
village, with "houses" right up to each side of the road,
interspersed with dirt piles that I imagine will eventually end up
on the road. The driver didn't know his way and had to stop and ask
several times. Definately not a good idea to drive here and am
thankful we cancelled our rental car!
Well, it really is a
construction zone. The equestrian park will be wonderful when
it's finished. Alas, probably not this year. You
have to be careful not to step on wet concrete - or lean against a
palm tree which was planted yesterday and is being propped up on all
sides.
Got to the horse park just in time to see Wradar - thanks to friend
and scribe, Cathy Tucker- Slaterbeck who found us as we walked in
and let us know we had 5 minutes before Barbados ride time. Each
team has 20 minutes scheduled warm-up in the main ring. Wradar looks
great.
It is very hot and humid, but he doesn't seem to mind - must be the
Florida acclimatization.
Couldn't get accreditation or an owner's pass to see him. The
computer is out of ink! So I'm really glad we got there in
time and I had a chance to actually touch him.
Also found out that there was a complete schedule
change! All the dates for the dressage had been published as
August 7,8 and 10th. On this basis, Akoela's mother, friend and our
son were arriving Wednesday night to watch Akoela and Wradar ride on
Thursday. This was the first we heard of the schedule change. They
had had the draw and Akoela would ride at 9.00am tomorrow!
Day 2......
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Special thanks
to Eduardo Muniz, husband of Yvonne Muniz, who is competing for Dominican
Republic, for his most informative emails about where to stay, how to get
around, and even that Wradar arrived safely and that Eduardo personally
drove him from the airport to the showgrounds.
Thanks also to Kyra Beth
Houston of Dressage Unlimited Dressage.com
who posted our PanAm News
"as it happened" and who lent us her European phones so we could
communicate. Something obviously very difficult as after everyone arrived,
ie Wradar, RuthAnn, Lena and Akoela, we never heard from them again.
Nobody's phones worked. As it happens, even though I had checked with
AT&T and they said mine would not work - it did! I couldn't
receive any calls but could call out.
 
Back of Show Manager's/Announcer's
Building Indoor Arena - not quite
finished |
