Under the Brandenburg Gate - 4th August 2013
We are amazing! On the long ride to Berlin, host of the World Championships 2013 for the Icelandic horse, together we achieved a distance of – wait for it: 24,397.54km.
That takes us onto a latitude, which (more or less) runs through Birmingham, Amsterdam and the centre of BERLIN! (The length of the latitude, which runs through the Brandenburg Gate is 24,473km!) Honestly, I did not ‘doctor’ the figures. On the contrary, I was a bit embarrassed when it looked for a while that we might end up circumnavigating the earth coming through my home in Aberdeen...
I know from many very kind comments, that each of the 26 riders who completed the challenge to ride from home to Berlin, either alone, or in a team, between 4th August 2012 and 4th August 2013, had wonderful adventures, achieved amazing personal targets, became more conscious of the qualities of the Icelandic horse (and maybe also the fantastic community that forms around that horse?). So, congratulations all round!
What happened on the 4th August in Berlin?
It was unforgettable! As you know, various clubs and national associations had organised three separate long-distance relay rides, which would end up in Berlin, coming together under the Brandenburg Gate: one from Austria, the location of the previous World Championships, one from Denmark, where the event will be held in 2015, and one from the Netherlands – they had just too much fun last time!
Some riders did the whole distance and spent about 6 weeks in the saddle, others joined in for parts of the way. When I saw some of the participating horses on the day before, in temperatures of 38 degrees – well, they looked just like our horses do: chilled (ahem...) content (or is that smug?), and happy to be standing in the field.
On the morning of 4th August ca 200 (yes, 200!) trailers parked on both sides along the 2km long ‘Straße des 17. Juni’ (modelled on the Champs Elysées), which runs between the Victory column and the Brandenburg Gate. Kind planners drove round with a small trailer full of bottled water for riders and grooms, and apples for the horses. A final brush and polish, and the horses were tacked up to get to the meeting point ca 800m down the road. Rising excitement – we are actually there! A lot of Chinese whispers... what exactly is happening? And when?
“Riders, please mount – and ride in groups of 3 – initially in the ‘wrong’ direction, to the Victory column.” That was good, because the horses settled, and as we turned at the roundabout, we could see the whole length of the procession!
And then towards the Brandenburg Gate! First a group of riders carried the national flags of the 19 member countries of FEIF. Then the Icelandic delegation, which included Dorrit, wife of the president of Iceland. Then representatives of FEIF (that included me), followed by this endless stream of relay riders, 350 in total!
The closer we got to the Gate, the more people lined the street. Some looked bemused at all these ponies, others waved and laughed, and on arrival, we were greeted with almighty cheers! I was completely unable to wipe that smile off my face – just too hard. The riders dismounted, speeches by the Icelandic president, the mayor of Berlin and others. Again, some kindly soul provided us with water, and suddenly the odd carrot appeared here and there... The horses behaved impeccably!
And then it was over! Well, not quite.
On the way back, it so happened that I was in the first row, just after the organiser Christian Eckert – and when we turned, in front of me that huge empty historical street leading to the Victory Column in the distance, behind me 350 riders on their Icelandic horses, calm, elegant, and confident: well, that was my goose pimple moment! Indescribable!
That leaves me to say three things: (1) thanks and congratulations to all who participated over the year – we can! (2) Whether you know it or not, your little Icelandic horse comes attached with a whole, international community of other horses and like-minded fans from all over the world. If you can, go and reach out to these people, participate from home or away – you will be amazed! And (3) - well - what’s next? You decide! All suggestions are welcome.
Gundula
Back
That takes us onto a latitude, which (more or less) runs through Birmingham, Amsterdam and the centre of BERLIN! (The length of the latitude, which runs through the Brandenburg Gate is 24,473km!) Honestly, I did not ‘doctor’ the figures. On the contrary, I was a bit embarrassed when it looked for a while that we might end up circumnavigating the earth coming through my home in Aberdeen...
I know from many very kind comments, that each of the 26 riders who completed the challenge to ride from home to Berlin, either alone, or in a team, between 4th August 2012 and 4th August 2013, had wonderful adventures, achieved amazing personal targets, became more conscious of the qualities of the Icelandic horse (and maybe also the fantastic community that forms around that horse?). So, congratulations all round!
What happened on the 4th August in Berlin?
It was unforgettable! As you know, various clubs and national associations had organised three separate long-distance relay rides, which would end up in Berlin, coming together under the Brandenburg Gate: one from Austria, the location of the previous World Championships, one from Denmark, where the event will be held in 2015, and one from the Netherlands – they had just too much fun last time!
Some riders did the whole distance and spent about 6 weeks in the saddle, others joined in for parts of the way. When I saw some of the participating horses on the day before, in temperatures of 38 degrees – well, they looked just like our horses do: chilled (ahem...) content (or is that smug?), and happy to be standing in the field.
On the morning of 4th August ca 200 (yes, 200!) trailers parked on both sides along the 2km long ‘Straße des 17. Juni’ (modelled on the Champs Elysées), which runs between the Victory column and the Brandenburg Gate. Kind planners drove round with a small trailer full of bottled water for riders and grooms, and apples for the horses. A final brush and polish, and the horses were tacked up to get to the meeting point ca 800m down the road. Rising excitement – we are actually there! A lot of Chinese whispers... what exactly is happening? And when?
“Riders, please mount – and ride in groups of 3 – initially in the ‘wrong’ direction, to the Victory column.” That was good, because the horses settled, and as we turned at the roundabout, we could see the whole length of the procession!
And then towards the Brandenburg Gate! First a group of riders carried the national flags of the 19 member countries of FEIF. Then the Icelandic delegation, which included Dorrit, wife of the president of Iceland. Then representatives of FEIF (that included me), followed by this endless stream of relay riders, 350 in total!
The closer we got to the Gate, the more people lined the street. Some looked bemused at all these ponies, others waved and laughed, and on arrival, we were greeted with almighty cheers! I was completely unable to wipe that smile off my face – just too hard. The riders dismounted, speeches by the Icelandic president, the mayor of Berlin and others. Again, some kindly soul provided us with water, and suddenly the odd carrot appeared here and there... The horses behaved impeccably!
And then it was over! Well, not quite.
On the way back, it so happened that I was in the first row, just after the organiser Christian Eckert – and when we turned, in front of me that huge empty historical street leading to the Victory Column in the distance, behind me 350 riders on their Icelandic horses, calm, elegant, and confident: well, that was my goose pimple moment! Indescribable!
That leaves me to say three things: (1) thanks and congratulations to all who participated over the year – we can! (2) Whether you know it or not, your little Icelandic horse comes attached with a whole, international community of other horses and like-minded fans from all over the world. If you can, go and reach out to these people, participate from home or away – you will be amazed! And (3) - well - what’s next? You decide! All suggestions are welcome.
Gundula
Back