The gentle art of dressage

An early start, a 7.15 rendezvous with Shirley at the London Eye pier, and a great Thames Clipper speedy trip down the Thames to Greenwich, passing under the Olympic ring bedecked Tower Bridge. 

London spectacular for the Games, and nowhere more so than Greenwich Park. The arena spectacular, with astounding views over the Queen's House and East London. The sky typically British, scurrying clouds, bright blue skies behind, and some hot sunshine. Rain threatened as we left, but we enjoyed a beautiful day. We had great seats, centrally placed at the end where two of the three judges were lodged.

The horses were stunningly beautiful, the sport initially unintelligible. 37 horses and riders doing their best to follow the same test, and dance the same intricate steps. Eventually I became better at working out the good from the bad. The crowd well mannered, learning not to applaud when the horses came in, only when they left. Two Germans and our very own Mary King were leading the field on magnificently schooled animals at the end of day 1, the remainder of the field to compete tomorrow. 

Shirley's picnic saved the day, as the food providers hadn't quite got it right, and the queues for food at lunchtime were 45 minutes long.

And then on to Hyde Park for the second treat of the day, a relaxing evening at TeamGB Clubhouse, VIP area for friends and families of the athletes, with Zan and Antonio (another special invitation from CBM). We had a drink or two, a splendid burger, and after meeting the Olympic mascot and watching some sport on a few of the many TV screens in the tented area were allowed into the Golden Circle for what would have been a Tom Jones concert but turned out (because he was ill) to be a Will Young concert instead. It was good.

An Olympic Lunch, London 2012

An invitation to lunch in the House of Lords, on the eve of the Opening Ceremony of London 2012, to celebrate the XXX Olympiad with friends of Lord Moynihan, all of whom, he said, had helped in some way to develop sport and make the event happen.

A guided tour of the houses of Parliament, then lunch in the Barry Room. Five tables, each decorated with a circle of flowers in the colours of the Olympic rings. Janez Kocijancic, Slovenian IOC Member and member of the FIS Council on my left, and on my right, Hugh Robertson, Minister of Sport. David Hemery on our table, also Sarah Lewis, sec general of FIS, and the IOC members for SUI and ROM, along with their wives. We dined on Scottish smoked salmon, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, followed by strawberries.

Talk was about the Opening Ceremony the following day...
The Minister acknowledged that he would be the man held responsible if the GBR athletes don't succeed at London 2012. Then a long chat with him about skiing, about the new BSS Constitution and about the Scots. Some fascinating insights into his ways of dealing with these things at EU committees! He listened, and I talked so much that I realised he'd eaten his entire main course and I'd taken barely a mouthful. I had to apologise for talking too much!

Colin's speech included an extraordinary mention of me, by name, in connection with BSS, very honoured indeed to be singled out. He also insisted on introducing me to all and sundry as 'Jenny Shute, recently honoured by Her Majesty the Queen'.

Sat afterwards with Sarah, David Hemery, Colin, and the Heads of British Rowing (Di) and British Canoeing (Albert Woods) and guesstimated the medals we will win!

I didn't want the day to end, so had coffee outside the House of Lords, watching the Thames go by, and then took a river cruise to Tower Bridge. London looking wonderful for the Olympics, Tower Bridge hung splendidly with the Olympic rings. I returned just in time to walk part way up Whitehall, queue for a very welcome beer, and watch the Olympic Torch pass by for the second time - last seen in Oxford 10 days earlier. This time I was closer, front row, and there was a changeover right in front of me. Wow. I can't explain the emotion, but it was huge.

London 2012 - bring it on!!!