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From the Desk of Marty Schaffel: The New Normal at The World's Championship Horse Show

So it kept going through my mind, “How will the WCHS be this year with so many changes and variables?

Will it be fun? Will we be glad we went?”

Well, here is my report. So far, it is great!

Is it different? Absolutely. It is certainly more subdued without the Kentucky State Fair happening simultaneously.  But actually, it is running very nicely. We drive through the main gate, and we quickly get our temperature checked.  And then on to park. Parking is a breeze this year—no real need for a golf cart.

You hardly notice a few less horses. Yes, we have less, but it is not considerably an issue.  Still probably 1,500 horses here.

Seating took a day to sort out for everyone who casually went to their old seats rather than follow the new guidelines. But it was quickly resolved.

Yes, there are fewer people in the stands. But there are still more than enough to add some hooting

and hollering.

We all had our facemasks on. We have become pretty used to that now.  While we don’t care for them, we all know we need them for everyone’s health and safety.

Sure we did more elbowing than shaking hands. But we have become used to that as well.  It, too, is part of the new normal.

But some things have not changed. I got in the cart behind my road horse in the crow’s nest for the amateur road horse division.  We still had 8 or 9 entries. Same as last year.  We all nodded and wished each other well and encouraged each other to have fun and be safe.

And then Buddy called for the class. As usual, my mouth was or he’d, and my nerves were challenged.

Down the ramp we go, and there’s that familiar blast of cold air conditioning hitting me in the face. And the green shavings quickly come into view.  At that moment, the new normal and old normal left my consciousness. We were in the ring!

We heard the shouting and encouragement. Trainers barking orders. The music playing and the commands coming across the sound system.  It felt just like it did last year.  I forgot anything was different!

Thank you to everyone for working to make this happen again this year. From Scarlett to the folks at the KSF, to our great judges and ringmasters, to our fellow friends and fans. Thank you all for making this new normal a very fun normal.  We are here, and it is happening.   We did it!

Marty Schaffel, ASHA President