The first time I came to Welly World I thought the place was bananas. But since it’s grown to become the centre of the known equestrian winter universe, those early days feel quaint in comparison. And now they have eventing too! It’s kind of lame eventing, but still; it IS the last missing Olympic discipline now come home to roost in Welly World. All of 26 entries duked it out in the dressage phase today. I’m a bit disappointed to see only one Canadian name on the list, Selena O’Hanlon; but what the start list lacks in Canadian content it more than makes up for in star appeal, with the likes of Boyd Martin, Phillip Dutton and Buck Davidson among those battling it out for the not-inconsiderable sum of $50,000 smackers.
Meager entries aside, the main lame factor is the XC itself. The ‘course’ is on the eventing equivalent of the head of a needle: a small, square flat piece of turf at the Global Dressage Festival venue. Designed by Mark Phillips and built by Eric Bull (who specializes in portables that are trucked in at the last minute), the ‘course’ magically appeared this week on the field that backs the dressage venue. It’s only 2 km long, but the space is so small that even clocking that distance requires a few laps and loops. But you know the most awesome thing? It’s taking place DURING A DRESSAGE SHOW. The DQs will be bleeding from their ears come 1:30 pm tomorrow.
Call it cozy, call it cramped – but the dressage crowd will be running for cover
I have every intention of getting over there for the action tomorrow afternoon. Wouldn’t miss that for the world.
In other Welly news, I’ve noticed a new fashion trend in multi-million dollar farms. It seems grey is the new pink, and I for one am not a fan. Nothing says soulless like a pale grey monstrosity, don’t you think?
One thing that never changes in Welly World is the intersection at Pierson and South Shore, which is as dangerous as ever. It’s one of the stupidest intersections I’ve ever seen north of Mexico, with the right lane being a right turn only lane, and the left being a left turn or through lane. Drivers coming the other way naturally expect the left lane to have turning cars only, and the through traffic to come on the right lane. Which is why there are so many t-bone accidents. It doesn’t help that no one around here seems to know where their turn indicators are.
I could have sworn Michael Stone told me last year that one of the points of negotiation with the warring elements of the Village vs. Sr. B was that he would add a lane to the east corner of Pierson on his own dime. I’ll need to add that to my list of questions for Michael if I can persuade him to have coffee with me. I’ll buy, Michael!
Tonight I’m off for my first Kontiki adventure of this year’s Welly visit. I do still pine for the Player’s Club, which went away last year after it was ‘rebranded’ into oblivion. Not that I ever went there after having a dining experience that left me as poorly served as fed, but I miss seeing the cheesy white and blue concrete sign in front of Player’s. Somehow the new stuffy Coach House name with its fake-luxury looking logo just doesn’t evoke the magic that was Players on a debauched Sunday night.
