August 23, 2006

World Equestrian Games Journals from Aachen
Mack's Musings
By Father Mack (a.k.a.: Father Larry David McCormick)

“This Elvis Spares Our Eardrums” - Nadine Capellman and Elvis
Special to Dressage Daily #7

Those of us who suffer from nearly ruptured eardrums more than a full year after the World Cup held in Las Vegas (folks lucky enough to have missed the opening of each day’s competition in “sin city” will not know that the public address system blared out a way-too-loud rendition of “Viva, Las Vegas!” each and every day) were oh-so-happy to participate in Nadine Capellmann and Elvis VA’s ride mid-morning on the second day of dressage competition here in Aachen.

Don’t bother to tell me. I know that that first sentence is so long and such a run-on sentence that I should be thrashed. For my penance I will force myself to diagram the sentence during the interval in today’s rides. (I may be finished before Ruth and I return home on Sunday.)

What all of those words attempt to convey is the beauty (both technical and artistic) of Nadine’s ride and Elvis’ athletic contribution to the undertaking. As we watch this duo, it is nearly impossible to believe that this Hannoverian stallion is a comparative sapling in the forest of great dressage horses competing at the WEG. He’s only ten years old!

Which brings my convoluted mental process back to the musician who shares a name with this lovely equine athlete. Readers with a few grey hairs (as well as those with no silver tresses but who frequent the historically oriented TV channels) will recall the Memphis Elvis of later years. Paunchy. Those bizarre oversized belt buckles. The capes and all those sequins. (Due apologies are hereby proffered to Elvis worshippers in our audience. Ora pro me!) Nadine’s Elvis (Deo gratias = God grant it in his grace) will suffer no such fate. Rather, he will continue to delight those of us who come to such great horse shows as this with many years of artistic and technically correct rides such as the one we beheld this morning.

Oh, by the way, Nadine and Elvis stand second in the overall competition as I type these words for your consumption. They have a combined score of 72.833. Viva, Elvis! (But don’t touch that volume knob, if you please.)