Champions, the Movie, further to Champ, on Fugly, of course.

Why is this movie not considered one of the great movies of all time? Starring John Hurt, Kirstie Alley, Robert Hardy, um, other great brits. Great acting, IMO, of course. I guess Siskel & Ebert aren't very horsie.

I have the tape, and it's old, and my tape player is old, and I'm scared to load it up, for fear it'll um, expire in there. Tangent ALERT:)
I wasn't much for mechanical things. Fascinated by the science behind it all, wish I had been taught more about it in school. Why don't they teach kids more about the stuff that's all around them? Relate what they're learning to what they "know"?

That's less relevant today, maybe, my nephew and niece can do 12 things on the computer at once, while I leave the room. We got "home economics" aka housewifery, when I was in school. Gee thanks. Really useful. At least,I wasn't much talented at it. Got so nervous in one class, forgot how to turn off the water tap.

How do I turn off the water? I STILL don't know. Husband won't tell me, and I forget after a while anyway. Don't use it, I lose it. (My dishwasher is gasping on it's last legs, and I think with the age of plumbing I'm gratefully surrounded by, I should know where stuff is). See, I worry about everything. Yes, I can turn off a water tap now. The main water shut-off, I should know. Just sayin'. Betcha my nephew doesn't know, either.

Computers hurt my eyes. Old TV, and Dad's blinding strobe lights he used for a photo shoot of us one long ago Christmas day, och, my eyes have had more light burned into them. I was always "light" and "sound" sensitive. Still am. I can't watch anyone else's computer. I can't watch games. Hurts. So I don't. Not much interest, really, anyway. I would rather be outside.

There's that bend in the road, again..

The movie Champions is the true story of Robert Champion and "Aldaniti", who plays himself in the movie. How cool is THAT? John Hurt plays Bob Champion.
Robert Champion was a successful steeplechase jockey in (where else) England. He won a lot, and rode one horse, said Aldaniti, who was also the training stables hopeful prospect for the Gold Cup and the Grand National Steeplechase. The big prizes.

During the off season, Bob visited a racing stable owner, a dear friend, in the warm state who's name escapes me. There was flat racing, it may have been Texas, Califonia or Florida, or none of these. Anyway, important part IS. While there he bedded a vet, Kirstie Alley, (OMG, she was so young, and so felinely gorgeous) who noticed a lump on one testicle. She made him promise to get it checked out, and it was the Cancer.

Of course, he insisted he was fine, but the doctors finally convinced him to do the treatments, some quite experimental, as he was so sick. He lost one ball. Meanwhile, Aldaniti snaps a suspensory at a prep race, and the vet recommends euthing him.

Of course, Bob was there as a very sick, unrecognizable spectator, and his heart nearly broke. The owners decided to keep the big chestnut gelding alive, and to do everything they could to save him. Bob, meanwhile, is fighting for his life. He very nearly dies, several times. Children, also so sadly at his hospital, finally help him to want to live.

Has everybody seen it? Should I go on? Or do you know/have heard the ending, anyway?
I had the link to the you-tube video of it, but it's been taken down by Racing UK's copyright claim. 1981 Grand National. The greatest ending, ever. It's too bad that the risk and the dangers and the deaths of steeplechase have overshadowed the thrill of the old chase.

Barbaric, yes, But the courage of the horses and riders will always take my breath away. That was and is still the point of these matches, today. A test of courage & skill, of horse and rider. As does great 3Day. Mark Todd, Charisma, Murphy Himself, Ian Stark, Ginny Leng!

Took my breath away. Having ridden in many fields with no jumps, you appreciate people who will use anything handy to jump over.

To Champions of both species.

To kestrel.