The 1-day event.

I couldn't persuade my B&B's to join me at the Beauregard 1- day event today. They preferred to follow the final days attractions with the 3- day Ferarri event at Val de Vienne, Le Vigeant! each to their own! Either way the change was phenominal after yesterday's heatwave. Thunder and lightening and then heavy rain for a couple of hours.
I was doing my monthly stint on 'Mrs T's teas' and should have been safely tucked away in the caravan, but the whole set-up had been re-organised as Mrs T, and Mr T who runs the barbecue, had dashed off to the UK for a funeral. Andria and a friend had taken over the teas and I'd been promoted--with Geoff to cooking on the barbecue. (We'd had a rather splendid practice run on Wednesday night!)
The barbecue is to the side of the caravan & its only shelter was a sun brolly! This dripped all over the table and the breakfast service was very uncomfortable--although there were no complaints about the bacon & egg butties!
The dressage started promptly at 9.30. Most people attempted to stay undercover of some sort. The girl on the horse doing the dressage seemed oblivious of the weather, whilst her so-supportive mother got soaked to the skin whilst watching alongside the arena! The judges faired little better. The rain fell onto their roof/sunhood and promptly dripped down their backs.
In fact, after yesterday's hot weather many folk were just not prepared for the change and could still be seen in shorts & tee-shirts--and even sandals!
But the day moved on. The rain stopped--we served tea, and bacon butties and the dressage changed for the jumping--and the bacon changed to the cheeseburgers. More people came and sat in the slowly appearing sunshine. Cans of coke & orange were suddenly required!
The final event , the cross-country was what we were all waiting for. In the past the caravan has been situated in front of the first jump-- so 1 jump--2 jumps--& then they were out of site. Now the caravan has been moved, and the course has been altered ( the reasons will be explained at a later date!!). Now the final jump is right in front of the caravan & picnic area--but you can actually see them come up to jump 11 and work their way back & forth to this spot, with all but the 2 jumps in the wood being visible. Quite exciting!
Next event at Beauregard.................. a FUN Day-- fun & games, show-jumping & dressage, & the 2nd annual Beauregard DOG show!.........on July25th.
And the Ferarri fans?-- they came back soaking--but happy too!