I’d like to think that would be me if I encountered Paul, but I’d bet money on it ending like MHMs friend.
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Both times I have met celebrities I have gawked like a fool, when I walked past Rodney Jenkins at a horse show I gasped “That’s Rodney Jenkins!” and embarrassed all my barn mates.
I have zero chill.
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Hahaha, my brother ran into Rodney Jenkins at Devon one time. Litteraly, ran into him coming around a corner. My brother was a young teen at the time and thought it was hilarious lol.
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Many, many, many years ago by now, Rodney said good morning to me as he walked by at a show. I almost fell right off that horse. Lol.
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Way back in the final year Michael Matz was riding show jumpers, he was in the same tent at WEF as my trainer. And as a mostly self care person I was in my trainer’s last aisle… Which was also Matz’s sole aisle.
I mostly gawked in his presence, incapable of actual conversation and at some point in the 6 weeks we were there it must have been obvious to everyone in his crew that the child weren’t quite right. 
BUT WAIT!! It gets better! My good friend who was a race track vet had recently relocated to the NE but she was back down in Florida for the winter at one of the training tracks with her clients. That track was on the (long) way home from WEF. So if I was done early enough at WEF, I would stop by there and we would get lunch and chat or just hang out in the trainer’s shed row and chat… OF COURSE that particular trainer shared the barn with… Michael Matz…
So in addition to gawking like a half wit I was also a straight up stalker.
Fun fact: I’m pretty sure that was the same year Centennial was across the aisle from us, so I also got to gawk at Rox Dene, but at least she didn’t notice. 
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Joe Fargis said hello to me at the ingate at Upperville this year, I have no idea why, clearly he mistook me for someone else.
But I went immediately back to my seat and gushed to all my buddies that Joe Fargis said hello to me.
Again, I have zero chill.
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I grew up riding with Jen Gates. I don’t recall dad being at shows, but maybe he was. But you bet there was security there, lurking 
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You have zero chill? One time on the last day of the LA Masters, I saw Scott Brash get onto an elevator so I took my poster and followed him onto it for a signature. He was SO nice. I was totally fangirling and I know if I hadn’t done it, I would have regretted it. Zero chill and no shame here 
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I audited a clinic with Joe Fargis. I took my poster of him and Touch of Class to have him sign. I also took a picture of my late AO mare, who was a half sister to Touch of Class and looked very much like her. When he broke his leg, I sent him a get well card. He sent me a thank you card for my get well card!!! I framed it😀.
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Lessons learned from this thread:
World famous actor shows up at a horse show and we keep it together. World famous show jumper shows up and we collectively lose our shit in some form or fashion.
Horse people.
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One of the barn dads was videoing (yes, pre ubiquitous cell phone video) his daughter’s rounds at Flintridge when we realized that Destry Spielberg’s dad was also filming her rounds in the same class. The dad sighed sadly and noted that the other dad’s videos would probably be better than his.
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I made my non-horsey dad come follow JF back to his stall for an autograph at a Grand Prix where the riders were supposed come back to the ring for that purpose and he didn’t. I don’t remember him thanking me for that but I still have the signed poster!
@DMK, agreed, except I doubt I would hold it together if I came across the Rock or Chris Hemsworth (his daughter pony clubs, I think.) The video of him plaiting her pony’s mane alone turned me to mush.
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I had a similar thought when I saw him videoing her rounds at a show years ago. Lol.
But he just acted like a regular horse show dad.
I just had a really funny video in my head of a equitation round with the Jaws theme (Dun-dun dun-dun dun-dun DUN) playing at the entry and the Indiana Jones theme playing over the last fence.
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I was today years old when I learned the a) name of his child or b) that she rode but two things I ALSO learned are that (if possible), I heart Spielberg even more and HOW COULD SHE NOT RIDE?!?!?
I believe Destry owned/rode Rumba at some point, the incredible derby horse that won the inaugural Derby Finals with John French (someone correct me if I am wrong)!
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Nope, that’s true. Destry rode her in the Children’s Hunters, and then the Juniors, I believe.
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Yes, I think that’s when I saw her dad at a show with a video camera, taping her rounds on Rumba.
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Yep, and he is happily retired in her hands as well. 
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Aww. That’s nice to see. Is he retired in California? I’ve never seen that much turnout there. Lol.
He must be getting up there in age by now. I hope he’s enjoying himself. He certainly earned it!
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