WEG World Equestrian Games

monicabee · Postby **monicabee** » Fri Oct 08, 2010 8:00 am

Courageous Comet was fun to watch in the dressage warmup outside hte main arena. I lived by that warmup for most of the WEG (I was there to write about endurance and help at a breed booth for the Akhal-Teke, but also to drink in as much of the goings on as I could)

Although watching the top competitive dressage horses in the world from a few feet away was fabulous, the eventers were a little closer to an attainable reality for me and seeing an off-the track horse doing so well was inspiring.

I took a lot of pictures including a few on the cross-country course, and his cool-out. There is one of his right hind being worked on - he lost a shoe on course, the probable reason for his issues the next day.

I was contacted a little while ago by the new owner of CC's half-brother, Nooligan. She read a mention of him in something I wrote about the Olympics. (Nooligan won the second race that my horse was in - creating a "two degrees of separation" connection between Willy and an Olympian). Nooligan is on his way to a dressage career, apparently.

On my way back to spell my friends at the booth, I had another "OTTB" moment. I was taking a shortcut through the barn of champions, and was stopped by a volunteer who told me that I might want to wait a minute because they were bringing out Funny Cide and Cigar.

Since the improbable story of Sackatoga Stables was in part responsible for my own essay into horse ownership and exploration of racing, I had to stay and pay my respects. Funny Cide was a bit of a curmudgeon, as apparently he generally is, but contrary to predictions I did get some pictures with his ears forward. His head never came above withers level, though.

As for Lexington. it was an amazing experience to be in "horse heaven" - we were staying next door to Juddmonte, and the daily drives up to the Horse Park produced a serious and probably incurable case of Fence Envy in all of us - the long lines of black board undulating over the hills into the morning mist... the rounded corners... the sheer acreage of it all - if I had my own wheels, I might just have done a photo essay on them instead of making it to the games one morning.

Ah, all the things I didn't have time for - good excuse to go back.

Tbird · Postby **Tbird** » Fri Oct 08, 2010 8:22 am

Thios past spring I had a chance to stop in at The Kentucky Horse Park and just missed the presentation of resident horses as a line of hundreds of school children were being processed throught the entrance just as I arrived. Too late but I decided to go visit the residents in their stalls anyway.
Cigar was lying down, head up but eyes closed, peaceful. Nobody was around and I said aloud, "Hey, Ciggy, come over here and give me a kiss." He opened his eyes, regarded me for a moment and then slowly rose, stretched, and casually walked over to the stall gate where I was standing. He stuck his nose up to the protective wire gate covering and I kissed him right on his whiskery inquisitive lips! What a thrill that was!

erins isle · Postby **erins isle** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 6:50 am

Anyone seen Moorlands Totlilas (dressage)?
Very rarely I am proud to be Dutch!

What a horse!!

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 6:53 am

I have the 7 or so hours of tv coverage recorded on my DVR, including Moorlands Totilas' performance in the freestyle. What a horse.

Shannon · Postby **Shannon** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 9:49 am

Anyone know if they will be selling dvd's of the games? I'd love to buy a set as we didn't get very much of the coverage up here I could watch.

DanN · Postby **DanN** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:52 pm

one of our retired race horses competed @ Rolex this year, and we just retired his half brother who has about twice the talent and have been looking for a home for him.. Big beautiful gray horse.. I have no idea how to find homes for him . Can anyone help ?

jellac · Postby **jellac** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 9:09 am

DanN - Try posting your query under the "Buy/Sell" heading of this forum (and if you can upload a photo or two that always excites interest) - I think you will get lots of helpful suggestions there, more so than under this thread. The fact that he's a half-sib to a horse already shown capable of competing at Rolex level plus that he's big and grey should perk up interest for this fellow. Good luck!

Shannon · Postby **Shannon** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 8:03 pm

Track down the rider or owner of COurageous COmet, or one of the other event riders for US or Canada. Most of htem have blogs online or personal websites you can contact them through. A sibling of a proven campaigner is usually a pretty easy sell if he`s sound and correct.

erins isle · Postby **erins isle** » Fri Oct 15, 2010 6:43 am

Moorlands Totilas has been sold to German Paul Schockemohle for about 10, 15 miljon Euro's. What a tragidy for Edward Gal. They were the perfect combination!

monicabee · Postby **monicabee** » Sat Oct 16, 2010 8:21 am

There are pages and pages at Chronicle of the Horse discussing Totilas' sale and speculating on whether he will continue compete or simply retire to the breeding shed. It sounds strangely like the debate about a Derby winner's future. There have been sale rumors about this horse for so long that it seems even more shocking that this one was actually a surprise.

When we got to WEG, a friend who was working in the barn area revealed her secret pleasure - to go out every morning around 9 a.m. to watch these two work. Naturally we joined her!

Not having seen him in person before, I was surprised that when Totilas came walking out of the arena on a loose rein following his work, he was not that tall - because he is so elastic, he was further off the ground during most of the ride. They worked incredibly hard in their warmups before the competition - the power was impressive.

Now I am thinking how lucky we were to see Edward Gal and Toto at the height of their partnership. It is also a huge loss for the Dutch team.

Lucy · Postby **Lucy** » Sat Oct 16, 2010 10:36 am

[quote="monicabee"]There are pages and pages at Chronicle of the Horse discussing Totilas' sale and speculating on whether he will continue compete or simply retire to the breeding shed. [quote]

Would retirement be necessary in his case? I have heard of dressage horses doing double-duty; it's not as if KWPN require live cover. Seems like if the Germans just wanted him for breeding, they could simply breed to him, for a fraction of the cost?

I haven't had any luck getting the WEG on television, but my Flickr contacts have been putting up some great photos, and I've watched some of the dressage on Youtube. Totilas was awesome, but I've also been loving those bouncy lil' Andalusians the Spanish team's been riding. :wink:

toadie · Postby **toadie** » Sat Oct 16, 2010 4:12 pm

[quote="Lucy Would retirement be necessary in his case? I have heard of dressage horses doing double-duty; it's not as if KWPN require live cover. Seems like if the Germans just wanted him for breeding, they could simply breed to him, for a fraction of the cost?

[/quote]

Apparently you're not familiar with Paul Schockemohle. He's like the Coolmore of the warmblood german breeding farms. I doubt seriously if the horse will continure competing and he's only interested in pimping him. I'm not saying he's a bad guy. He's one of the few upper level riders who was also a shrewd business man. When he retired from competing he became one of the leading breeders in Europe for show jumpers and dressage horses.

erins isle · Postby **erins isle** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 1:36 am

Hi Lucy,

According to my husband the covering fee of Totilas this year was approx 7000 dollars (a.i.) 250 mares were covered.

Skipitgirl · Postby **Skipitgirl** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 12:38 pm

250?

What is his in foal percentage? Anyone know?

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 1:03 pm

I'm supposing that it was 250 mares inseminated (AI) which would have a lower conception rate.. it will be interesting to see how many live foals are born.