As it was for the rest of the week the day was perfect – cool in the morning and warming up to about 25 degrees.
The Cones started at 9.00am with the Single ponies so Janelle was on about 10.00. She drove a great round having only one cone down and just over time. The results show that Janelle was 21st in the cones and there were only two double clears (I think). So you can see that the cones is a very tight competition.
Starting the cones course
Going for it after Cones 18ABCD
Janelle finished the event in 18th place. Very well done Janelle.
Cone 19 caused the most grief for drivers. It was on a hard right turn and the sand was quite deep. Many carriages slid out here and took out the outside cone. (This was not the cone Janelle had down!)
After the Single ponies there was a short break – just time for some of us to slip down to the shops and make a few purchases!!
The Pony Pairs were next and there were no double clears. Once again we cheered on the British team members who needed a bit of a cheer up after a fairly “bad” day at the office the day before.
Anna Grayston drove a lovely round
After the pairs the Pony Teams came on.
Sara Howe's pony team did a good cones round
The competition really heated up with the last three teams. There were only 3 double clears and these were from the last three drivers. They certainly knew how to apply the pressure to each other. Bram Chardon (Ijsbrand’s 18 year old son driving in his first World Championship) came out and withstood the pressure to drive a beautiful double clear.
Bram Chardon winning individual gold and team silver
Shortly after the Cones finished there was the medal Awards Ceremony and the Closing Ceremony. First of all some marching girls and a band came onto the arena (and when was the last time you saw Marching Girls?). They did a complete circuit of the arena while the medal podium was arranged.
Marching Girls and Band
Single Pony medalists
After all the medals had been awarded it was time for the usual lap of honour by all the medal winners. Then the Gold medalists did a lap of their own. Bram Chardon showed that he is not just a pretty face with a well known name as he galloped his ponies across the arena.
After the medalists left the arena there was another display by the Lipizzaner horses.
Display by Lipizzaner stallions
We all headed down to MO 1 where Janelle had Captain Jack Sparrow out for a pick of green grass.
Aussie Crew at Lipica
We tried hard to get Johnny to “smile” for the camera but he was having none of it.
Captain Jack Sparrow and Janelle
As a final farewell we all went out for dinner together. We have all had a fantastic week. Janelle has done us proud and we are sad to be saying goodbye. Janelle, Johnny and Jillian head back to Holland at 3.00am tomorrow morning. Glenda and Phil are leaving tomorrow to drive back to Munich to catch a flight home to Adelaide. Debra is flying to Dubai in the next few days and then on home after a short visit with a friend there. Dot and Lorraine are heading to Vienna and then flying home in the next few days. Rhiannon and Kim are flying out of Lubijana tomorrow on a flight to London. Paul and I are flying down to Rome for a few days then flying home arriving Saturday (hopefully to hear of a Geelong premiership win!)
Thank you for all your comments of support to Janelle. I passed them on each day and I know they were most appreciated.
The time has come to end this blog. Here endeth the blog!!
Lorraine, Thanks for keeping us up to date with all the exciting news from out great Aussie girls! Well done all! What a great few months you all must have had, and I really appreciate the effort you have made to make me feel part of it!
Congratulations to Janelle – what a mammoth effort ! Cheers also for her great support crew, plus the Aussies who were able to be there. We know how much that means to drivers so far from home. Competing singly with no other team members can be a lonley experience.
Lorraine, what will we do without the ‘blog’ to check before we do anything else on our computers!! Well done girl, a great effort and most appreciated by all here in Aus. as well as many from all round the world. Now it is home and into your own horses before heading off again next year!!!! Cheers W.
A HUGE thankyou Lorraine for keeping us up to date with all the news for the past 5 months. It was wonderful reading about the ups & downs of our Aussies, I will miss it! Thankyou also to Elizabeth, Ned & Janelle for letting us share your adventures, I feel like I have been a part of it all.
For you Janelle,
Congratulations on a superb effort.
The Marshall family must be so elated.
you have done us all proud.
Best Wishes Diana
Whoo hoo!! Well done Janelle & team. Lots of proud Aussies have been watching the Champs.
A massive thanks to Lorraine
Have a safe trip home all
Well done Janelle and her team of helpers. Thank you so much Lorraine for the blog, have looked forward to updates and really love hearing all your exciting times.
Thank you so much Lorraine for your amazing effort with the blog and everything else you have done for driving over the last few months. You kept us informed of Elizabeth’s wonderful experiences and I for one (or another) enjoyed checking the blog first thing in the morning.
It was great being part of Janelle’s team and particularly good that the organisers at the worlds asked for as many Aussie supporters as possible to take part in the opening ceremony.
A very big thank you to all.
As a final farewell we all went out for dinner together.