August 23, 2006

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

“Not Your Mother’s ‘Back to the Future’”
Special to Dressage Daily #9

Unlike Michael J. Fox (a.k.a.: Marty McFly) in the movie “Back to the Future” (any of the threee parts you choose), history did NOT repeat itself this afternoon here in Aachen. Please pardon me as I wax religious: Soli Deo Gloria (to God alone be the glory . . . God made Brentina and Debbie, after all!).

Now that I have tipped my hand, I write to tell the faithful readers of Dressage Daily of Team McDonald’s success in round two of the Grand Prix. With a score 71.417 “our girls” stand ninth in the individual ranking with four riders left to go!

The history which does not repeat itself (at the risk of causing nightmares for folks who remember the last iteration of the WEG held in Jerez) was a minor slip by horse and/or rider during the Grand Prix Special, but at one heckuva bad time, namely during a transition which resulted in a doubling of the judges’ penalties imposed.

Enough of the past (even Doc Brown in the “Back to the Future” movies eventually realized what a truly BAD thing it is to dwell on past events). This is the present and it may, God willing, lead to an equally glorious future.

With remaining riders in today’s competition who are not to be sneezed at (including Edward Gal and his boy horse, Securicor Lingh), team USA has its fingernails sunk into the number three spot amongst all the nations competing at these games. No doubt, within a very few minutes my brother and sister journalists here at Dressage Daily will be posting final scores for Messieurs Gal and the rest of the gang.

That is then. We leave the past behind. Me? I’m exulting in the present moment along with Debbie and Bob McDonald, Peggy and Parry Thomas (Brentina’s owners), Brentina herself, and Ruben (Brentina’s groom and possibly her best buddy after Debbie). You are welcome to go back to the future to your heart’s content. I’m more than satisfied with the here and now thanks to this afternoon’s effort on the part of our gals!