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 shortlisted 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!

Arlene (Tuny) Page and Wild One - DressageDaily 2006 WEG Journals

While this news was not what I had hoped for nor, frankly, what I had expected it was the respected decision of the committee and I totally accept it. Every one of us has trained so long and with such sacrifice and commitment that we each deserve a spot but still only four can go. I applaud my fellow Americans and wish them the very best in Aachen.

I am so proud of my own team...Dave and Charlotte, Craig, Lars, Klaus, the USET Foundation and the USEF, my vets and farrier and my family and my ever supportive friends. I will never be able to express to you how much I appreciate your help. WE made it this far and, perhaps, next time we will make it further. WE have an amazing athlete in Wild One. The ride is not over, it has just begun. I ask you to stay with me because I have no interest in going on without you and we all know that the journey, if well done, is a challenge full of excitement and celebration.

For now I am still in Germany and will, for a variety of reasons, stay here until Tuesday. This means that I will miss Charlotte's first day of 1st grade (rip my heart out now) but Dave will be there to orchestrate the whole thing and I know that she will be fine.

I hope that you will be there (in spirit of otherwise) cheering on our team. They are destined to do very well at the WEG!

Aug 1: Greetings Friends and Family,
I am enjoying a relaxing day in Bremervorde after finishing the first of the pre-WEG (world equestrian games) dressage shows. the weather here has finally broken so we are back to temps in the high 70's after 2 weeks of brutal heat and no way to get away from it. The German hotels and restaurants do not use a/c so your best bet is shade and light clothing! The American team had a good showing in the national show in Elmlohe (between Bremen and Hamburg) with Debbie winning the Grand Prix with a score of 76%... and Guenter winning the Grand Prix Special with a 73%. The rest of the team was solid and filled out the top placings in both classes. Wild One and I were not back in the "groove" as much as I would have liked so was only 5th in the GP but we came back well for a 3rd place finish in the GPS. It hasn't been so easy for me to have come from Washington having not ridden for 10 days to going to a show a week after arriving here. Still, I have a wonderful horse who never stops trying and I wouldn't have given up my time with my family for anything! I know that this week the training will go better and our show in Verden next weekend will be far better.

I must say that the experience with my fellow teammates has been wonderful. Debbie and Guenter have a depth of experience with WEG and Olympic competition and the preparations involved and they are more than happy to offer advice and support. Suzanne and Heather (short list alternates) are riding so well and are clearly benefiting from this experience. Catherine Haddad (US rider based here) is fun to have around and is a solid candidate for the team. Klaus (US Trainer) and his wife Judith have been incredibly hospitable to us both at their own farm (our training base) and on the road...Judith is basically a travel agent for all of us...I think think she may attain sainthood after this tour. Imagine organizing the hotels/cars/horse transport etc for not just the riders but grooms and all of the dogs that have come along with their owners!

The USEF (US Equestrian Federation) director of High Performance Dressage, Gil Merrick, joined us here last week. Gil has been a great addition to our team for myriad reasons not the least of which is that he speaks fluent German. He is catching on very quickly how to manage us all and do it with a smile on his face.

It is important for all of you to know how seriously we all take our responsibilities here. The USEF and USET are backing us with personnel and finances and we take our commitment to doing the USA proud with vigor. All of us are cognizant of the support that many of you have given to the USET Foundation: We appreciate it and could not be here doing this without it.

Tomorrow morning I get to pick up Charlotte and Dave at the Bremen airport before heading down to Verden and I am so psyched! Charlotte will have had a hard time saying goodbye to her WA family but she is also excited to be here. She and Dave stay thru Verden and then head home to get started at school on the 15th of Aug. If Wild One makes the WEG team Dave will be back on the 20th. THEY ARE GOOD SPORTS!!!

Now that I have a computer I will continue the updates more regularly. I appreciate all your prayers, vibes, thoughts, love...I've said it before and I'll say it again: I love doing this, it is an honor but it wouldn't be much fun without YOU!

GOD BLESS XXXXXX TUNY July 31 - Americans sweep Elmlohe in the Grand Prix Special! Guenter Seidel winning on 73+ Catherine Haddad with a 72, Tuny Page with a 69 and Heather Blitz with a 68...Top four placings. Suzanne Dansby Phelps rode for a 63+ she has done a good job here in her first show in Europe etc.Gil Merrick head of USEF Dressage has been a terriffic asset. He is totally organized, cheerful and willing to just about anything. We all miss Marilyn Adams and still appreciate her wonderful contribution to High Performance Dressage.
Tuny July 29 - Greetings again from Elmlohe...the Americans have had a good day here in this lovely Germany National show and I think that Debbie has already emailed you the scores etc but let me just say that Brentina looks terriffic and has certainly gained the admiration of the Germany knowing public...she had many compliments. Aragon too looks excellent and Guenter is feeling so much better since Gladstone and it surely shows. Catherine Haddad is very nice and rode such a lovely clean test today. I think that Klaus is fairly pleased with the work today. Wild One was good as was Arabella (and Heather Blitz) and Suzanne Dansby Phelps did a super job in her first German outing on Cooper. Tomorrow we will ride the special (not Debbie) and then a rest day before heading down to Verden. Please pass our best greetings to all you readership...WE TRULY APPRECIATE THEIR SUPPORT! July 28 - From Tuny Page - Hey Mary and JJ, Tuny here with her blackberry...I will try to nab someone's computer soon for easier e-mailing but until then this will have to do. Bear with me.We are currently at a lovely national show in the north of Germany (Elmlohe) where they are treating us like royalty...even flying the American flag! We are all enjoying each other's company: it is a great group of people.Photo:Tuny visits Clare, now in foalWild One is feeling very good at the moment and I am looking forward to riding the Grand Prix on him tomorrow. It is wonderful to have him fresh again. I think that all the American horses look great..Aaragon looks better than ever and Debbie and Brentina are such partners - you can see this in everything they do together. Suzanne (Dansby-Phelps) has been such fun here and is really rising to occasion in this situation. Heather (Blitz) too is terrific and doing some great work with Arabella. We finally have met Catherine Haddad and she is a great addition to our team. Leslie went for a 69 yesterday at Hickstead so we know that she continues in good form. All I can say is go USA!Thank you to all the people that make this experience possible for all of us We will do you proud! Best Regards, Tuny Page Sent via BlackBerry from Cingular Wireless

July 28 - From Craig Bernstein (Wild One's groom) I met Catherine Haddad for the first time and she is an awesome team mate. I did not want to stay so far away from show as the hotel is about 45 minutes and Catherine has a friend that lives 5 minutes from show and they are putting me up at their house and brought me out for a wonderful dinner in Bremerhaven at the port. All the horses feel great and Klaus arrived at show this morning as he went to Hickstead yesterday with Gil to watch Leslie. Lars Peterson got to the show also this morning with his side kick Tim Dutta. All the grooms are playing well together. Lovin' the team spirit!