Every other year, the best horses and riders from all over Iceland come and compete against each other. It’s called the Landsmot. In 2006 the crowd came for some nice, fast tolt. And they got plenty of it.
Everyone was filming and photographing. I wanted to show something original, in my own style. So I had to find my unique story….
This website is a kind of journal about my experiences with becoming a horseman. It is a series of digressions. In fact, I sometimes refer to it as Digressions on the Horse. But things have a way of coming together. But somewhere in this crowd there just has to be an unusual story. So, I scanned the crowd.
And if you’ve been spending any time at hestakaup.com, you’ll remember her, too!
Remember her? Riding her stallion, Hagangur?
The whole family — present and future — turned out to see this! One of Hagangur’s offspring get evaluated.
Talking about connections, there is Mette Manseth.
She’s here riding, knows Ingunn, is a great camera subject…
But she has her own pit crew… The Factory Team…
Oh, of course! Thordur! Perfect…Good-looking, good-natured, and good rider…
But this is really his busy, busy day… I would not dream of interfering with him today.
There are the behind-the scens heroes of the horse world, the farmers and breeders. And there are a few in this crowd.
Just to make it clear, Helgi is Ingolfur’s father and therefore Ingunn’s grandfather. He is here to see a mare he bred get a 10 for tolt. Yes, 10 for tolt.
There is no way to add to or top this story. Ten for Tolt. Wow! There it is.
But speaking of top breeders, though, here is Skapti from Hafsteinsstadir. He has a connection to one of my favorite places in Iceland, the old farm, Kolkuos.
Skapti actually bred Feykir on his farm. My horse, Sómi, comes from Feykir.
But I am going to Kolkuos the next week…
I need a story now! I am desperate!
Kids! How about a sideline of kids at Landsmot?
Looks like the kids are too busy playing Vikings.
Okay, I could profile people wearing HESTAKAUP.COM hats…
That would be really jumping the shark. And would reveal my total desperation for a story.
And then, a total unconnected stranger, a guy I had never met before, gave me the story!
So, friends, for the the story I decided to tell, go here to Three Guys and a Horse from Dalvik.
So, where is this Landsmót, anyway?
There is no one location for the event. It has been alternating between a large plain in the north of Iceland and the capital, Reykjavik, in the South. As this was shot when it was in the north, in Vindheimermelar, I will show that on the map. It is just outside the crossroads of Varmalhid, in Skagafjordur. It is just about my favorite region in Iceland.