Course looks amazing, especially the water complex. The ditch in front of the up bank on the way out gives me pause, but it’s probably there for a reason (right?).
Also, I totally thought the owl corners were a depiction of some sort of sideways sock puppet monster. 
Why isn’t Tamie Smith riding?
I wish they would be tougher on dressage scores in US based events. It seems we have a propensity to score well at home and then not match it on the road.
A lot of the course I liked but agree with some others that there are far too many combinations. It seems like a lot of the combinations are something to a skinny and that that question is asked repeatedly. I liked that there is a true coffin on the course although it seems like that term has disappeared. I think it is 28 numbered jumps and 43 jumping efforts. I’ve never been a fan of the schmaltzy style of jumps looking like roller coasters, etc. I like the use of terrain that is in the course.
I was surprised at the limited number of entries. As a spectator it will be hard to get around the course to see all the jumps with just 45 horses running unless they spread the starts out more.
I do believe all her 5*/potential 5* horses spent the summer in Europe. Two did Boekelo last weekend. I’m sure they’re probably done for the season.
Made a cocktail, got a snack, and logged on to watch live but…nothing. I suppose it is just past 7 AM there, so maybe coverage hasn’t started yet?
Yes. You’ve still got about 20 minutes until the 3* picks up again!
Well, so much for my cocktail hour w/dressage. It will be well gone by then! 
Is it 3* then the remaining 5* competitors today?
Yep! 5* starts at about 1 PM EST.
Oh, sweet fancy Moses, that will be the wee hours for me. I guess I’ll see that bit on the replay.
Thanks for all the info!
Really good coverage and announcing/commentating all around. My only nitpick: the music.
What is that wretched muzak jazz that kicks up during the tests? It’s truly awful and distracting. I also dislike the theme music when the coverage starts - like muzak rock or something.
The venue looks really beautiful, but very empty. Are there a lot of crowd restrictions still in place there?
I noticed in the jog up that no one was wearing masks, is that a thing in the US - no masks outdoors? It made me think there weren’t many covid restrictions so I expected bigger crowds in the stands, though I suppose it’s a work day, as well.
Each state is allowed to set its own rules (outside of federal properties). In Maryland there is no current statewide mask mandate indoors or outdoors except at schools. Fortunately the vaccination rate is pretty high and our numbers are relatively low.
Very few people are wearing masks outside here. Especially if they’ve been vaccinated.
In Maryland, there’s not really any crowd restrictions anymore, and for large sporting events, mask mandates seem to only extend to “indoorish” areas but not to outdoor seating. I think if there’s not a ton of folks there, it’s a function of being during the work week, and being the first event. A lot of folks used to the Fair Hill International seem to be a bit put off by the new management/policies, etc.
Curious how Saturday will go - right now we’re planning on going up but if the weather forecast starts looking worse I may rethink that. But the higher ticket prices and lack of “festival in the country” may turn off a lot of less-horsey folks who have been going for years (there used to be dog agility trials and some other stuff going on)
Interesting, thank you. Here in Asia there is low resistance to masking to begin with b/c we’ve always masked a lot anyway, long before the pandemic. But it is also still pretty strict most places and friends from many of the major Asian cities and I compare notes regularly. We are fully vaxxed but also fully masked at all times, indoors and out. But no fuss or pushback. It always surprises me to see people without masks b/c it’s still such a big thing here!
Unfortunately there’s a lot of folks who absolutely refuse to do things like this for the common good. But for outside - it’s kind of a risk calculation. Outside (especially out in a big area where people can spread out, with lots of vaccinated folks) is much safer than inside or in a packed space. I kept mine on at a baseball game where there was no space between seating assignments but very few others did.
We went to the county fair and it was just… no holds barred. We’re in the highest vaccinated county in the state but it was still really uncomfortable for me - we got in early and out before the crowds got too bad, but NO ONE was wearing masks. And some areas were really crowded.
The weather is looking worse and worse. Now, I’m seeing a prediction for thunderstorms all afternoon. Maybe they’ll think about moving the start times up?
I’m also concerned about the temp drop from Saturday to Sunday: 79F to 64F. Maybe I’m just being overconcerned, but that seems like a recipe for colic.
Yeah that is no bueno. If it was just me I wouldn’t care, but dragging 5-9 year olds out in it all day is another thing completely
Catching up on the tests: Ollie Townend’s - just WOW 
Simply beautiful execution, he is such a lovely rider and his horse was perfection. 
21.1!
Boy that’s going to be hard to beat this weekend. Poor Buck had to go right after him, not an enviable position!
One of the container ships at 5AB is named Ever Given. Someone has a sense of humor 
Good luck redesigning that water complex next year. That one might be a permanent installation.
On tv it might not look like a lot of spectators but the being here in the grandstand after a good test today feels electric!
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