[RC] Pyramid Challenge 2003 Part one - Maggie Mieske
Impossible Dreams or
"When Camels Fly" by Maggie Mieske
The Pyramid Challenge, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY--June 7, 2003
Kentucky is horse country. No doubt about that. The first week of June it
becomes EGYPTIAN ARABIAN horse country. The Pyramid Society hosts the Egyptian
Event at Kentucky Horse Park and for the third year has also hosted the Pyramid
Challenge endurance ride managed by Tommy Ticktin. "Event" hardly begins to
describe the privilege of riding in Kentucky Horse Park let alone the thrill of
being able to ride your Egyptian bred Arabian stallion in the main arena during
the awards presentation!
We drove through the night on Wednesday to arrive first thing Thursday
morning at the Park. Thick dew still hovered on the grass and we definitely got
our feet wet! (Addition to "must have" list: muck boots!). We were exhausted and
the horses were glad for the reprieve from travelling. But we had all day now to
tank them up on beet pulp and water and carrots and apples. Max looked a little
tucked up as I had not prepared him for the journey. Originally it was to have
been Mykal who turned into Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde a few days before our
departure and was left at home to his unstable metamorphoses. We had 4 mares in
heat and only Malik was allowed the privilege of breeding one. Put poor Mykal
right into a head spin. I do believe the vet appointment will take place soon to
attend to the removal of the jewels. Anyway, it didn't take long to get lots of
water into both of them and by the time Malik and Max vetted in on Friday, they
had all As in that department!!
Maggie Ticktin is the hostess of hostesses...we were greeted almost
immediately with her smile and hearty welcome on Thursday. Being early gave us
the advantage of being able to choose from many great spots in the middle of the
steeplechase field. We chose one on the inside hedge of the track very near the
porta johns (an important consideration!). Maggie also had delivered to every
porta john spot a very large garbage dumpster for which we were also very
thankful!!!
Not long after our arrival, we received a new neighbor. And guess what? She
was a Ridecamp friend!!! Barbara Marcius! AND she is friends with several of our
Michigan cohorts and some of our other Ridecamp cohorts and basically, it was
like renewing an old friendship and picking up where we had left off. What a
blessing and a joy this innocent and seemingly coincidental meeting turned out
to be!!! Throughout the weekend I met people everywhere who knew who I was or at
least recognized my name. How scary!!! I met Patsy Gowen who is a lurker on
Ridecamp. And Susan Kasemeyer and Roger Rittenhouse. Teddy Lancaster of Running
Bear showed up and I got a new helmet and a beautiful silver biothane
halter/bridle for Malik. I hadn't seen her since my first ride at Wolverine in
1998 though we have had contact through Ridecamp. Finally also got to meet
Connie Caudill (we had stuff to discuss about National Championship rides and
she is a doll and an inspiration to me!). I know I met MANY others whose names
escape me...it was a highly charged and emotional weekend for me and I am still
reeling and exhausted so I hope if I forget someone they will remind me about
meeting them and then forgive me for forgetting it!!! :)
Malik's breeders, Barb and Larry Ward of Mashallah Arabians had travelled
down with us in their car and showed up again on Friday morning, rested and
ready to find out what endurance was all about. They had ridden competitive
rides many years ago in Michigan. Endurance is a new game for them. Fellow
Egyptian Arabian breeders, Adam and Maria Malinowski also made an appearance
with a show of support for us and learned a thing or two as well. It was great
to see friends from home! The horses got a nice bath at the wash rack
(discovered Malik DOES have a silver tail after we bleached it) and the humans
also were able to have a nice shower before turning in for the night before the
ride.
