2004 Jackson Hole Horse Trials

Eurodressage's Wild Wild West Tour

August 26, 2004

While the gravitational point of equestrian excitement was revolving round dressage and is currently lingering on show jumping at the Markopoulou Equestrian Center, the epicenter of Eurodressage reporter Astrid Appels lies at the other side of the world right now. Called for duty by her American squadron of Dressagedaily/Horsesdaily.com, soldier Astrid Appels put on her khaki's on hopped on a Delta flight (not a B-52) to fly to Salt Lake City, U.S.A.

In 1998, Mary Phelps and JJ Hathaway offered me a "Wild West Appetizer" by bringing me over to cover the North American Young Riders Championships in Parker, Colorado. Prior to the show, we visited Pike's Peak and Manitu Springs tasting Indian and cowboy life at a touristy level. It was an eye opener for me to see a new kind of nature I had never experienced before in Europe. The vastness of space and the hugeness of the mountains were breath taking. "Wait until you see Jackson Hole," Mary and JJ said. "It's our favorite place in the world to go to."

It took Mary and JJ seven years to convince me to come to Jackson Hole for the annual Jackson Hole Horse Trials at Spring Creek Farm. I wanted to come earlier to this part of the United States, but I always had excuses to postpone the trip. I am a home-sweet-home addict and I often had other trips on my agenda during the same weekend (my parents' wedding anniversary, trips to the Alsace) of the Horse Trials.

Fortunately, this year, the time was ripe for me to make the venture west. All the stars were in the right position: Mary and JJ were flying in themselves (no long haul with the camper), my great friend Leah was coming along, no major European shows (except the Olympics, duh!), no special celebration parties scheduled. Another factor that wetted my appetite for this trip was the fact that we would make the scenic 5-hour drive from Salt Lake City to Jackson (route 89). Highlight of that drive was without a doubt seeing the absolutely stunning Bear Lake. Never before had I seen such a beautiful lake; it felt like "the Carribean in the Mountains." We stopped to eat a Raspberry shake, but they were so big, and creamy, that we were only able to eat a third of the shake.

Jackson Hole (in Wyoming) is unique. Home to Harrison Ford, the city is one of the last places in the U.S. which tries to recreate and preserve that wild west spirit. Hidden in a Teton valley, Jackson Hole is surrounded by vast fields of grass, small hills, bigger hills and huge mountains. The city center looks Western with its wooden pavement and numerous cowboy and Indian shops and is a jolly place to go shopping in. The weather hasn't been superb during the three days that I have been here; lots of clouds and fog, multiple showers, and very cold for the time of year. Sometimes, the Tetons show their face when the sky clears up and you can see huge amounts of snow lying on the top. "There's more snow on the mountains then we've even seen before in the summer," Mary and JJ said.

It has always been one of my ultimate fantasies to explore the true wild west. I imagined it to be: vast space, a sky that is so huge you almost feel suffocated by it, no houses anywhere and herds of wild animals: moose, elk, deer, buffalo, wolves. I wanted to see it all, preserved in its natural habitat. I envisage horse back rides like in The Horse Whisperer. During the first two days in Jackson, I was a bit disappointed not to have discovered that here.. There were so many houses, million dollar properties which weren't that big as I expected them to be.. and the wildlife seemed to be in hiding, because the only animals we saw were a dead coyote and a dead racoon on the side of the road. JJ and Mary noticed my eagerness to see nature at its best and were driving me and Leah around in search of beasts.

Finally, yesterday evening, we made contact with nature. JJ and Mary showed us the place where all the Marlboro advertisements were photographed. An old shack with the Tetons in the background. We also came across three antelopes bouncing through the sage fields.

After we had eaten pizza at Dornan's (at the foot of the Tetons) we took a back road through a park in the mountains and Mary was the first to spot elk at the top of the hill. They were grazing in herds and there were about 10 of them, who were keeping a close eye on the traffic at the foot of the hill.

There were also little streams filled with stones. They flowed downhill with such picturesque beauty and made the most peaceful sound; the sound you hear on holistic New Age CD's.

This morning (Thursday Aug 26) it got even better. Early in the morning, on our way to Spring Creek Farm, we took a detour and came past a herd of buffalo crossing the road to go to Snake River for a drink. When we arrived on the spot, they were just going downhill. A bull seemed to be sent out a scout to check if the passage was safe. He stopped in the middle of the road, looked to the car at his left and at the one at his right (us in a white trailblazer) and then grunted at the others to come down. Slowly and majestically these prehistoric animals walked down the hill one of the other and crossed the road..

There were also several mother buffalo's with nursing babies who hobbled downhill, following their mommies in their footsteps. Finally I got the "Dances with Wolves clutch" I coveted so eagerly!! Tatanka, about fifty of them. Wonderful!

Down that same road I also saw a cat moving. JJ stopped and we peered into the distance, clearly distinguishing cat ears and a cat back. Mary took out the 300mm lens and photographed the animal. When we later saw the photos on the computer, the "cat" turned out to be a wolf. That's what you get with city yokels who can't tell a cat from a wolf.

Tomorrow the show starts at Spring Creek Farm. Make sure to check out the coverage on Horsesdaily.com that will follow next week when the show is over.

Is this a wolf or a cat??

The first elk we spotted.

Drinking buffalo

Photos by Mary Phelps and JJ Hathaway