And I think the listeners would love to hear that story as well.

Yes.

So it was, it would have been two years ago.

So really before I had sort of started to dip my toe into jumping and actually following as much as I do now and sort of actually understanding it all.

And it was the weekend of Defender Kentucky.

So the five-star eventing and they had brought jumping in.

And so it was the Saturday night, which is always like a big deal and the stadium is packed.

I'm going yes.

Um, but everything- Number 22 ... just adds to the whole experience The Horse of It is unlike any other event.

There were so many people here yesterday.

I came over just for a bit to get the lay of the land, and I mean, it was...

You know, dressage is going on, um, like proper dressage, and I was still just floored by how many people were here.

I mean, I was at Bertoni, it was my last Worlds, and it was a very different feeling to this.

Um, I mean, this is mega.

Everything is perfection.

Do you think it's gonna add to the atmosphere in a way because there's almost a little bit less about it?

So I think he's ready to tee off for another Rolex Grand Prix win.

I mean, so the last time we were together at a show watching was week 12 in Wellington, and they took home the win there in the O- US Open Final.

A- and as you say, he's following the same plan, and he has a specific goal for her for this year.

Obviously, Aachen is not on the table, but he knows how to produce rounds for this mare.

He knows how to get her on form on the day.

So I, I think there's a reason she's the favorite in the prediction center because she's impossible to look past, especially in a field like today.

You know, we, because Aachen is so close, you know, we've got incredible horse and rider combinations here, but there are some that are clearly missing because they are headed to the worlds in a few weeks' time.

But what, what an absolutely incredible achievement for them, and their entire family is here to watch it happen.

You know, that's, and I think that's got to be part of the conversation, and then maybe we avoid it.

Well, and I think in a lot of ways, I think in a lot of ways, like it's a, it's a conversation that is more relevant to the other nations.

Like the G- like the Brits, like, yeah, we're, we're sort of, we're not splitting hairs, but it's a different conversation when you look like, "Oh, well, they could easily leave a two-time five-star winner off." And as Nicole was saying, so many nations would be dying to have D-Day on their team sheet, right? And so I think as you think about the other nations, it is down to the individual, and then it's like what horses.

I mean, even just looking at the German team, I know we've been talking a lot about the Brits [chuckles], but looking at the German team, you know, you have Nickel.

I mean, so you have Julia and you have Michael are sort of the really solid people who have been on many teams, and we sort of, you expect them to be there.

But, you know, then you've got, you know, Malin Hansen-Højsleth, uh, Lubissa, Rebecca Christoph Waller's on the list now.

But like the, you know, they put out a list of 10 for their long list, and some of the names I have to be like, "How do I know them again?" It's not the sort of, it, it's not an immediate answer as to why they're on that list.

Be like waiting for Derm to get to a point.

Was your mom still competing when you came along?

Yeah, she was.

So I'll sort of rewind quickly just because I think it'll make more sense.

So my mom's family had a, they lived in Canada and they had a ranch in Calgary called Graham Ranches.

And my grandmother was very much sort of into riding and eventing and doing.

And my grandparents actually were sort of credited with bringing eventing to Western Canada because they would hold events at their ranch and sort of do all of the stuff and supported the team for a long time.

They shipped her off to boarding school in Virginia to an all-girls boarding school because they were very British that way.

and what about your sort of introduction to the podcasting life because i mean let's be honest it's been a bit of a whirlwind the last 12 18 months or so um i would imagine i mean you might have done a podcast but i mean you've done a hell of a lot more podcasts in the last over 18 months host of the uscf uscf equestrian open podcast so you do the dressage you do the jumping you do the eventing for anybody who isn't familiar with the uscf open with the equestrian open just give us an insight into what it is and actually what what sort of stories are portrayed across the show