It’s two days after my flight, jetlag is over and accreditation accomplished. I am now, at long last, getting down to updating the site.

The news from the Irish camp is good. All the horses are well. They took the journey well and are adapting to the new conditions. Horsley Park is in rolling countryside and about twenty miles away from the main Olympic Stadium. The countryside is partially wooded. It would seem that the park was well chosen as nowhere on the site is there a view of the cross-country, yet when you get on the course you have good vies of the fences. The weather over here is excellent for the horses. It is in the early twenties during the day yet cool in the evenings. All horses have rugs on at night. Horseware and Tom McGuiness have done some business out here. It is a credit to him that everywhere you look in the stabling area you see his rugs. He should just take a video of the stables as all the top horses are in the one area. The vast majority are wearing a Horseware product. All made in a little town just south of the Border. Dundalk should be proud.

It is interesting that all horses have put on weight since leaving the quarantine station in Punchestown. I watched The Yellow Earl (Virginia’s horse) do some flat work today. He was extremely well in himself. He did some very nice movements, hopefully he can do the same on the day. Mary D’arcy, the Team Trainer, feels that each day he is getting fresher. Ginny is confident that on the day he will be at his best.

All of the Irish horses have done some small little tests as to their fitness. Ginny did a dressage test and four cross-country fences. Apparently “Duky” (his stable name) was excellent. Nicola Cassidy said that Mr. Mullins did his showjumping at record speed. We are thinking of entering him for Cheltenham next year as I think Nicky and her groom, Vinny, would like the trip !!

Ireland won their first competition on Saturday. There was a Welcome Stakes Showjumping. Trevor Smith won it on his horse. Everyone was amazed. Apparently, in true Trevor style he arrive up just before the start time, jumped one or two practice fences and jumped a clear round in the fastest time. Those who were practising for hours were sick !!!

At this stage, the mood in the Irish camp is very relaxed. They are ready to do battle. The riders are starting to get focused on the Event.

Tomorrow, the riders get the chance to see the first part of their course. They have a briefing at 9.30 and then are allowed to see the roads and tracks. So measuring wheels will be out and trainer on. This will be a good change to the routine as they need this chance to see the first part of the course. The Opening Ceremony is on the day that they do their first veterinary examination. The day after tomorrow they get to see the cross-country. This is a change to the norm as usually you are only seeing the course after the first veterinary. By all reports the course is secular. To be honest, I would expect this as everything that I have seen in Sydney has been first class. One of the ground jury said the course was possibly one of the best presented courses they had seen. Despite a lot of encouragement they gave no indication as to the type of fences, just that they were big but with options. Apparently the course is very hilly to start and finishes with a good gallop.

I have some pictures of the facilities and of the equestrian stadium. Robert Hall, the Irish television equestrian journalist has just arrived out with my cameras. Thank you to all concerned for getting them to me.

e-mail : info@irish-equine.com