Flossy is well known to many on the British Dressage Forum as a teller of interesting stories and perhaps the odd joke or two. We have selected a few tales for your pleasure.

Security solved

Security Solved
 
One of the things I enjoy most  during the Hickstead CDI   is spending   some time with my old friend    the   one and  only Mr Dan Rawlins , the master of Hickstead.
Me and Dane  we  go back  a long long time, must be nearly 40 years  when we first met in Germany while he   was working  under the famous  Mr  Teodorescu   and me  for the legendary    R   Klimke .
Dan  is known to be one of those, out of the box thinkers, anything that is deemed impossible   he will   he will remove the “im”  and it will be there the next year.
His greatest achievement is  how he took a barren piece of Sussex land   and turned it to one of the most famous  show ground in the world.
Every year we spend  some time together  me moaning about the hardship of running a 4.3   horse out fit and he  casually  mentioning  his  next million pound  project  to make Hickstead even bigger and better.
Until our one before last meeting ,  when Dane was not his usual perky  can do all person.
It transpired that year after year having to comply with the FEI rules and stipulations of running a CDI makes the job nearly “IM-POSSIBLE” even for the Mr  can do it all.
The latest  from Lausanne  are the security  measures  that have to be   undertaken by the organizers  in order to qualify as an FEI show.
This to be locked ,that to be watched , CC here there and everywhere. The ratio  of security personal to competitors are  3 /5 , for  every three competitors there must be  five  fully trained, CRB’d   ex SAS  security  guys.
Dan said that he does not object  to these measures ,  he understand like everyone else that top dressage riders are like national treasures  and must be protected, but he simply can’t afford it . As it is the show is running at a loss,   where is he going to find the money for all the high tech’ equipment and the personal   to operate it.
“Enjoy this Hickstead “  he said   “it may be the last”.
Well   this year  it was the same old Dane   and a bigger and better show . Seated  by the bar  overlooking the  arena  surrounded by the flags from all the nations participating in the show  and there in the middle bigger than all the other flags  a BLACK  flag with Arabic inscriptions on it which I could read  “ISSL”
I TURNED TO Dane and said “I never knew   THE Islamic state  joined the FEI”
“They  haven’t” was his reply.
“So what is this flag?”   I asked
“MY IDEA” Dan  explained  “ since I put this flag up  I  solved all my security problems, MI6  ,FBI  , SAS  THEY ARE ALL OVER THE SHOW  ,they are watching ,filming  every minute of the day and night  24/7.5   and it is all paid by the state”.
Well that’s Dane  He will always find a way out of a box!!.