Day One at the Olympic Games

It’s been crazy as I landed from one fire (NAJYRC) into another - trying to get my brain to switch over and into Games mode. 

So far it has been great. Considering it started by me flying from Lexington to Chicago to Boston to Washington, DC to London in one day. It’s a complicated story without a really logical explanation but ground stops in Chicago = desperate. The UNITED staff couldn’t have been more accommodating and they worked it out every step of the way. Landing as part of the Olympic family means you fly through the airport and we wanted for nothing as I was through and out in less than an hour. 

I spent yesterday running around getting the lay of the land watching the horses train and tying to get my head around being back at the Olympics. We walked the course which was pretty spectacular - not the scopiest track I’ve ever seen but there is plenty to do - it reminds me of Red Hills, lots of jumping and turning. The time will be a mega factor. 

After a low-key dinner in the hotel with Christy Baxter, Fiona Tibone and Richard Picken, we were joined for ridiculous laughs by Will Connell, who is the British Chef d’Mission and has is own blog... http://equestrianteamgbr.blogspot.co.uk/

This morning we were gearing up for the jog for the eventers. The stables look great thanks largely to Dougie Hannum - Americana decorator extraordinaire. Sharing the aisle with the Canadians and three Italian stalls sandwiched in between makes for a lively aisle. All of the horses look spectacular - they seem to be thriving in the weather and relished their time at Lavender Hill. Their grooms have them looking awesome. They all jogged very well in the main arena - a spectacular setting with the skyline behind it. 

Because the USA drew first - we were done just after 11 am. The dressage riders showed up as they are going to Opening Ceremonies and we got on the bubble to bubble bus and headed to the Olympic Village. It is really cool to wander around the Village, there are athletes everywhere and they are truly in all shapes and sizes. The British Jumping riders were kicking around there as tourists. Steffen, Jan, Tina and Adrienne are spending the night in the village after Opening Ceremonies and then will head to the Main Press Center tomorrow at 9 AM for a pre-competition press conference. 

We are going to try to see them on TV. 

The dressage horses arrive on the venue tomorrow afternoon.

Will Coleman's Olympic Selection Jams

These 20 songs got Will from Virginia to England, through the Mandatory Outing at Barbury Castle, and through a long day of vet evaluations, deliberations and finally - being named to the 2012 Olympic Eventing Team. 


1. Congratulations by MGMT
2. Ahead of the Curve by Monsters of Folk
3. All The Best by My Morning Jacket
4. The Handshake by MGMT
5. Money Saves by Delta Spirit
6. So He Won't Break by The Black Keys
7. Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach by The Gorillaz
8. Patience by Guns N' Roses
9. Take Me With You When You Go by Jack White
10. Excitable Boy by Warren Zevon
11. Wrecking Ball by Gillian Welch
12. The Man Who Would Speak True by Blitzen Trapper
13. Off The Record by My Morning Jacket, Okonokos
14. Missing Pieces by Jack White
15. Guess I'm Doing Fine by Beck
16. Race For The Prize by The Flaming Lips
17. La La La by Deer Tick
18. Dry The Rain by Beta Band
19. All You Ever Wanted by The Black Keys
20. Wordless Chorus by My Morning Jacket

Will Coleman's Rockin Jams - May 2012

What do you listen to after you finish fifth at the 2012 Rolex Kentucky CCI4*? 


If you're Will Coleman, you listen to this: 

• It Makes No Difference by My Morning Jacket
• Twenty Miles by Deer Tick
• Atlantic City by The Band
• The Reckless Side of Me by The Steeldrivers
• He's Gone by The Grateful Dead
• Turn Me Loose by Loverboy
• Bush wick Blues by Delta Spirit
• Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells
• Carolina Drama by The Raconteurs
• The Golden Age by Asteroids Galaxy Tour
• Blue Eyes by Middle Brother
• That Western Skyline by Dawes
• Lowdown by My Morning Jacket  (from the Okonokos album)
• A Hard Rains Gonna Fall by Jimmy Cliff
• Janglin' by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
• Houston by Deer Tick
• The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair by Led Zeppelin
• Friends Again by My Morning Jacket
• Yeye by Alpha Blondy
• Careless Whisper by George Michael
• The Weight by The Band

My Morning Jacket is from Louisville - Kentucky Proud! 

Will Coleman Equitation in Eventing Clinic

10 Things to do at the 2012 Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event presented by Bridgestone

10 Things to do at the 2012 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone (in no particular order)

1. Test Drive a Land Rover - they let you do things in an SUV that you've always wanted to do but your dad said "Cars can't do that." Test drives will run Thursday - Sunday just past the Rolex stadium on the left.

2. Visit Cigar - the legendary racehorse won 16 races in row at the top of the sport, tying Citation's record. He loves visitors, check him out in the Hall of Champions with some other famous racehorses.

Cigar

3. Spend an hour with Graham Motion (who trained 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom) and Phillip Dutton at the Cosequin booth. They will be there on Friday, late morning, to answer questions and sign autographs. Stay tuned to Facebook for exact details.

4. Watch the reining, the riders love it when you yell and whistle (an acquired reining talent) during their rides - a far cry from dressage. More information is available here: http://www.kentuckyreining.com/event_schedule.html

5. Walk the cross country course - it will give you an entirely different perspective than what you see on the screens. Early in the week before the crowds will give you the best chance to scope out places to watch. Listen to Will Coleman's rocking jams while you walk: http://greyhorsellc.blogspot.com/2012/03/will-colemans-march-jams.html. The Rolex playlist will be posted soon. 

6. Get your photo taken with Bruce Davidson - either the real one or the statue by the grandstand. The only person (to this day) to win back-to-back World Championships,  without him, we might not have this event. He will be cheering on his son Buck (and coaching several other students this week). Read the story about how the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event came to be here: http://www.usef.org/digitalmagazine/2012/apr_may/

7.  Stand next to William Fox-Pitt. Seriously, he's like the world's tallest equestrian. 

8. Scope out the toughest combinations on the cross country course with Phillip Dutton courtesy of Flair Equine Nasal Strips on Thursday at 4PM - check in at Bit of Britain beforehand to get your pass. You will get a free gift at the end of walk from Flair... once you've worked up a thirst - stop by the Triple Crown booth on your way out for some refreshments. Their reception begins at 5PM. 

9. Count the Thoroughbreds competing... there are several. Then go meet some big names from both world's at Keeneland on Friday night. The Jockey Club and the USEF are hosting a reception. RSVP off the Thoroughbred Incentive Program Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/tjctip

10. Follow @USEquestrianHP @duttoneventing @colemaneventing @rolexkentucky and remember tag your tweets with #eventinglive - let's get this trending over the week!!

10b. Thank the volunteers!!! 

Will Coleman's March Jams

Want to know what to equestrian Will Coleman listens to while preparing for the most important season of his eventing career so far? These songs are all available on iTunes and a new playlist available each month on his course to London 2012. Get in the groove.

Will Coleman, March Playlist: 

• Midnight City by M83    
• Under Cover Of Darkness by The Strokes         
• Couer D'alene by The Head And The Heart            
• Nothing But Our Love by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.       
• The Day Is Coming by My Morning Jacket            
• Assholes by Drive-By Truckers            
• Battery Kinzie by Fleet Foxes        
• Dearest by The Black Keys       
• Hurts Like Heaven by Coldplay
• Don't Carry It All by The Decemberists
• Whole Love by Wilco                
• Miss K. by Deer Tick        
• Easy To Crash by Cake    
• Aberdeen by Cage The Elephant   
• Booty City by Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears 
• Bright Lights by Gary Clark Jr.            
• The World (Is Going Up In Flames) by Charles Bradley
• Sister by The Black Keys                   
• Oxblood by The Donkeys    
• How Far We've Come by Dawes                
• Lucky Now by Ryan Adams                
• Million Dollar Bill by Middle Brother            
• Circuital by My Morning Jacket    
• Mind Eraser by The Black Keys                
• Trashcan by Delta Spirit                    
• Welcome Home by My Morning Jacket 

Visit: www.willcolemanequestrian.com for more information. 

Welcome to Grey Horse, LLC

Welcome to Grey Horse, LLC. Ideas and their implementation in the horse business is our thing. We are an innovative communications and management company for equestrian businesses, athletes and competitions. Our primary focus is the sport horse industry and the people and horses that make it successful. Please be in touch - and thanks for your interest in our clients and what they do.
I've had some super grey horses over the years - and this company is named for them. The most recent one is pictured here, an ex-racehorse, Led Astray was sold on to a new career last spring.