WEC - My report

[Leonard.Liesens@cec.eu.int]

Hi ridecampers,

Orfeo and I are now back to Belgium (well only 250 Kms from Compiegne) and
Orfeo enjoy the green grass of his pasture after the wonderful job he did at
the WEC.

So we finished 8th, in the Top Ten above any of my expectations; I knew
Orfeo was ready and as sharp as a razor, but finishing in the World Top Ten
!!! I'm in the air!

We arrived on Wednesday on the site of  Compiegne, no need for us to stress
the horse by arriving before (he did preride 75% of the trail one month
before).
Orfeo knows now his job and by the time we fill the pads under his foot with
silicone, he now knows that the race is about to start and he loves that.

It was with great pleasure that I could see again Steph and her husband
John, but also Suzanne Hayes and _ ahhh forgot her name (Rik's wife leaving
in Idaho close to Steph). I could also buy some stuff at Teddy's shop and
meet Roger Rittenhouse. Great pleasure also to see again all friends met in
Dubai like Kristy the Canadian, the Maktoum trainers Moreno, Punti, Vila and
numerous others!

But the event was not without stress, not because of sport related points,
but because of the complete incapacity and incompetence of the Belgian chef
d'equipe and veto (Capitals are removed on purpose!). Read this : without
even touching or trotting my horse, they decided not to put him in the the
team, Orfeo being the only one having completed 5x 100 miles FEI rides and
never been pulled for lameness. Figure out! At the announcement of that, the
other riders where outrageously surprised and after discussion, Raoul
Ronsmans decided to decline his team place; you may imagine that I didn't
want to make the team anymore! F_ off! But as a respect for the other riders
I finally decided to accept. The most funny thing in this affair was that
Raoul completed the ride! He managed perfectly his horse and did a great
job!

So one may imagine that this is not the best atmosphere for commencing a
ride. Anyway_

So the start was at 6th on the magnificent racetrack of Compiegne. Imagine
150 horses waiting for the starter to remove the plastic rope in front of
us. We were at the front to avoid the bottleneck that I was suspecting at a
steep single track downhill around Km5! Then I made my best to slow down
Orfeo in order to adopt a less demanding pace. We rode the first loop with
the French Miletto, Prereivaud, Lazes_ When coming back for the first loop
along the lake and the Oise River, we were 5 or 6 riders with 2 UAE riders
and I decided to take the lead for the difficult single trail going along
the river knowing that Orfeo likes to go fast around the trees and I could
take several minutes.

Second Loop was easy going on a good and flat trail that we rode at about 17
Km/h with a big bunch of French riders and I think also with Parker,  the
Australian. 

Third loop Compigne-Pierrefond was considered the most difficult and it was.
I rode the whole loop together with Brigitte Prereiraud, the French rider
riding Amelie a horse already in the french team at the WEC in Dubai and at
the European Championship in Badajoz, our horses having good similar gaits
and liking to stay together; we passed the French Fleury. It was becoming
hot and humid in the forest, difficult for the horse the breath and we could
notice huge ventilation (panting?). Also not enough crewing points on this
loop (general comment from the riders_ not enough allowed crewing point
despite the fact that we saw several times our crew, but no way for them to
give bottles or water_ also the water points installed by the organizer
where too few_ only 2 on this loop_ anyway, everyone had to deal with
that!); We arrived together at the vetgate at Pierrefond and passed without
problem, Orfeo passing 2 minutes before Amelie.

Fourth Loop back to Compiegne on a trail that I didn't preride and Orfeo not
understanding where we were going_ We passed the 2 american riders, her
horses apparently a little bit tired as they didn't follow us. I was still
with Brigitte Preveiraud and we did help each other! 4th vetgate at
Compiegne. No problem_ I like that! Orfeo is eating as a pig as usual, not
drinking at the vet but well on the trail, also as usual; he got all A's
except a 3 for dehydration, but I knew that I will drink at the first stop
on the 5th loop.

So Fifth loop (same at 3rd) Compiegne-Pierrefond. Difficult! Hot and humid
and our horse panting quite a lot to ventilate and too few crew points.
Average speed on this loop lower : 12.73, but our horses still with a good
energy. We passed 2 UAE riders (Sh Hamdam and Abdullah Bilhab) walking their
horses apparently exhausted. Plus/Minus 7 min for Orfeo to reach 60 (didn't
want to take any risk) and he got A's everywhere. For this last vetgate,
mandatory to represent the horse 10 min before to start for a ridgeway ; he
got 61/59 so everything perfect. I started a few minutes behind Sh Rashid;
he was walking Django at the scent of the Pierrefond castle, his horse
apparently tired; then he followed me and he troted several kms behind
Orfeo; then came Brigitte Preveiraud from behind_ Brigitte and I in the
front, Django behind_ then after maybe 10 Kms, Sh Hamdan joined us, so that
we were 4 for the rest of the race. Trying to have the UAE riders passing us
to take the lead a little bit made the pace quite unconsistent, a little bit
like the finish of our bike races (Tour de France) when nobody wants to take
the lead_ otherwise we would have come on the 2 others (Casas and Thomas)_
so I managed to keep  Orfeo 10 meters behind the 3 others and suddently
accelerate at the gate of the racetrack only by encouraging him by my voice
(he likes that), taking the lead at the inside, but Sh Rachid with Django, a
much taller horse could pass us and we finished 8th by one head! Nice finish
anyway!

Sometimes I received information about Steph who was still in the race but
not more. She did a great job by completing the ride with Krutchev not at
100% of his capabilities but she will presumably post her report soon.
Congratulations Steph!

Unfortunatly for the Belgian team, Faris was pulled at the ridgeway (5th
vet) with an unexplainable 68/71 after having pass the initial inspection at
59_ c'est la vie!  Opalina was pulled also at 5th vet for metabolic, horse
exhausted. Freesia ridden by Pierre Arnould took a nice 19th place, but
unfortunately with only 2 horse left in the team, no chance to get any
medal!

The price ceremony was a treat for everyone; every rider completing was
called in the reverse order and everyone received his part of applause;
outstanding performance of the 3 young French riders taking the 3 first
places and 5 french riders in the Top Ten!

Nice emotional moment also when a nice draft horse white stallion
(Boulonnais) ridden by an officer from the french Haras Nationaux brougt the
FEI flag and gave it to a wonderful andalusian stallion with his rider in
national andalusian costume with his lady sitten on the croup.

Big deception for UAE coming back without any medal despite the efforts and
the quality of the horses they had to choose from, but I can say that the
UAE riders are learning the huge difference between our rides in Europe and
the one in the desert and we will probably see them more and more on the
European circuits . Personally I think that amateurs still have their chance
because they know every details from their horse by conditioning them and
taking care of their horse every day of the week and this is still a very
important point; and the more difficult the ride,  the more important this
intimate knowledge of your horse!

So that was my report!

Leonard, from Belgium


Ohhhh I forget the most funny anecdotic detail_ forgive me Steph_ On the
Sunday after the award ceremony at the lunch/dinner, everyone was exchanging
tee-shirts_ hummh, I mean_. Men.
Steph is well known in my team after having crewed for Orfeo at the WEC 98
in Dubai_ so Etienne, Orfeo's groom did gently propose (bet could be a
better word) to Steph an exchange in the middle of the restaurant tent AND
SHE DID IT! So imagine Steph in bra under the applause of the whole
assistance_ funny!

In a few days, look at the pictures on http://www.endurance-belgium.com

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