The Slower Road

one of downtown’s “countdown” clocks, which have been up for more than a year … this should probably be “0” and not “1” … but: “THE GAMES HAVE ARRIVED” … that’s new!

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Lexington’s Civic Center … the trees on the right are at Triangle Park, one of three downtown festival venues during the Games

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mmmm … coffee …

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… and breakfast, which I shared with my husband …

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… in exchange for some of this, which was delicious and full of nuts

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Saturday morning wouldn’t be complete without a stop at the farmers’ market

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one of the beautiful market sights this time of year

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getting on the local “Horse Park Express” bus … we’re finally on our way!

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just past the main spectator entrance for the WEG is the Alltech Experience, which (I hear) is full of displays, information, food, beer, and a beautiful garden

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an early look at the trade fair; when I took this photo, the first session of the Reining competition was underway in the Indoor Stadium

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the mechanical cutting horse in front of the CAA building is already attracting riders

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our CAA building: Home Sweet Home-Away-from-Home for the next two weeks!

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after a full day of WEG-related activites or “regular” Saturday activities, it was time to come to the Main Stadium for the long-awaited WEG opening ceremony

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the University of Kentucky cheerleaders (18-time national champions) played a part in the opening ceremony … here, they’re warming up; nearby, the members of Team USA were gathered, awaiting their chance to line up for the Parade of Nations

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the stage … which, over the course of about three hours, featured an orchestra, a choir, bluegrass musicians, Wynonna Judd, the American Spiritual Ensemble, stars of the Metropolitan Opera, Sara Lee Guthrie (daughter of Arlo), and more

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representatives of several Native American tribes offered a “prayer for all nations”

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the drill team from Culver Academy performed, and then several members (who were on foot) raised the U.S. flag while the national anthem was sung

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another beautiful sunset, over the stadium during a recreation of a 1940s-era “horse show,” which featured a number of champion Saddlebreds, both ridden and in harness, and a harness horse driven by Kentucky resident William Shatner

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at the end of the Parade of Nations, the loudest applause came for the host country … the USA … here, Karen O’Connor waves the U.S. flag, just before handing it to four-in-hand driver Tucker Johnson, who waved it for the second half of their lap around the arena

Were you by any chance at the Lexington Junior League Horse Show this July to see the Concours d’Elegance? Or did you read about it here on this blog? Or, surely, you’ve heard about it??

Then you know all about the circus wagons, right?

No?

Well …

Michele Macfarlane (Scripps Miramar Ranch in California) has an entire troup of circus wagons, ponies (or possibly Minis), clowns, and dancers, even a working calliope and a poodle. All of these (although I don’t know about the poodle) will be in the WEG opening ceremony tonight. I’ve heard about the show, but I can’t wait to see it in person.

As the ponies are stabled, and the vehicles stored, with the VIP-parade horses and carriages, I was able to get a few preview photos yesterday evening:

a row of circus wagons next to the temporary stabling, in the early evening

a close-up of one of the lions on the calliope

the other end of the same row of wagons as above, later in the evening

several of the “circus” performers getting ready in the near-dark

On tap for yesterday evening: a full rehearsal for tomorrow’s opening ceremony.

I mostly stayed in the “Back 40” to watch our CAA members get themselves and their horses ready to go. The horses are in temporary tent stabling that’s been set up by the side of the main road and is surrounded by trailers, construction equipment, and piles of stuff. The horses are troopers, I’d say, for putting up with it all so calmly.

Leading the VIP parade is Tom Burgess, driving his pair of Friesians to a Spider Phaeton. He will have one VIP with him, but I’m not sure who that will be.

one of Tom’s horses, about to be harnessed

… and being harnessed

putting the pair to the carriage

Tom, adjusting his top hat

Next up in the order is Marilyn Macfarlane, who will have several VIPs on her coach.

Marilyn’s horses, lined up between their temporary stabling and some rather large construction equipment, waiting to be put to the coach

putting the wheelers to the coach

… and the leaders

Then comes Misdee Miller, driving her team to a coach …

putting Misdee’s horses to her coach

put to and waiting

portable lights have been set up around the stabling area and along the road

Rounding out the VIPs-in-carriages parade will be Todd Draheim, driving this wicker Vis-a-Vis of Misdee’s:

Princess Haya, president of the FEI, will ride in this lovely carriage

Misdee’s pair being hitched to her wicker carriage

still waiting …

While everyone waited for the signal to set off toward the stadium, Marilyn drove her team out of the stabling area and onto the road. When I looked over to where they were standing, I saw this …

… another magnificent harvest moon

Finally, in the dark …

Misdee, driving behind the stadium, is about to enter the arena for the rehearsal

… which would make this, what?  … “first WEG Thursday” … I think. I am slightly dismayed to be losing track already of which day it is, as the Games don’t actually start until tomorrow!

At any rate, a few things I saw around the grounds (or town) yesterday:

1. There are several of these lovely three-sided towers going up. One side is a sponsor’s ad, one side (as shown here) is a timetable of the entire WEG, and the third side is an extremely handy map, with keys, and a helpful “You Are Here” sign in yellow. We’d been wondering whether there would be maps available … and, while these aren’t exactly portable, they certainly are a help.

timetables! … and a map!

2. A Land Rover … in the middle of the lake.

a few days ago, I had seen some guys building this platform, on the shore … didn’t realize what it was meant for until I saw this

3. Hanging on light poles along Newtown Pike, the main road leading from Lexington to the Horse Park: signs saying, “Welcome” in a multitude of languages. And flags of multiple countries, flying at the McDonald’s closest to the Park.

4. Another unbelievably beautiful rising harvest moon … more on that in a bit.

A few things I spotted around the WEG grounds yesterday:

1. A drill team (?) getting ready …

… for the first run-through of the WEG opening ceremony

2. People way up in the baskets of several man-lifts (or whatever they’re called) … the one we went up in to photograph marathon obstacles from way on high was just like these, but I don’t think we were quite this high. Or I hope we weren’t, at any rate!

that’s a big horse, and some tall grandstands

3. The side of the opening ceremony stage, in the outdoor stadium.

the opening ceremony promises to be quite a show!

4. A gorgeous sunset and a rising harvest moon. We here in Lexington are treated each fall to some of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen. And every year, the first few still catch me by surprise and make me say, “Wow.”

yesterday’s sunset, reflected in the grandstand banner and the lake

Today, as I walked to work from our campground parking lot, it seemed that the frenetic must-get-it-all-finished pace from earlier in the week has slowed down a bit. Everything’s nearly ready, and now everyone can take a deep breath and get in the right frame of mind for the festivities. Nearly everyone I run into now — athletes, officials, volunteers — seems happy. You’ve gotta love this atmosphere!

And, for the full effect, another view of the grandstand banner, from this morning:

we’re looking awfully festive, no?