2004 P.S.I. Auction

P.S.I. Auction, Equestrian Party Highlight of the Year

December 13, 2004

Even though I'm still young, I have the feeling that have gone the whole nine yards when it comes to partying. I've done the local peasant parties, the pony club parties, the big teenage tent parties, the disco parties and the student college parties. I went to the university ball and the Military Academy Ball (I love those uniforms). Finally, last year, I was invited for the first time to attend the P.S.I. Auction ball, notorious for being the biggest gala ball/party in the equestrian world. It was great. I had good fun, but my overall impression was not earth shaking. There was one major issue missing then to really enjoy myself: I had no date ;)

This year, everything was going to change. I kidnapped my equestrian show companion Thomas Bach Jensen and forced him to drive me to Ankum for a top P.S.I. weekend. Having driven together to Germany for so many shows already (shows, championships, stallion shows, Rastede, Oldenburg licensings and auctions), we know the route to the horse epicenter of Germany by heart: E40, A3, A2, A43, A1. Just follow these numbers going north and you'll end up on the Munster-Osnabruck-Vechta axis in no time.

When Thomas and I hook up for a horsey weekend, it means that we are going to enjoy life to the fullest. We stop on our way at gas stations to buy crappy food: crisps, chocolate Prince Rolle, candy bars, fruit juices, coke. Thomas drives, and I talk.. We always have so much to say to one another that we can barely wait our turn to speak.

On our way to Ankum, we made a small layover in Wachtendonk-Kerken, where we stopped at the equine clinic to visit my horse. My lovely mare has been there for a week to get a chip removed from her hock and I needed to cuddle and comfort her before I could go to Ankum. We had a pleasant conversation with Dr. Hülsey (who operated on my horse). My horse is my tap root for life. Without her I would have no inspiration to write and maintain this website.

After some major horse TLC, we were back on the road to Ankum. December is the coziest month with temperatures dropping to annoyingly cold levels, but with a celebration atmosphere rising each day, culminating in New Year's Eve. Heading towards Osnabruck we detected the first snow of the winter laying on the tree branches. Ho Ho Ho

Text and Photos copyrighted Astrid Appels/Eurodressage - No Reproduction allowed

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