The Nations Cup

 It was a beautiful sunny day at Spruce Meadows for the Nation's Cup challenge. I should have known better than to travel on a full moon though- my 2 hour trip ended up being 3 hours due to a major emergency shut down on the freeway that runs through Calgary- I never did find out why. I got to Calgary within an hour and a half- and it took me just as long to go the remainder of the trip which should have taken 20 minutes or so. Uggh! 

None of my friends were able to come for various reasons so it was just me.

Anyway! Spruce Meadows is such an amazing venue. Flowers imported from Holland were everywhere, especially on the jump course but also throughout the grounds. I spotted some eye candy for Ted...

but this was more my style of transportation....

There were happy people everywhere, I don't think I heard anyone complaining. The best part for me was it didn't cost to park or to get in! Although as a non paying customer, the seating was on the grass below the grandstands, which was fine with me as it gets you closer to the action. I did have my Nikon camera, but those photos will have to wait as the data cord I ordered won't get here for another week or so. However, I did manage a few with my cell phone, thanks to being up close. 

The first jump in a triple combination, Mario DeLaurier from Canada. The second jump was an oxer, then I got the third one:

There was one jump that a few of the horses gave the hairy eyeball to, it was quite high and odd looking. 

It looks like cement but it's styrofoam

The format was 8 national teams, 4 horse/riders for each team, 3 riders from the top 6 teams coming back for rounds 2 and 3. Same course for each round. That's a lot of high jumps and a lot of ground to cover, as you will see in the following video- in an alotted 72 seconds. Amy Millar, anchor rider for Canada in the irons.

I tried to get a video of the anchor rider for team USA, MacLean Ward, but after the first jump his horse threw a shoe so he pulled up. 

Team Sweden ended up winners.