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Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Dressage World Cup News - Jane's Journal

Getting Ready at Stahl Balkenhol

Here is the Germany update for Monday. The last few days have been spent riding the horses lightly and the riders have been getting to know each other.

I know George Williams and Courtney from home, but have never had time to get to know them well. We have had a great time going to dinner and learning things from George like why the Olympic horses need to fly to Hong Kong from Europe:
The cargo planes would need to refuel in Alaska where there are no quarantine facilities and if there was a problem the horses could get stuck in the plane or off loaded and the quarantine would be breached, that would mean no Olympics.

From Europe the plane would stop in Dubai where there are quarantine facilities and fantastic vets for the horses. It took two years to choose the best route to transport the horses to the Olympic Games.

George is an amazing source of information about all aspects of the USDF and the USEF that a rider does not know happens because it is all behind the scenes. Courtney has a super sense of humor, a sarcastic quick wit. I am enjoying her and her new husband Jason's company. They are very good people, and I am glad to know them.

Mak's pit crew, Sal, Mak's massage therapist, and my Mom, Sibley Hannigan arrived on Monday. One of the odd things at a world cup is getting people allowed into the CDI stabling, otherwise know as getting credentials. The rider, owner, groom, trainer, and "partner" of the rider are the only ones allowed in. The Olympics only allow two owners, the rider, and a groom. Sal is my "groom" for the World Cup even though he grooms Mak with a deep therapeutic muscle massage instead of a brush.

My Mom's house owns Mak,(I took out a home equity loan to pay for Mak and our travel) so my Mother will get credentials as an owner or my trainer as she helps me as my eyes on the ground in the winter. We will go to the World Cup on Tues. or wed, but we are getting snow on Tues. and won't want to risk driving the horses in snow to get there early. The jog is on wed, I will update you about the venue when we get there. I am so excited!

In closing if anyone has a question I can answer about my time here email it to teamhannigan@hotmail.com. Ask anything, if I can answer it I will.
Smiles! Jane

Help Fund Jane's Journey
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As part of its campaign to support the American team of Jane Hannigan and Maksymilian at this year’s Dressage World Cup, the Matrix will donate a portion of sales of Equine Calm Performance (ECP) to Team Hannigan. For every purchase of ECP made over the internet this month, $7.00 will go toward helping Jane and Mak cover the costs of traveling to the Dressage World Cup, being held in the Netherlands from March 27-30.

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