Up early, not helped by the fact that some jolly soul from the UK rang at 5.00am for a quote for an article, Rup as main phone man was not impressed!, we met up with Debbi Banfield all suited and booted, hats to the fore, arriving at Walnut Hill by 7.00am, we collected our judges boards and headed off for breakfast. Bacon and egg rolls which were really good, home grown and tasty, then it was off to the judges pavilion to get sorted for the day, Debbie and I then met up with Martha Hanks Nichol our other co judge, lucky for me both of them had judged here before so could give me a idea of how each class runs….its very different to the UK and Europe, mind boggling until you have seen it, although the show runs VERY strictly to time there is a lovely relaxed feeling, mainly because everyone is so nice, non confrontational and quietly deals with problems, we  started progressive obstacles classes, basically this is a course of 8 cones that reduce in width after each set, the winner is the one who is clear and fastest, but you are blown out if you walk or canter or when you dislodge a ball off a cone, we lost quite a few to break of pace, but they then settled down, you have to remember this class is driven in show traditional vehicles, as well as 2 wheel meadow brook carts, no marathon vehicles here, they are all wooden wheeled or blow up for the miniature horses, of which there are quite a few, in all combinations and driven by all ages. Debbie kicked off judging and we back her up and watch, she is really clued up on all the rules and very quick and sure with her decisions, I step up to take on the reinsmanship classes, each turnout drives a short test to include a working trot, slow trot, fast trot and walk, you mark each  movement out of ten and then add an overall impression the top 8 are called in for the second part -  all 8 trot around at working trot, the announcer calls the pace to strong trot ( fast/extended) then he calls them all in and you walk down each turnout quickly assessing them. In addition you also ask for a reinback, before walking away to add your scores as you give the result to the ring guard whilst leaving the ring. They call the top 6 in reverse order and they walk out get pinned (receive their rosette) and leave.

We only had one incident when a over fresh horse decided to ‘leave,’ their way of saying he took off! Potentially it was very nasty, as the vehicle tipped over throwing out the driver who got his foot caught in the reins and was being dragged, luckily the horse stopped long enough for the guy to release his foot and then the horse did leave, eventually being caught by a strapping guy, all are ok and the horse was back in his marathon vehicle within 5 mins and driver sore but fine.

Under Debbie and Martha’s tutorage  and watching a couple of classes I got quite into it but you can’t hang about, it totally different to the UK as you can’t pull them in as they go round, so you need to be really on the ball!!

We moved onto pleasure turnout which Martha judged, it’s for the Meadowbrook carts etc, their exercise vehicles, and it’s mainly a turnout class, with performance only 30% of the mark.

Lunch was 30 mins, an array of salads etc in the cool barn, which was a relief as it was starting to get hot, and we also topped up on water and lemonade which was lovely but also essential, even though our pavilion had a fridge full of water. You top up whenever.

The afternoon had more reinsmanship and turnout classes and we all took our turn in judging, only one class runs at a time, so we are always occupied as we all support each other. We all judge the cross country as well, which is about 1 km long with up to 15 gates to negotiate, remember it’s all in top show type vehicles, including teams pulling roof seat breaks, gigs etc, the gates included water crossings and undulating ground, one class was ideal time like they have in the cones indoor, the other is fastest time, BUT its only trot, canter and you are blown out!

By 5pm it was quite hot, and with the classes finished, we drove back to the hotel and sat under a shower to cool down and then back to the farm for a chicken BBQ supper, which was a lovely relaxed evening but as soon as we had eaten we headed back to the Hotel.

I got brave and actually crossed a main road to pull into a gas station to buy some essentials, only to meet Martha and Debbie in buying Hooch!!, we then had to find our way out and back onto the highway, with Rup navigating and me driving we got back and settled down for the night, though have just been rung up to say be ready to leave by 6.30am, Ed wanted Rup out working at quarter to six but I was a very kind mum and said I needed my navigator to get me to the show but we would be there by 7.00am, as judging starts at 7.30am.

So it’s off for a few ZZZZZ’s……………. more tommorrow

Time clock still a bit wonky, I woke again at 4.30, but Rup slept on until 6.00am we got up and made ready to get down for a 6.45 breakfast, it was very busy, everyone starts early here, so with a repeat performance of yesterday’s breakfast, we were ready to leave by 7.30, the rain had stopped the heat was rising and off we went, we went the ‘non’ short-cut way which was great but the intersections are scary, thank god the traffic was quite and we got to the farm in 20mins, Rup was sent off to help Kate unload her trailer, this turned out to be Kate Wharley who has her Hats stand, I pitched in as I needed to do something, and it was great we caught so much info about the show and who was what, (and what past judges had done!!!!) etc and I later spent a good hour trying on hats and was kindly offered the pick of any hat I wanted to borrow for the show! I was in heaven!!

Once that was done Rup and I had a quiet hour before he went off to join the other young lads who are the work party and I saw him from time to time digging trenches, riding in the golf buggies and generally having a good time complete with ‘Walnut Hill’ Polo-shirt and lanyard pass!¬

I in the meantime chatted to a wonderful lady Candy Falk , who was wickedly funny as well as very well informed on the local shopping, she in fact is in charge of the shopping Boutique area of the show, so in between us both trying on hats she introduced me to all the stall holders, I spent some time in sheer awe looking at the beautiful work of Freedmans, well know harness makers who are so passionate about their work and justifiably so, the business has come down from grandfather to father to son and the intensity of their skills is awesome.

Having been given my judging folder I spent a couple of hours in the car with all doors open, sorting out and cross referencing what was what. I am doing most of the reinsmanship classes, trade and too my delight the park bonnet vehicles for the Friday evening class, but more of that later

We had a judges meeting with my fellow judges Martha Hanks Nicholl and Debbie Banfield, Ed, Tricia, Dr Phillip Fero and Kali in the evening. We discussed our respective tasks, some of the concerns from the organizers and time issues, it’s so well done but we are put in no doubt this is a huge thing and we are expected to get it right. Once that was over we went over to the stable area where we had an informal supper of salad, burgers, and lovely corn on the cob. We then give Debbie a lift back to the hotel, to fall under a shower and fall into bed.

It’s a 6.30 starts tomorrow and day one of judging!!!! Now I really have to be on the ball………….. 

Woke up at 4.30am!!!!! felt knackered but wide awake so played with the remote control for the huge flat screen TV flicking through channel shopping, some amazing deals and stuff, but luckily fell back asleep until about 8.00am,  Rup sort of woke up, couldn’t really not as I was like a child up and about playing with all the gadgets. Had another hot shower…..bliss!.. And we then decided to go and sample breakfast……

Rup started with pastries, fruit, and yoghurt and then moved onto an American fry up, eggs, bacon, sausage, fried potatoes, French toast!!! I was much healthier, coffee with sweeteners, fresh fruit and then fell for scrambled egg bacon and sausage; it was all very tasty and really set us up for the day.

We then explored the hotel amenities, spa, pool etc, rang Ed Young who would be with us in 20 mins to take us out to the show ground, we stepped out into the fresh air and whow!…… you suddenly realise how good air conditioning is, it was hot, but not too humid, off we set, Ed took us a short cut, so within a very short while I was totally lost, anyway I was far too busy looking at the houses and scenery, which in this area is green, undulating wooded areas with wood clad houses of all designs but each has a very large plot,

Suddenly we where there and what a surprise the actual show ground area is very small, but so well laid out it’s amazing how they have managed to get so much into such a small neat area.

This Year’s show has a bit of a special feel about it, its founder Bill Remley died suddenly in May, which potentially was the end of the show, you need to be here to understand how the show, was the man. I have seen pictures of him and he is a very charismatic Barnum type man, and he ran the show in his head. His fantastic band of helpers are mainly retired teachers and their families, Bill was formerly a teacher, but the amazing thing is these guys and their children have been with the show since it conception 39 years ago, and what’s more they don’t go to any other show, and they have no idea as to how good they all are at their jobs and how nice they all are.

I was stunned to see that the main link pin is a young girl called Kali who was Bills right hand woman, she was the person whom, when it was decided to continue ,that Ed Young as show director, turned to, as well as Tricia, Bills daughter, who is now the President of the Board of Directors .

We were introduced to countless happy smiling faces, instantly offered Pizza and made so welcome, the place seemed to be all set and ready, everyone had their own bit that they were in charge of, but still they were talking about what they had to do………. Excellence is the key word here, and no one was going to let Bill Remley down, after lunch everyone dispersed on their personal golf buggies and we were taken off by Ms Billie Hill, to  inspect the cross country, she was great, shooting here there and everywhere in her buggy, I prepared to get my feet wet through the shallow water splash,( one of 3!) but instead she veered off and shot over very narrow side-less bridge………thank god for dark glasses as they hide the terror in my eyes!

Ed then announces we are back to the airport; they are hiring a car for us so we can hop back and forth to the hotel, so with Rup as the navigator and reminding me to keep in the correct lane I followed Ed back to the farm.

We spent the rest of the afternoon watching people exercise, their ponies, some of these guys have travelled thousands of miles to get here and had arrived in incredible trailers, long low jobs but well laid out and hitched onto huge jeeps, we quietly walked around the stable area and saw some lovely carriages, quite a few Meadowbrook carts, (I rather like them!) and a variety of caravans, and Winnebago’s, all of course huge. Stables are provided in blocks and there is enough room to be able to park your Rig outside your block.

Towards the end of the afternoon, it started to rain, and then really rain, but it was still hot!, so we decided to return to the hotel, time zones where catching up with us, we had an early dinner, Rup was in his element as it was steak night, he had Caesar salad, and steak and I had an avocado/asparagus salad and steak, it was lovely, really lovely, but not huge portions, so we both had a wicked choc mouse, which was delicious. The time zone had totally caught up with us so we collapsed into bed, knowing that we had an early start as we had a message from Ed saying that if Rup wanted to help out then be at the farm for 8.00am! Within no time we both fell asleep, a great end to the first day.

Getting up at 4.00am after a couple of days of frantic organization of horses, people  and dog, so that Rupert and I could make what was for a me a trip to America that began 25 years ago!

After the Team was retired I had to make a choice, I had great hopes of conquering America in the driving world, but instead I got married and put the US on hold, now finally the brakes are off and I have been invited to judge at the Walnut Hill Driving Show in NY state of Pittsford.

This show is five days of all kinds of classes and had been the dream of Bill Remley and for the last 38 years it has grown in stature to being the largest driving show in the US and the one that everyone would like to compete at, as well as from our point of view to drive or judge at.

We arrived at Heathrow two and half hours before our departure, clutching our carefully weighed bags ( with enough room for the extras that one might bring back) as well as a holly driving whip left behind by a friend to have renovated by Kevin Stillwell, no problem except we get the new guy on security  who is doing his job by the book, all pages of it, oh boy my blood pressure is rising but I am very nice I take a deep breath between each question and repeat myself several times when he loses  his way and forgets what he has asked me!!!! A supervisor comes to the rescue, possible because the atmosphere is becoming icy as well as the queue growing. And suddenly we are through the booking it and waltzing through security and nothing goes bing!,

All aboard the plane, we eye up first class and decide it’s a bit naff for us, like the look for premium and mentally book that for next time and find our seats in cattle class, all very  nice does the job, and off we go, food arrives at the appropriate time, non-stop drinks of the non alcoholic type, are welcome and several good films, I stick my head in a book for the first 2 hours and then open up my downloaded copy of the ADS rulebook and a copy of Fairman Rogers.

Now it’s well known that rulebooks and stuff bore the pants off me but not the ADS rules, which I found, interesting, enlightening and wondering why the BDS and BHDTA have not done the same thing? After two hours of cross referencing the rulebook with the schedule I was a lot less worried than I had been and felt I had a good handle on the job.

Disembarking at Washington to connect to Rochester we got our bags but no whip! Yes Jasper you where right they managed to loose it between the plane landing and being moved all of 200 yards to the carousel, so the paperwork filling started, I groaned but hey this is the US the staff were lovely, very little paperwork and they did at least find that it was somewhere in the airport, we then had a little visit to the customs but they wanted to go to lunch so no problem there and off to find the connection, and our lunch

We had a long wait at Washington but it was relaxed and gave us chance to sample caeser salad like I have never tasted before, it was wonderful people watching, a huge multi cultural hub, though very quiet mid day on Sunday, which came to a busy but relaxed head by teatime , obviously  people use Washington a bit like a bus station at the end of the weekend, we were tempted by the “if you wait for the next plane to Rochester we will give you $400 per seat to give it up” offer, but having already been travelling 19 hours we decided against it, though it would have paid for Rupert’s ticket alone! Still we are green horns at this so we clambered aboard a twin propelled plane for the 45 min trip To Rochester, a big but very quiet airport, very quiet as we were to be met by a representative of Walnut Hill but no one around, the few people I approached shook their heads, oh dear now what……… my tri-band phone was out of juice, so we swapped Sim cards and tried to get the show ground……….. No connection, we had no change! And even when we eventually got some, blonde one here could not work the phone, I suddenly thought there is a chance I have a contact on my phone but is it sim card or phone stored?.....lucky for us it sim and they answer, they call the show and within 5 minutes Ed Young is on to us, poor man he is overall organizer of the show as Bill Remley had sadly passed away back in May, and time had just run on and he had forgotten to pick us up, but soon he whisked in and off we went, what a fab chap he is, I felt that quick buzz when you know this is going to be a good week,

We were dropped off at the Woodcliffe Hotel, which is lovely and I had a Hot shower, those of you who know my house in the UK will know what a luxury Hot water is! and we both fell into the most fabulously comfortable queen sized beds and slept..zzzzzzzzzz