The Oldenburg Verband gala was, well, gay. I entered the exhibition hall to a brass band enthusiastically playing "Surfin' USA." I'm always amazed that 99% of the popular music played here is American. I guess we are number one at something--rock n' roll!
They kicked it off with a presentation of the exceedingly lovely QC Flamboyant (Fidertanz / De Niro) and when it was all said and done, the five year old Bundeschampion was my favorite of the evening. Beautiful and confident, with three expressive gaits, he is a model sport horse. The second placed Sir Heinrich (Sir Donnerhall / Fuerst Heinrich) and third place Soiree de Saumur (San Amour /Latimer) also made appearances.
And of course it wouldn't be a gala without the specialty acts. The dog trainer with several tiny trick dogs was entertaining, but my personal favorite was the four jumper-men, who began their presentation in bare feet and black suits. They ended their exhibition wherein they jump actual horse jumps put higher and higher, in nothing but their speedos and neckties. Now that's showjumping, folks.
San Amour and his elite dam, Puppenfee, were part of a special presentation. If I understood German, I'd know what actually happened, but since I don't, I'm guessing that Puppenfee's breeder received an award. After driving literally thousands of miles last summer listening to my "learn German" dvd's, I must accept that I am linguistically challenged. However, I've discovered that merely knowing when to say danka, bitte and guten morgan/tag/abend. will get you far. German people are very friendly and even those rare few who don't speak English make every effort to figure out what in the heck I am talking about. I am becoming quite facile in pantomime.
As always, they found a way to include the pony clubbers in the show, and a large contingent of people dressed in pig and cow costumes swarmed into the arena, followed by two people in chicken suits with their egg. The drama unfolded when the egg was stolen by a cook with a large wire whisk. Mayhem and dancing ensued and of course that techno version of Cotton Eye Joe inspired the most craziness. A wagon pulled by the beloved "cold bluts" took the devastated chicken-parents from the arena, followed by the pigs and Holsteins.
The highlight of the evening, horse-wise, was a special presentation of Sir Donnerhall I and his "golden children" (translated by me from the program note "goldkinder," so maybe I have learned a wee bit of the language:-) and then an appearance by Biscaya  (Bordeaux / Quattro B), who will sell at the auction.
Bling alert: rhinestone brow bands have become standard worldwide, but this is the first time I've seen tinsel woven into braids and tails. If this trend hasn't hit the US yet, it will.
But it wouldn't be a gala without some smoke and fire. I can't imagine US fire marshals not shutting down a place packed with hundreds of people who all light incendiary devices at the same time. At the end of the show everyone stood up and lit the sparklers that had been placed on all the seats and waved them about as they sang a German "serenade to the best."