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[RC] Chile - part 1 - Stephanie Teeter



Well, this was a very different trip for me. I decided at the last minute to go 
(while at dinner - Maya´s birthday party - with Pavlovsky´s, and the 
Malaysians, and when Ruben offered a place to stay, transportation, etc). what 
the heck, so off to Chile!

John and I said goodbye at the Buenos Aires airport, he would head back to USA, 
and I would board a flight to Santiago. (we had just said hello again after he 
got back from Patagonia, and I returned from Uruguay!). Miguel and Celina are 
very gracious hosts - we stayed with them while bouncing back and forth to 
dental appointments in BA, getting a ride with Miguel, or his brother Santiago, 
or his son Maiko - all of whom work at the clinic (hematology, oncology) in BA. 
We enjoyed our time with them as always.

So off to Chile! first time to this long, thin, country and I didn´t really 
know what to expect. I was met at the airport by the entire traveling troupe- 
the 11 from Malaysia (8 new riders plus Mahmood, Mat Din and Dr. ´Hanizi´ 
Bashir (I can never get her name straight, the very sweet and lovely 
veterinarian travelling with the group). Plus Santiago and Hernan from 
Argentina who came to help Ruben, and Julio from Uruguay. And of course Ruben 
Parra - who was the master organizer of the Malaysian horse riding, qualifying, 
buying trek.

I´ve known Ruben from previous years - always a friendly face at the various 
rides around the world. He is making a living in the horse business - selling 
horses (jumping, endurance, etc), shipping and transporting horses, leasing, 
training, breeding. Horses are his life. Ruben was in the Chilean army for 14 
years (he retired when he was going to be transferred to the north part of the 
country where he would have to give up horses and do tanks - no way). The only 
reason he joined the service in the first place was to learn about, and have a 
life with, horses. But after 14 years he decided to take a chance and start his 
own business.

Ruben also has half ownership in a recreational park  - he bought an old farm 
several years ago in Talageta (I need to check the spelling on this), a town 
outside of Santiago, and he and his father invested time and money into 
building the Rancho. Picnic area, barbeque stands, petting zoo, horse and pony 
rides, swimming pools, it has become a very popular place for city people to 
come to spend a summer day in a country atmosphere. I met most of Ruben´s 
family while here (I think so anyway... it´s pretty big family)  - his parents 
have been working in New York City for the past 20 years, working for wealthy 
individuals and families. Both are outgoing, hard working, latin warmth and 
quick smile, and their services (cooking, house management, driving, etc) are 
in great demand among the New York society people - they even worked for Leona 
Helmsley for ten years! I do love meeting people like this, whose lives are so 
different, people who I never would have met except for these strange travels 
and circumstances. Anyway, Ruben was my host, and it´s always fun to meet 
people´s families, see their homes, etc.

So Ruben had coordinated the entire three week trek for the Malaysians. Looking 
at horses in Argentina, travelling to Uruguay for the FEI ride and to look at 
more horses, then travelling to Chile for another FEI ride... and to look at 
more horses. Malaysia is very serious about Endurance. Mahmood said that yes, 
they have their eye on fielding a team of riders at the 2008 WEC, but they are 
also looking towards 2010, 2012, etc. They´re in it for the long run it seems. 
And with the quiet persistence that these people have, no doubt they´ll succeed.

We piled into a mini-van - luggage, bodies, Hernan driving the van. Plus 
Ruben´s SUV loaded with more bodies, more luggage, and headed west towards the 
coast. The race was go be held near the port city of San Antonio (Chile´s major 
ocean port) , at the Fundo Las Brisas (fundo is the Chilean word for ranch, or 
estancia in Argentina).

-more later-

Steph






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