HorsesDaily Behind the Scenes
The US Dressage Short Listed Team for the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games - Aachen

DressageDaily is in touch with the the short listed riders in Europe as they continue to compete for the top four position for the US Team for the WEG. They have all been great about sharing their experiences, so we can share with our readers. Enjoy!

Catherine Haddad and Maximus JSS - Dressagedaily 2006 WEG Journals

It is an honor and a pleasure to work with the other members of the Team. They have all shown great respect and support for my riding which is a very nice feeling to say the least. I never expected to come this far this year so I certainly cannot complain about where we have landed. I would like to correct something you published online a few days ago. Balkenhol did not choose the fourth member of this team. He made a recommendation to the Selection Committee based on his observations in Hickstead, Elmlohe and Verden, but he did not have a vote in the selection process.

As far as our selection process goes, I do believe that it was formulated in the spirit of fairness which is a very commendable American ideal. The concept of fairness itself however does not always relate to reality and real life situations--especially in sports. It is easy to pick a team of four horses when one sits on the sidelines at a show and judges the candidates with his or her own eyes. The judgement is then based on reality, not fairness.

Our selectors did not attend any of the shows after Gladstone. They did not see Verden, the competition designated as the final test of preparedness for each candidate, and they were unfortunately not provided with video coverage of that show. None of them ever saw Maximus "live". They were however able to choose the US Team on paper, following a set list of fair guidelines.

Maximus and I stand ready to compete for the United States if and when we are called upon in the future. Right now we have turned our attention to the World Cup tour for next year. If we qualify for Vegas, we plan to stay on in the States for a few months to do some fundraising for the USET. I haven't quite convinced Debbie that a Maximus/Brentina pas de deux will be a show stopper, but I will!

Reality will come into play again in Gladstone where we plan to compete in 2007.

July 31 - I arrived in Elmlohe with my horses on Thursday morning not really knowing what to expect. I met most of the American team for the first time that day and I've really gotten to know them all a lot better over the last few days. What a GREAT bunch of people! You all know the results of the show at Elmlohe so I don't have to fill you in on that. Here is some insider news that will give you a bit of insight into the top riders from the United States...

Debbie McDonald is a real team leader. Straightforward, calm, she takes everything in stride and rides (as we all know) impeccably. And when she laughs (which is often) her open hearted chuckle lights up everyone around her. It also lifts all our spirits to see Brentina back in action. Our team is sssoooo strong with that mare as our lead horse.

In the evenings, Debbie spends a lot of time taking care of her new puppy and keeping an eye on Husband Bob. We (Guenter and I) did ask her to put Bob on the leash the other night and take her dog up to bed, but much to our chagrin, she let him run free and unattended in the beer garden at our hotel--Bob, not the dog. We are having almost too much fun!

Nobody ever told me how funny Guenter Seidel is! He is making me laugh so much that my sides hurt. I think it might be a ploy to sabotage my riding since Maximus has been barking at his heels in the last two tests! Seriously, Guenter is the funniest person I know. Or maybe I've just been in Germany too long and missed "American" humor! In any case, if he posts that video from our last party on the internet, that IS NOT ME DOING THE BELLY DANCE...it's Klaus.

Tuny Page is not only one of the most gracious women I've ever met, she is also just damn cool. We were all happy to grant her a Bye on showing a party trick last night since she brought the wine to dinner. Lady, where did you come up with a 1986 Sauterne in Bremervörde, Germany?!? Talk about class.

Heather Blitz had her party trick all ready to go. She can write with two pens in two hands simultaneously--one writing a word backward and the other writing the word forward at the same time. Amazing! And combined with her excellent riding--Heather and Arabella bring an eye catching feminine elegance to the show ring--you can't be happier that she is representing our country. You go girl.

As for Suzanne Dansby-Phelps, do you know that this lady can SING?!? She should be recording her own R&B records with a voice like that. She also happens to have one of the best horses representing the United States. A real treat to watch in piaffe and passage. He makes his own R&B.

Honestly, the last four days were way too much stimulation for me! I lead a fairly routined and secluded life here in Germany. I haven't has this much fun in years. It's great to be around all of these people but I had to drive home today for a little R&R. I feel lucky that I live so close to both Elmlohe and Verden. It's nice to come home even for a few days. I know how hard it is on everyone else to be on the road continously.

I'm going to catch up on my sleep and tune up some gears on Maximus before re-joining the team--including Leslie Morse after her great success in Hickstead--on Wednesday in Verden. Maximus is my real hero from the weekend. He rose to the occasion with all the "strength and honor" he could muster. What a horse!!!

More soon and sorry for no pictures. We just couldn't publish any of them!!! :-) Catherine