Paralympics Hong Kong 2008 day 4

Hello, Greetings to Peadar, Anne and Emmet today, and thanks to Marion for her text message. Today I was up at 6.30, left for the stables for 7.30 and was riding by 8.15, we just walked, the heat in the morning is pretty severe and you can tell Youri feels it as well. Youri is getting more up beat which I dont know is a good thing or not. This morning we got in the main competition arena and I introduced him to the pandas hiding in the bushes but he didnt seam to mind. The crowd are alot closer to you than what you see on tv so I hope he will be ok. I was really tired today and after riding and having breakfast I got a bit emotional and headed to the bed at 11.30 and slept till 4.30 and had enough time to go to a tailor to see if I can get a jacket to fit me and headed back to the stables at 6.30 to ride at 7.15. We then had some craic with Team South Africa and went for dinner in the grooms dining quaters and its an experience not to be repeated!! We did some more socialising and got back to the village at 12. Thanks to all who have supported me. Greetings to Liam, Dee, Kate, Zara, Jan, Mags, Gemma, Wayne, Helen, Mary Anne, James, Margaret, Charlie, Setanta Choir, Dun Lughaidh Sec School, Geraldine and all her gang, Ray and Nula and Thresa and Lee and all the folk who have support me for so long. THANKS A MILL please let me know if I have missed anybody.

Paralympics Hong Kong 2008 day 3

Hi another good day was had. I was up at 6.30am left the village at 7.30 and was on my horse for 8.15. We did a short workout in the airconditioned arena which was grand considering the blistering heat outside!! The physio came and worked on Youri and then the vet came and checked out that Youri was Youri. We ie Niall and I then met up with two of our care assistants Triney and Martin and they came to the hotel with us along with Paul and we went to the local shopping centre and had some lunch and did some badly needed retail therapy!!! We had a kip back at the hotel and then I went to the gym and did my walk and had a swim and at 5.30 we got the bubble (its what the call the bus ere) back to the stables and I rode at 7.15 out doors for about 40 mins. We then sat with Paul and had a drink and headed back to the village about 9 and had some dinner and Team Isreal joined us and we had a great laugh with Dror and Omer.

Greetings to Rob thanks for text messages, Sandra, Jeff, Holly, and Denis hope you had a great holiday. Also greetings to Siobhan and Lianna and Chris in New Zealand and all the Fitzsimons. Thanks for all your good wishes love Eilish

Paul said Youri is getting lots of attention from other nations, they think hes a super looking boy.

Paralympics Hong Kong 2008 day 2

Hi, well had a good day today, was up at 9.30ish, went to the gym and then had a swim, went for some lunch and then had an afternoon nap. I was called about 3 to meet Benjamin who brought me a wheelchair and took my scooter off to see if it could be fixed. I met up with Niall who was at meetings most of the day and at 5.30 we headed off to the stables. Paul had him all tacked up and ready to go, Niall rode for a little bit and then I rode for about 10 mins. Youri is tired and feels like he needs an energy injection. He had a walkabout in the main arena (where they have Pandas hiding in bushes and the main screed is on) and Paul said he was fine and he had a walk into the cooling station and not a bother on him (actually we are just getting him checked to see if he still has a pulse!!) We had some fun trying on the gear from Horse Sport Ireland and we are fighting over who gets the jacket. We got back to the village about 9ish and had dinner with Lee and Dan (Team GBR). Its an early night tonight as I am on at 8 in the morn. Greetings to all in Dundalk and Arklow and Johnstown and Aughrim and Donegal, and to Helen and Jim and Dean and Kyle in Italy.

Paralympics - Hong Kong 2008

Greetings from Hong Kong can you believe it I am here!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I met up with Naill and family and friends at Dublin airport on the 27th at 7am. We (Niall and I) flew to Amsterdam and got a conecting flight to Hong Kong 3 hours later. Team Sweden, Denmark and Croatia were on the same flight as well as 11 Paralympic horses. We landed at in Hong Kong at 8am this morning, we were all greeted and brought to the Paralympic Village. It took the morning to sort out rooms and transport and assistance and just after 1pm local time we got to our rooms. I crashed for a few hours and then went to see Youri at the stables and I saw the main competition arena. The set up is fantastic the people are wonderful. My scooter wouldn't work when it got off the plane and the organisers are doing their best to get it sorted for me.

A big thanks to all for the kind messages, phonecalls, and text messages. I hope you will be proud of me xx

Hope to write everyday.