 
June 14:Team
members in 11 sports from South Carolina met at the Sheraton Hotel in Columbia
for a "send-off' dinner attended by athletes, coaches, South Carolina Special
Olympics officials, parents and friends. We also spent the night
at the hotel.
 
June 15:We
were awakened at 3:00 am and left for the airport at 4:00 am. We
flew from Columbia to Atlanta- changed planes and flew on to Orlando, Florida.
We went to Disney World where we participated in the Disney parade then
back to Epcot where there was a rally for us with several speakers and
a laser show. We boarded a 747 at midnight and started on our flight to
Ireland.
June 16:
We received a big welcome
in Belfast -the host city for Team USA. We were to spend some "fun
time" there to get over jet lag before moving to Dublin for the competitions.
While waiting for our passports to be stamped, we were entertained by a
band playing Irish music. Welcome signs were everywhere. We were given
badges that we were to wear at all times. We stayed at Queen's Elms, Halls
of Residence.
June17:We
went for our first horse training at Millbridge Riding Club, but did not
ride for safety reasons. We watched other riders who were really
good. Back at our residence, we went for a walk and changed our dollars
to the money used in Northern Ireland. That evening we went to the Belfast
Waterfront Hall a conference and concert center. We saw many important
people such as the Lord Mayor of Belfast. There was a spectacular show-
including U-2. June
18:Our first outing
was to the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum which was very interesting
-there were also dancers and singers. That evening we went shopping
-a private night just for us at the Castlecourt Shopping Mall.
June 19:We
went back to the Millbridge Riding Club and were able to ride. Katie
Miller, a coach from Texas and an Instructor at Equest helped me a lot.
That evening there was a really great disco at the Belfast Indoor Tennis
Arena. Belfast was fun!
June 20:
We loaded on buses for our
3 hour move to Dublin. We stayed at the City West Golf Resort for the rest
of our time in Ireland a great hotel!
 
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Mohammed Ali
June 21:We
rested during the day and got ready for the Opening Ceremonies held in
Croke Park that evening. The 80,000 seat stadium was full.
There were 7,000 athletes from 160 countries and 30,000 Irish volunteers.
Also coaches, families, friends and many local citizens. We marched
in just like the regular Olympics. People along the route into the
stadium waved and shook our hands. There were speakers at the Opening
Ceremonies, including the President of Ireland Mary McAleese, Arnold Schwarzenegger,
Nelson Mandela, Maria Shriver, Eunice Shriver, Mohammed Ali, Pierce Brosnan
and many others. The entertainment was out of this world and included Bon
Jovi, U-2, River Dance (100 dancers), a 500 voice choir, a song written
especially for the Special Olympics 2003 by an award winning composer,
lots of bands and much more. It is hard to describe it was so fantastic!
 
June 22:This
was our only "off day" so Mom and Dad picked us up and took Melissa and
me with them on a tour of the coast. We were so tired, Melissa and
I slept during the whole trip. After dinner, they took us back to
our hotel.
 
June 23:Our
equestrian team went to the Kill Equestrian Center in Kildare where all
our events were to be held. This day was for preliminary rounds held
to make up the Divisions. The judges told me I had done very well.
Riders and horses were matched up. My horse's name was Paddywack. I would
be riding him all week. There were 138 equestrians from 27 countries.
Back at the hotel that night we had a dance
  
June 24:Back
to Kill Equestrian Center for the first real day of competition.
My event today was Working Trail. I won a Bronze Medal and cried
with joy because I never expected to win any medals in anything.
That evening we went to a special night at the Blanchardstown Shopping
Centre.
June 25:Another
day of competition today was English Equitation. It was really fun
to compete with people from other countries in front of a large crowd.
Another dance at the hotel that night.
June 26:No
competition for me today. I watched those who were competing.
That night I went to bed early to get ready for my main competition event
tomorrow.
 
June 27:Competition
today Dressage my last event. I had never competed in Dressage before,
but I love it and I was excited. I didn't win a medal, but I loved being
in the competition. I really never expected to win any medals I was
so happy to be in Ireland and to be a part of everything going on.
That evening we had a dance and a carnival at our hotel.
June 28:
Since my competitions were
over, I went with my coach to a couple of other venues tennis and soccer
to watch.
 
June 29:Spent
the day relaxing and packing. That evening we went to Closing Ceremonies
in Croke Park another fantastic event. While we were there we traded some
clothes (we had been trading pins all week). I now have a jacket from Pakistan,
a hat from Venezuela and a shirt from Great Britain.
 
June 30:
We boarded
buses to the airport at 5:30 am (the time has gone by so quickly- there
was something going on every minute and now we are headed home. There
were long delays and we didn't take off from Dublin until the middle of
the afternoon. When we arrived in Orlando, we had missed our connections
so we spent the night at a hotel there.
July 1:It
was a very mixed-up day trying to arrange flights, but we finally took
off went to Cincinnati, Ohio then home to Columbia arrived just before
midnight. It was a very long two days and I slept for the next two
days. This is a shortened version of my journal. I had the
best time of my life, the horses were beautiful and the people of Ireland
were wonderful. Meeting people from so many other countries was an
unbelievable experience. I really do thank everyone who helped make it
possible for me to participate in the World Games in Ireland.
It was the largest sporting event to be held in the world this year and
I still can't believe that I was part of it.
By Andy Maurer (with some editing help from his mom)
From Andy and Melissa
Thanks to all for making ours dreams a reality
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