PostcardsFromM

After exploring a completely different part of Iceland and drifting of the coast on Day 6, it was time for another different experience. But one, I was very excited about. A birthday present from my parents and the reason, why we had to come in the beginning of July. It was time for Landsmót 2022 in Hella.

Another Dream Come True

As I mentioned on Day 1, one of the few sports I actively pursue is horseback riding. And to be more precise Icelandic horseback riding. So it was always a dream for me to see these amazing horses competing in the most important tournament in this sport. The best horses of Iceland with the best riders competing against each other and making a great festival out of it. So when I found out it was on in July, it was a no-brainer for me to want to see it in person. However, my boyfriend is not exactly a horse person, so he didn’t want to spend money on that. I totally get that. I was very lucky, because my parents gifted me the ticket for my birthday. So we drove to the venue in Hella, where my boyfriend let me out and he went off for his own adventure with more waterfalls, hiking and a lot of reading. Meanwhile I just followed the crowds to the entrance and at 9:45 I was on the venue grounds. Excited and ready for the day

The Venue

The main area, where all of the competitions were held, was a huge oval track with a track for the pace races right next to it. On one of the longer sides of the oval track there was a slight hill, where all of the visitors could sit. And now I realised that I didn’t really have first of all the right attire and second of all I’m not prepared for this event. All of the other visitors were definitely not new to this competition and knew to wear a warm overall and bring something to sit on with them. Well, I was actually quite warm, but I only had my rain jacket to sit on, so not ideal but it held up… for now. The weather was cloudy but other than that not too cold. I’d say it was perfect conditions. But back to the venue. Behind the seating area for the visitors were some big tents. One was a food and drink area with different stalls and there was also some music in them and the other one was filled with seller booths. So besides watching the competition there was a lot to see and do. I quickly realized that I was one of the only people there, who went on their own, but it didn’t really bother me. Yes it would have been fun to share this with another person, who was also as excited as me, but it didn’t feel lonely. The crowd felt very welcoming and like a big group. In general everyone was very lovely and just cheerful.

Landsmót 2022

As it was the second to last day, most of the competitions were finals, but in different areas. It was the perfect day for me to go, since I got to see the whole variety of Icelandic horseback riding. There were pace races, four gait classes, five-gaited classes and even some breeding competitions. Everyone from children to adults showed off their horses abilities. So I found myself a spot to sit and watched the amazing competitors ride. I was absolutely fascinated and I know that these are some of the best in the world, but I was kind of embarrassed for my own riding skills. I thought the children’s class competition was really impressive. These kids were on another level and it was just great to see them competing with ease. All in all, it’s just a completely different experience compared to Icelandic horse competitions in the rest of Europe. The rules are a little different and it all seemed way more chilled, but equally everyone was performing at a really high level. If you’re into horses, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Shopping and Seeking Shelter

The weather was pretty good for most of the day, but then it started raining. Luckily, it was just in time for a break anyway. So I headed straight for the sellers’ tent to have a look around. I don’t have a horse, but if I would have this would’ve been dangerous. There were so many amazing products from bridles to feed to clothes. And honestly I contemplated on buying myself an overall or one of these little chairs to sit on. But my bank account wouldn’t allow this sort of investment. Everything was quite pricey, but there was also a seller from 66° North, which seemed to be cheaper than in the stores and they also had more variety. I then went to the food tent to see what was happening there. And it was a proper party. There was loads of singing and dancing and just liveliness. I treated myself to some soup to warm up a bit and then it was time to go back and watch some more competitions. The weather, though, stayed rainy. And at some point it got even worse, so I abandoned my spot and the current competition and fled into the sellers tent. I found my favourite spot there. A little coffee cart which also sold some hot chocolate at a very reasonable price. For the rest of the day I returned regularly to this place to warm up. The weather stayed mostly rainy and therefore my lack of preparation for this event really showed. My pants were just completely soaked and it started to get colder, but I was determined to stay for as long as possible. When I realised I probably should leave and call my boyfriend to pick me up, my phone decided to just run out of power even though it was full before. And, of course, I didn’t have a power bank with me. Luckily, I found my charger in my backpack and searched for a place to charge my phone. I just wanted to say a massive thank you to the girls from UNDRA. They literally saved the day when they offered to charge my phone at their booth. I then could call my boyfriend and at half past 8, I was finally back in our warm camper with dry clothes on.

Today’s Route & Facts

• Hvolslvöllur to Hella
• Main attractions: Landsmót
• Highlight of the day: watching the children class compete
• Hours spent in the car: 0h 30min
• Kilometers made: 36 km
• Days left: 3
• Hot chocolates had: lost count after the third one

Tomorrow’s Plan

After this day at the Landsmót my boyfriend and me reunited and continued our way back to Reykjavik. But there were some stops along the way, which contained geysers and less rain.

See you there,

M.

Have you ever been to a Landsmót, or are you planning on going to one? Are you into horseback riding too? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.