Fan-girling

So, I am one of those that still gets a little shell shocked when I'm in the presence of people that I read about in magazines.  I remember joking around with Jon and Jen Holling when my team was stalled right next to them at the Florida Horsepark at the first event I ever went to help with (if by help you mean mostly tagging along behind looking starry eyed, and holding one horse once).  I think I stood next to the dressage ring for half an hour staring at Bruce Davidson because I rode a horse he owned once.  When I went up to my trainer to congratulate her on her stadium round, she oh so casually introduced me to David O'Connor who was talking to her.  I know I shook his hand, but I have no idea what I said.  I'm sure I stammered out something that made me sound like a total noob.  Kind of like the time I shouted at George Morris (story for another day).  When walking her cross country course with her and her husband, there were back slaps and comments from Kyle Carter (that is a big man).  I about hyperventilated when Boyd walked past me at Red Hills.  And of course there was the clinic with Will Coleman, who I can now follow on Facebook since he once called me by my name.

So yes, name dropping is a thing.  I'm bad at it.  I will stand in the background and be the creepy stalker rather than talk to someone, but then I can say I was in their presence.  And the eventing world is very small. There is one other place that is great for being able to see these people, and that is volunteering!  For example, there is the time that Buck came up to my truck and personally thanked me for volunteering.  Or the time that I had a discussion with Clayton Fredericks after an unfortunate and unexpected dismount.  This weekend, I got up close and personal with someone I have kind of been in awe of from afar since I started following this thing called eventing (if, by up close and personal you mean pretending to be taking pictures of a fence when you are actually looking at them through your camera lens, I told you, creeper).

Anywho, I was able to get a couple of shots of people that I read about in magazines.

This would be the aforementioned Kyle Carter on his second horse of the Intermediate division.  And yes, he rode around the entire course with a piece of Spanish Moss clinging to the top of his helmet.  It was very fitting for the Halloween theme.

This would be the one I was really watching through my camera lens, though.  Unfortunately, I didn't get a very good shot of her close up.  This would be Becky Holder.  I want to grow up and be like her.  Maybe someday I'll get the opportunity to clinic with her.  I was walking out to take the picture that I showed yesterday of the line for my intermediate fence and I almost ran into her.  Made my heart go pitty-pat, and I may have actually had the courage to say hello to her, but she was either concentrating on walking the prelim course or talking on the phone and I didn't want to interrupt.

Only the two this week.  Besides the stars from my barn, but that's another post, and I want their permission before I mention them.