[RC] Re:USA Gold Trail Blazer Reflections of Marloffstein by Tom Sites part 1 - Tom Sites
Reflections of Marloffstein
The reflection in thought of a past event can never
fully encompass the full spectacle of the actual extravanganza.
Reliving a moment of time like the recent European
Championship in Marloffstein, West Germany, is something hard to explain unless
you can imagine the biggest grin and good time of your life, and you wake up the
next day and the grin's still there.
Dancing on the tables at the Bavarian Beer Fest in
Marloffstein will rate as one of the all time adventures of my life. It
was like a cemented face of laughter was implanted into my persona. This
was a good time. I mean, they played trombones with their
toes!
For the first time International or National FEI
competitor who hasn't gone thru the travail of getting a FEI passport, becoming
an International Amateur, getting the proper innoculations, blood tests,
Coggins test within 30 days, making sure you were a member of the proper
organizations ( AERC and AHSA) all at a frantic express mail pace, the rest was
a piece of cake. My friends- the cake, as well as the air was very, very
good.
Hearing your National Anthem played for- of all
reasons!- the fact you were a consistant mediocre finisher who adhered to the
credo "to finish is to win", was and is a most humbling experience i will never
forget.
Jet lag lugged us into their rainy camp on a lazy
Sunday afternoon before the next Saturday's
ride. Immediately, we were met with
courtesy and helpful assistance from Florian Smithaus, and his Father,
Hans. Experienced of the Trail, they led us to the barn and fields to show
us the facilities available for the horses, who were to arrive the next
day. We were the vanguard- Larry, Michael and myself.
