A slight woman approaches a great podium standing in the midst of the infield of a racing track. Bright banners ring the golden dias, colors gleaming in the early spring. With a huge goofy grin, she surveys the jostling, whispering crowd for a few moments before letting out a shrill
"YEEEEHAAAAWWW!!!It's finally here!!!! The start of the first Official Virtual Horse Ranch Olympics!"
Another crooked smile beams out over the crowd. "This all started months ago with an idea and with help from ALL the Ops, several players and Nefertete, it's all finally come together.
Did you know there are over 1200 horses entered into these first Olympics? Twelve Hundred!! That's double what I was expecting and exceeds my wildest fancy by more than a third.."
A quick straighening of her back and a puffing out of her chest displays her pride and she continues, "It makes me glad we decided to do this and that is was worth all the effort, thought and work put into it, not just by the ones who've helped set them up, but by the entering players. By all of you!!"
Seated behind the lady at the podium, several chairs covered in the Olympic colors support an array of persons. The speaker turns slightly sideways at the microphone, extending first one hand and turning the other way, her other hand in a sweep over the exalted habitants of the colorful seats behind her. "A special thanks to our judges and stewards who will be making sure events are run in a timely manner with the horses that are supposed to be there. These ladies and gentlemen will soon wear out their shoes running around after everyone.
Overseeing the Draft beasts, Desert and her steward, Lady of Spades.
Jellybeanjoe with the help of Quinnly as her steward, will be in charge of the Feral breeds. Jellybeanjoe will also keep an eye on our smaller friends, the ponies with the aid of kwiedman.
Trixter will keep The 2nd Cavalry stepping prettily as they manage the Gaited crowd.
Show Horses will be graced with the elegant Moose with PaperWings and two stewards, Neurotic and Twit.
Kholran and Oriyana, teamed with Bodom247 and Neurotic, will run their pants off with the Sport horses.
Dragon and VooDoo, with kwiedman and miss sarabi, will ride herd on Stock Horses.
Warmbloods will have to manage with myself, Shekeira and Prancer."
With a slight bow to the chairs, she returns her attention to the crowd, a wry smile plays on her face and she glances around suspiciously..
"There are a couple Ops not willing or able to make their marks publicly for the Olympics, but you and I know they'll be lurking in the locker rooms, flitting around tack rooms and hovering over other places to see if they spy any fowl play or nefarious activities, Hawk, Anamaere.
"A special thanks to Nef," the speaker salutes the VHR flag, waving lustily above the crowd, "for allowing us a special account from which we can run so many events, the special addition of awards for eventers, owners and horses once the Olympics are over and we know who gets what."
"And finally, the biggest thanks goes to all the players who are taking part, both as active entries and as interested bystanders." Looking out over the crowd, Alabama attempts to make eye contact with as many people as possible, "Without YOUR interest, the work we have done and will do over the next 3 months would have been for nothing.. THANK YOU!!"
"And now, with the utmost respect and overwhelming grovelling, let me welcome Queen Nefertete and beg her to grace us with her beneficence and laudable eloquence." The speaker bows and backs solemnly away from the podium, preceeding the entrance of a wonderous and seldom seen sight, the great Nefertete....