Ok so that’s embarrassing 😳

[Ambers Echo]

I was at a BS show today walking the course alongside a kid and her dad. We chatted a bit. Later I saw him again on his own and said ‘hi how did she get on’. He misheard and said, ‘oh I’ve not been yet I’ve got a few running later. How about you’. I am so face-blind that I immediately realised this was not ‘friendly dad’ but ‘random stranger’. Who obviously thought I thought I knew him. And was now politely pretending to know me

He then asked if I’d been planning to go to Rockingham and I realised he was a well known pro event rider who I should have instantly recognised. But like I said - face blind.

The conversation had gone on too long now for me to backtrack and start again so I just said - er no but shame about Somerford etc. then he says ‘catch you later’ and left. My face was burning. Arghhh I’m such an idiot.!

 

[Spotherisk]

No harm done, and it’s nice to be friendly.

 

[SEL]

He will have totally forgotten about it! I'm forever doing stuff like that and have to remember the other person will brush off the random interaction and carry on with their life.

 

[Abacus]

Good for him for being polite and gracious when accosted, and friendly enough to spare a moment chatting.

 

[babymare]

Lol I am a person who would not recognise a famous person be it horsey, film or even royalty ( oh the shame of not recognising Zara). But hey you had a chat and no harm was done

 

[Red-1]

I can beat that... I was doing the Military Novice section at the BE at Gatcombe. I was in uniform.

I was nervous as we hadn't done many Novice BEs at that time.

Into the final SJ collecting ring, a mature lady wrapped in a horse rug. She gave me a long look (retrospectively probs because I was in uniform...). I couldn't place her, TBF, she was well wrapped in the rug, and, because she was looking so hard, we caught eyes, so I asked, "Excuse me, don't I know you?"

Oh yes, just as soon as the words were out of my mouth, THEN I recognised her.

"Sorry, yes, I do, good morning Ma'am."

It was Princess Anne, I mean, I was in her actual back garden.

The fact that I was in uniform made it so much worse.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Ok you win Red!

 

[Ambers Echo]

Good for him for being polite and gracious when accosted, and friendly enough to spare a moment chatting.

Yep he was very friendly despite not knowing me from Adam!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I'm sure we have all been there at some point people look so different without a hat on even if they are in full riding gear bar that!

 

[adamntitch]

Lol I did this at Windsor I think it was was standing talking away for ages to someone was not till I walked away my friend said you do know who that was err nope I said it err was Zara Phillips lol

 

[ecb89]

I can beat that... I was doing the Military Novice section at the BE at Gatcombe. I was in uniform.

I was nervous as we hadn't done many Novice BEs at that time.

Into the final SJ collecting ring, a mature lady wrapped in a horse rug. She gave me a long look (retrospectively probs because I was in uniform...). I couldn't place her, TBF, she was well wrapped in the rug, and, because she was looking so hard, we caught eyes, so I asked, "Excuse me, don't I know you?"

Oh yes, just as soon as the words were out of my mouth, THEN I recognised her.

"Sorry, yes, I do, good morning Ma'am."

It was Princess Anne, I mean, I was in her actual back garden.

The fact that I was in uniform made it so much worse.

I totally thought you were going to say the Queen

 

[millikins]

I expect most famous people quite enjoy not being recognised and treated like any other competitor/spectator.

 

[Britestar]

Not quite the same, but a few years back I was serving a customer on my stand at crufts.
I'm looking at this guy, with an American accent, thinking hmmm, maybe I should know you.
He's paying with cash, I look up and over at my dad who's helping me. He's rolling his eyes and mouthing a name.

It was John Barrowman. I did then say oh sorry I just realised who you are. Thanks for shopping with us.

 

[blitznbobs]

Ive done the opposite by not recognising someone (famous ish) that i shared the arena with most mornings, compounded by my apology of

‘Sorry, i didnt recognise you without your clothes on’ (I will add that he absolutely had clothes on just not a hat boots etc)

 

[Wizpop]

OK, time for me to fess up!
A number of years ago, I was stabled on a yard that was running a 2 day event- all very high profile and exciting.
Before the first day of the event I was walking round the huge cross country course with a friend and her dog. We came to a jump which was enormous and placed under a tree, so not only did you have the jump this massive obstacle, but also keep your head down to avoid having it knocked off by the huge branch which was above the jump! “Not in my worst nightmare!” I said to my friend, “ Just who would ever want to jump that!?” There was a man in country gear, doing something at the fence and he looked up and smiled as we walked away ( I hadn’t noticed him, too busy ogling the fence). As we got further away, my friend said grinning, “Do you know who that was?” “No” says I. “Mark Phillips - he’s the course builder” ………..

 

[oldie48]

I walked part of the xc course at Gatcombe as a member of Princess Anne's party, totally oblivious until I was asked to get behind the fence like the rest of the paying public. Actually he was quite polite but I did feel a bit stupid!

 

[Silvermiyazawa]

Not horsey but I once nearly charged up to Judi Dench in a shop to ask how she was and how she was enjoying her time off. Turns out she’s not someone I vaguely know from work but fortunately a friend stopped me in time. Just as well, JD had body guards

 

[Jellymoon]

I’m dying to know who the famous person was!

 

[marmalade76]

Me too.

 

[Kunoichi73]

I'm ridiculously face blind (I've not recognised my sister on the bus and have been known to walk past friends on occasions), so I'd have no chance with someone famous!

 

[adamntitch]

Lol I remembered another one was working at a well known riding school in Edinburgh and there was a Richard maxwell demo on we all smartly dressed etc when he turns up and asked if he had a pass oops lol was younger tho and not a clue who he was lol

 

[shanti]

Not horse related but my daughter and I had VIP tickets at Supernova (geeky event like the American Comic-Con) which included an invite to the afterparty with all the stars. We were pretty nervous and sitting at a table having drinks' when a guy came over and started talking to us, he was really nice and down to earth, we thought he was part of the event crew, we were telling him how scared we were to go and talk to all the stars. I went to get us some more drinks when the bar tender goes 'Geez you girls have been talking to Jon for ages'' then told me it was Jon Heder! I was so embarrassed!
I also met Ian Somerhalder that night and he commented on my necklace and my response was '' It only cost $20'' and when he accidentally touched my boob and apologised I said ''it's fine, anytime Ian''. Like honestly, WHO says that stuff I was just a ball of embarrassment that night!

 

[Pippity]

Not horsey, but I once asked Tony Hand if he played ice hockey. Tony Hand is the British Wayne Gretzky - the first British player to be drafted to the NHL, highest career points of any player in the world, former coach of the British team... In my defence, I'd only ever seen him suited up, not hanging around my local rink in civvies.

 

[Ambers Echo]

I’m dying to know who the famous person was!

I’m worried someone would see this and tell him! I’d rather he thought I was an event rider he’s met a few times but can’t quite place, than a totally unknown numpty who didn’t know who he was!

 

[Landcruiser]

At least you know the face blindness is to blame, OP. I spent most of my life dealing with these cringe situations and thinking I was a bit dim or something, and avoiding social situations, until I discovered that I was face blind. It's kind of nice to know that other people go through the same day to day embarrassments, and we can laugh about it.

 

[Cloball]

More than once I have turned up to work and no one has recognised me. The first time it was my day off but the WiFi was down in the flat and I needed to study ... Apparently washing my hair makes me unrecognisable. The second time I forgot my glasses and my hair band which apparently also makes me look like a completely different person.

 

[lizziebell]

Mortified - I was at a horse event weekend thing and passed a lady on hospital crutches, with at what I thought at first glance was her ankle in bandage. She smiled and said hello on way past so I returned the hello, smiled and added on “ouch that looks painful”, then carried on my way. Turned out to be a well known para-rider!!

 

[Ambers Echo]

Mortified - I was at a horse event weekend thing and passed a lady on hospital crutches and with at what I thought at first glance was her ankle in bandage. She smiled and said hello on way past so I returned the hello, smiled and added on “ouch that looks painful”, then carried on my way. Turned out to be a well known para-rider!!

Thats like Clare Balding and the jockey with terrible teeth!! She explained on a talk show later that she thought his teeth had been knocked out and her 'show us your teeth then' comment was a sort of 'look at these tough guys and what their sport does to them' comment. When atually he just had terrible teeth and she basically teeth-shamed him live on telly

At least your oopsie was not on national television!

 

[Annagain]

My old boss, who for the purposes of this story we shall call Simon, was in a shop when he heard someone call his name. He turned round to see a woman with her son. He didn't recognise her but she had called to him so he thought he'd better be polite. He did all the small talk - said hello, how lovely it was to see her after such a long time, how were the family etc. He then turned to the son, ruffled his hair and said "crikey you've grown since I saw you last". At this point the woman looked at my boss aghast, grabbed her child's hand and said to him "come on Simon, it's time we were going home."

 

[Ambers Echo]

Brilliant!!