Blog

 Hilary Manners (editor of www.eventingworldwide.com) and I spent a day deep in the stunningly beautiful Kentucky countryside, under a huge blue sky and rolling immaculate land dotted with mature trees turning orange before our very eyes.

In the morning we visited Independent Stave Company to learn how every stage of the barrel-making is defined by Maker’s Mark Master Distiller Kevin Smith to ensure the new oak barrels for Maker’s are seasoned, charred and coopered to exactly the right spec.  Then we drove on to the charming Maker’s Mark distillery in Loretto to find out why there is such state pride invested in this exceptionally smooth bourbon.

The devotion, care and attention that go into the handmaking of this whisky is remarkable. From the measuring of the proportions of corn, winter wheat and barley to make the mash, to the labelling and bottle-dipping in the iconic Maker’s Mark red wax, the production process is incredibly human-intensive.  And the fact every person we met was so passionate about the importance of their contribution to the team output makes this a bourbon like no other.

Maker’s Mark is starting to be discovered in many corners of the world so you could be forgiven for expecting that there are plans to change the 19 barrel batch process (still using cypress wood fermenters in part) into a giant stainless steel factory operation.  But no.  To increase production Bill Samuels, direct descendant of the original T.W. Samuels who erected the family’s first ‘commercial’ distillery in the mid-nineteenth century, decreed that the original set up should be replicated exactly.  So the number of original mash tuns and their layout was simply doubled like a mirror reflection of the original layout.  It’s a bit like walking into the distillery and thinking you’re seeing double.  And this decision has not only protected the precise production methods used to create the unique Maker’s Mark taste, barrel after barrel, but as importantly, it protects the ethos which binds all those whose pride is invested in this heaven-sent whisky.

But there is a second reason why Maker’s Mark is The Bourbon for me.

Maker’s Mark, official bourbon of the World Equestrian Games 2010, organised media accreditation for me, an almost lifelong lover of eventing.

Can you imagine Saturday 2 October, cross-country day at WEG, for me?

I was stationed in the D box (where journalists watch the action on screens at the finish of the Kentucky 2010 course, and in this case the start too).  As each rider finished, their horse was examined by the vets and washed off by their support team, and the rider came over to the media pen for interview.

It began with pathfinder Nicola Wilson, who rode a beautiful opening round on Opposition Buzz.  He ate up the course with his big bold strides. Nicola was so emotional when she joined us that she could barely speak between her smarting eyes and huge grin.  I felt the same, and I hadn’t just ridden double clear (in the time, with no jump penalties) on the world stage.  For me, to have adored the sport and followed many of the top riders for the last twenty five years, and to suddenly be pole-vaulted into the centre of their lives at a world-class competition is beyond my wildest dreams.

As the rounds unfurled, a disappointed Mark Kyle came over, saying there’s no point jumping clear here, but taking three and a half days to do so. Toddy, (Mark Todd), one of my all-time heroes, came over to us (I last saw him at Bramham in Yorkshire this June, from a car as I drove past a field in which he was warming up).  Then poor Simone Deitermann, who had mopped up her tears of dismay following her slow-motion tumble into the very last jump.  She spoke quietly of her disappointment then dissolved into the hinterland (but she’ll be back, in the future).  Next, another change of tempo, with William Fox-Pitt (whom I have always admired from a distance, or from my armchair while glued to BBC coverage).  He talked eloquently and with such warmth about the course, his mount Cool Mountain, Nicola and the other Team GBR riders and he paid tribute in particular to the vital veterinary support team), in English and then French.  Next up was Germany’s Ingrid Klimke,  a thoroughly likeable eventer, her eyes twinkling after a lovely round aboard FRH Butts Abraxxas.  She confided that they were truly flying over one jump. She thought ‘Mayday’ (but she didn’t need to as things turned out).  Next was the diminutive Canadian Hawley Fawcett-Awad on her appropriately compact Gin and Juice; she was beaming with delight that he was only ten and had a good ten more years to go.

Then to the hugely experienced Pippa Funnell, who had bounced back after the dressage round, thrilled with how Redesigned has attacked the cross-country track: he’d put them into third with less than half the field to go.  Pippa said she had spent the last five years producing horses, setting her sights on London 2012.  To find herself in Kentucky, and in the running, is yet another example of how this sport can spring surprises.

Then Piggy French joined us.  She was delighted with how Jakata had stepped up to the challenge. She is still getting to know her relatively new mount and she was very happy they had finished safely (and in some style I might add).

Next Tina Cook, and the drama ramped up.  Live on TV she was told she’d gone into first place knocking William into second.  Then within minutes she was told, still on live TV, that Miners Frolic had crossed his tracks in the water and picked up twenty penalties. It’s a long way to fall in front on millions of fans all over the world.  Typically she took it in her stride.

Next up Italian star Stefano Brecciaroli, who had won our hearts in the post-dressage press conference, rode a lovely flowing cross-country on Apollo (for short) with big flowing jumps which made the course look almost easy.

Mary King joined us next.  I’ve admired Mary for three decades and now she was standing two feet from me, thousands of miles from home, her face stretched by the ecstatic smile of a woman still conquering, nudging fifty.  Imperial Cavalier looked strong and bold and Mary settled him into a lovely rhythm which carried them round (despite the odd sticky moment in the water), in great style.

Irishman Geoff Curran, who has just become a father, had a quiet chat with one or two press too.v Then attention swung to the softly spoken New Zealander Andrew Nicholson, who talked of how he took the long route into the water so as to give Nereo the best chance just before the daunting Normandy Bank.  Good call.  He still finished within the time.

Then it was over to Michael Jung.  What a delightful understated ambassador for his country, Germany.  He’s leading in his first four-star and his nerve is holding.  His steed La Biosthetique-Sam, whom he has trained and ridden for half the horse’s life, gives with all his heart and has an intelligent head, Michael gushed.  The German looks slightly unbelieving much of the time.  He held his leading position post-dressage by jumping clear within the time round the Mike Etherington-Smith-designed track.

I look back on Saturday, and all the passion with which I have followed eventing for decades, peaked in a few hours of incredible highs.  Many of these riders have been on a pedestal in my mind for years.  And now, having been privileged enough to have a glimpse into their world, they are on an even higher pedestal today.

A truly exceptional bunch of determined, capable and passionate professionals, bound by a shared admiration of their honest and trusting equines and a deep respect for one another.

We ended the day with Great Britain at the top of the leader board, with show jumping to come.  I’ll have to be an eventing journalist just for one more day.

Maker’s Mark made all this possible.  Now you understand why there will only ever be one bourbon for me.

By Hilary Meacham, eventing journalist for the day