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My Cross Country Day
By Jenny Warner

A little background to set my story up, and then I’ll let you enjoy. On cross country day at Otter Creek my parents have named me she-who-must-be-obeyed because I’ve taken on the role of Cross Country Control and Volunteer Coordinator. So my job that day is to make sure that all of the volunteers are in the right spot at the right times, and that they have all of the information they need to help us run the show. I’m also making sure that the riders are following the rules out on Cross Country by directing the jump judges to stop riders who have been eliminated, sending out our Technical Delegate to jump judges to make sure that they’ve written down what happened for those weird refusals that you riders seem to come up with. I also work to relay info to the warm-up or the barns if something happens on course to let the riders know when they can expect to ride.

If someone gets hurt I send the ambulance out, if a horse gets hurt I send the vet out, if a rider is going really slow on course I hold the start box so that people aren’t passing each other, if a scoring question comes up I’m the double check on what happened for each rider on course. If someone appears to be riding dangerously I alert the show officials to watch closer. XC Day for me goes by so fast that I hardly know it, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Below you’ll find my story from this years cross country day. Thanks to all of you who came out and shared my day with me as either a rider or a volunteer.

It’s 2am the morning of cross country and I’m lying in bed wide awake. A list a mile long is running through my head of things I need to do. Sleep is out of the question. Oh… but a need some more sleep.

2:30 and I’ve laid in bed for another 30 minutes now and I’m more wide awake than I was a few minutes ago, despite laying in bed with my eyes closed willing myself to sleep. Counting doesn’t work, because I keep starting to think about the XC course I’m riding and counting my strides….

2:45 I open my eyes and the moon is so bright, that I can’t help but see my laptop and my notes for the next day, at this rate I’m not going to be able to wake up at 5 to finish prepping for everyone. Well if I’m not going to sleep I might as well work on it now.

4:45 Finally finished, but the suns coming up. Please let me sleep.

5:45 Well still awake, guess I might as well get in the shower.

6:30 Only an hour and ½ until all my people are here… hope the jump judges show up. Hope no one gets hurt, where are the pens, the jump judge books, the clipboards, t-shirts. Radios… do those have batteries, where’s my watch? Whose scratched this morning, are they on the order of go? Shoot my computer isn’t working on the printer. Forgot to tell people to bring watches.

7:55 3 lonely people sitting in the pavilion for the jump judge meeting. My head starts racing who do I know that can fill in? Who do I think won’t show up? Did I book enough extra people?

8:02 Pavilion is overflowing with people. Ok I might have gone a bit overboard with jump judges. Hope nobody gets mad if they don’t get to jump judge. Oh well- shows on the road. Did I mention- I haven’t had a cup of coffee yet.

8:45 Radio Check all the jump judges are in place- whew! Ready to go start box. 9:00 first horse is out of that start box, and I can’t help but smile.

At this point the day clicks on 2 or 3 horses on course all day except for when were switching courses, and then I’ve got 30 people asking me questions. No problem we’re cool and collected. 

Prelim’s ending… here comes the rain- Great! (being sarcastic here). Poor jump judges ok let’s go get cars. Warm-up we’re going to be late… let the riders know. 20 minutes later everyone’s back out with their cars, but it’s no longer raining. It’s now sunny and nice… of course. Oh well.

Time for BN- did I mention I’m supposed to be riding today. Time to get someone to come and replace me, call on the radio -No answer- wait a couple minutes and try again, and again, and again, and again. Ok I have to get my clothes together for XC…. Mom, Dad, William (my Brother) anyone remember that I’m riding? Little help here… I haven’t looked at my horse since chores last night- hope he’s clean. Shoot I was going to mess with my XC watch. I think my pants are up at the house. Finally Dad goes and gets my stuff. Our show staff offers to act as a human shield well I change on the hay wagon at the top of the field where everyone can see me… umm not that desperate yet, but thanks for the kind offer guys. MOM where are you? (Turns out later she was working on course maps for stadium.) Are you coming? Sure be there in a minute, 15 minutes later no sign of her. Well… I have to go. Meet her on the driveway. Who’s doing control? “No one,” I answer. The golf cart speeds up the driveway to the XC control station.

Hi Horse, your not sleeping are you? Come on lets go quick. Give me your foot, shoot the studs aren’t threading. Ok forget the studs. Where did I put my packet, medical armband? Alright I’m ready out I go.

Warm-up and the sky is getting darker… oh no I’m not going back to the barn. I’m doing my XC. “Jenny to control lets start at 1 minute intervals…please.” (I’m the last horse of the day to go XC and I don’t want to go back to the barn.)

Run around XC in the rain, that was a blast. The jump judges are cheering out the windows for me. Through the finish flags- Can I go again?

5:30 horse is cleaned and put away, another great day done.

10:00pm Sleep! I didn’t wake up once.