The U.S. team at Hickstead was represented by Susie Dutta, Katherine Bateson and Lisa Wilcox. Lisa ended up second in the Grand Prix Special and third in the Freestyle. Katherine’s horse is a hot little mare that although really talented is learning how to deal with the pressure of an international arena. It was nice to see all the riders, including all the other countries warming up and working through their own individual issues.

Carl Hester is a master. The use of the arena and the magnitude of concentration of both horse and rider was inspirational. I was glad to be able to attend the show as a spectator (which I rarely have time for) and see the good and bad of all the combinations. Much can be learned from successful and not so successful pairs.

The owners of Cinco are here this week visiting. I am pleased to say that they can also see the improvements that have been made in a short time. Cinco is so talented and spectacular that he sometimes offers more than he is strong enough to maintain. However, everyday I can feel the work getting a little more solidified. I am very proud of him.

Whitman on the other hand has a little more maturity and is taking this training very seriously. The changes in this horse are dramatic. I now feel that I have a Grand Prix horse that I am improving opposed to just a horse reaching for the Grand Prix level. I really would like to get back into the ring and am trying to find small shows to enter. There has to be a judge of a certain level to judge the Grand Prix. With Hickstead last week all the judges were busy. I am entered next week and there a small possibility of this week also. Fingers crossed.