WEG Final-David
I have thought a lot about doing this final entry of World Equestrian Games. So many thoughts and emotions surround the last 4 years of the planning and implementation of this event. I was asked to do this back in Torino by Jim Carr of Carr-Hughes. Jim and I hadn't seen each other in years and it was by fate that we did run in to each other and he did ask if I was interested. From there led a lot of meetings, a lot of phone calls, a lot of emails that spanned over the 4 years. And having lived in Lexington for the last two months, certainly has made me a part of this history.In a word, I hated it.
Hate may be a strong word but I didn't enjoy this as I thought I would. The long hours I was use to. The stupidity of the Organizing Committee I can deal with. The lack of professionalism by some of the key players I could deal with. The fact that there was issues within the Logistics that directly effected how we did work I could cope with. What was not enjoyable was dealing with all of this together. If I was 10 years younger, I would have enjoyed the challenge and looked to each day as yet another opportunity. Not this time which has really surprised me. I like challenges and I like running a crew but to have 160 people looking for direction was very taxing and I did have two good tech managers working for me, so I was covered with that. AND with 16 broadcast days with multi-venues going on, I heard very little complaining from the crews. And these people can be very very good at complaining. They could have complained about the hotels and they didn't. They could have complained about the transportation and they didn't. They could have complained about the long hours and we never heard a word. The crew was very patient with us and did okay. Some didn't shine and would never be hired by Carr-Hughes ever again. But we did have a pretty good time with them.
The one thing that I will say was good was having most of my family with me (it would have been really cool to have Diane there but a little spooky as well). Brian has learned so much dealing with crews and multi-venue, long days. He did very well on the 28 camera cross country event but he did well dealing with the production team and getting shows to air. I was glad he did it and glad he was there. Having Rosemary with me working was something very new. I thought she would be doing 8-10 hour days and getting a chance to see the inner workings of what Brian and I really do. That was not to be. She worked like a trooper to the hours and duties they threw at her. She did her assignments very well but the long hours were a real killer. There would be days when I saw her a total of 15-20 minutes. I thought we could eat together, talk, be together during the entire time. We would sleep in the same bed and every once in a while we could eat together but not like I imagined. She would go to work before me and sometimes not come home after I got there. That was truly a change of what we are use to. If I had known what type of schedule they had for her, I would never have suggested it. I think she is glad she did it and she did keep up with people a lot younger than her. I am proud she did it and didn't quit.
I know that you all have heard this before but I can safely say that this is it for me. I always enjoyed doing shows as a tech manager. I am afraid that having done this has finished me from ever wanting to do this again. I am glad it was successful but I can safely say I don't ever want to tech manage again.
Rosemary and I leaving the compound for the last time.From St. Louis (don't ask, you wouldn't believe me)
david
posted by DaveandBrian @ 1:31 PM
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