I would describe today as a Between Day; somewhere between good and bad, and for my persona, somewhere varying between “sociably acceptable and bear with sore head and irritated butt”.  There is a standing guideline within the British Military called the 1/3rd - 2/3rd Rule – of the time available, use 1/3rd for your own planning leaving 2/3rds for your subordinates.  I think it works in reverse when preparing for the first arrival of horses, grooms, staff and OMG..they are coming to Rio..the athletes.  One starts by thinking you have put to bed 2/3rds of the jobs, leaving 1/3rd, but each day there are 2/3rds of the jobs still remaining.  Today we had added help from the Galloping Quack – Dr. Mark Hutchinson is the USOC’s Doctor on Patrol (looking after many of the outlying venues and accommodation sites such as our Grooms) and he made the mistake of paying us a visit so we put him to work.

The bear with a sore head made an appearance but sangfroid was restored once I had found a job that took me off on my own and allowed those I work with to crack on, without me breathing fire and brimstone.  Apologies.

The grooms accommodations now has a fridge in each apartment plus a few additional “benefits”.  Ana is standing by to make sure the grooms have the daily essentials they need so I think we are set fair there.  The ladies whent’a shopping this afternoon so there is a ton of kit (such as bed covers for the hard mattresses, coat hangers and additional pillows) ready to be shipped to Deodoro and the Olympic Village for the grooms and athletes. 

Being serious for a moment – and not wanting to call in to doubt Dr. Mark’s skills and clinical abilities, I am sorry to report that there has been a fatality within Team Connell ( or Team Will’Ow as one of our drivers likes to call me).  My Games Chino Trousers (aka pants [khakis] in U.S., let’s destroy HM’s English, speak) took a direct hit from a sneaky little Sidewinder Pen Missile last night.  Leakage Alert.  This is not a problem, I thought to myself, and attacked the offending stain with Imperial Leather soap (for my U.S. friends, Imperial Leather is really quite the soap).  Regrettably CPR failed and the trousers, which would have been enjoying their third Olympics, will be laid to rest tomorrow with full State Honours.  For tonight, the aforementioned trousers will be Lying in State.

But setting up the stables is all fine and dandy but what are we here for?  Simple; create an environment that enables the athletes and horses to maximize their performance.  I just hope that we have done, and will continue to do, all we can -1% matters.  What creates the platform for equestrian athletes to preform to their best?  Is there a formulae, I think not; is everything we worry about and toil over an irrelevance and the reality is that medals are a product of a great rider on a great horse regardless of all the “programs” and logistics we strive to put in place: Yes, without a doubt…but every time we do something just a little bit better than everyone else, we create an opportunity for our athletes to excel.  Mindset is vital, skillset is essential.  So, I want to thank everyone that has allowed us to put in place a support package that I hope will deliver our athletes to the field of play in a position best placed to deliver personal best performances.  Thank you to the USET Foundation donors and staff, thank you to the USOC and especially, thank you to the USEF members and staff:  I know we ask much, but Team USA is a market leader and that is only achievable because of the support we have.

Meanwhile back East, Joanie Morris, Hallye Griffin, and Lizzy Chesson are sweating over packing lists for our darlings at MAPA and BRA Customs.  I keep telling them that there is really quite a difference between a five and six prong fork when it comes to ensuring the biosecurity of the venue and fiscal security of the Brazilian economy.  Really - is it so unreasonable to have asked grooms/athletes to have submitted detailed packing lists eight weeks before flying!  So much bureaucracy, so much CRAP. 

I set off to my Pit of Slumber with a niggling concern that there is still much to do before our first lambs arrive….and so, to bring this little ditty to an end, we have prepared a compilation depicting the mindset that has driven us over the last few days - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysRRyamncss

The "Advanced Team" (L-R Leah, Christy, Fearless Leader, Ana):


Without further ado... The Grand Reveal.... The Team USA barn block:




Stocked Coca-Cola fridge in the tack room:


Christy and Ana on the trek to the Grooms Village:


Sadly our dolly did not fit in the elevator... 


..... But our Team USA sponsors are supplying plenty of drinks and snacks for the grooms!