Hello! I'm Kadi Eykamp and this is my first blog for PRO so here is a short and
sweet intro. I’m based in Dallas Fort Worth in Texas since October 2010. Before that I was in New Jersey but Australia is were I was born and bred. Right now I’m in Ocala for
the winter shows with both mine and clients horses.
The big goal this year is
to run at Rolex with Double Rivers Dillon. Dillon is a 10 year old TB that I’ve
had for 2 years. We have just been put on the Shadow list for London so I’m
very proud of this horse. He was training level when I got him so is still very
new to the advanced level. For me I would describe him as a classic
thoroughbred. A type that would be at home in the old long format, but is
looking very capable of the modern sport!
I just watched the dvd ‘Riding for America’ the other night-
it covers the 1982 Rolex. Man-O-Man!! In this super video the cross country is true
grit! Remembering the fitness and
cross country jumps from the old format reminds me of the enormity of work and
training that went into producing horses and ultimately producing horsemen and
woman in the process was unavoidable.
I remember preparing for my first 3DE in Queensland
Australia in 1985. I got up from my four girl dormitory to start my trot work by 6 AM and went for 6 kilometers on my horse every morning, required in my 13 week schedule, before breakfast at
7:40 AM and classes at 8:20 AM. I would
get to go out on unpaved roads outside the school grounds, which was very much
against the usual rules of my school as we weren’t allowed out alone. Anyway, I
remember one morning I went a slightly longer way but took a wrong turn and
ended up trotting 12 kilometers, and thought I’d be in huge trouble and possibly
suspended for not being at breakfast. To my amazement my absence wasn’t noticed as it
was exam time tabling instead of normal classes and I had none that morning.
My
horse was perfectly fit for his first 3DE and we finished 5th. What I remember about the long format was the seriousness and considerable time
it took to reach this fitness. Having not run at 4 star level since 2005, I guess my biggest
worry is making sure Dillon is fit enough! I hope everyone’s Rolex fitness is coming together as
planned.
Cheers Kadi
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