Day Two - Desperate Dressage Enthusiasts Seeking Starbucks...

This spot reserved...

Brought to their knees due to the "Fisher-Price" sandwiches and lack of hot drinks, several dressage enthusiasts were found frequenting a local Starbucks prior to the second day of the Team Dressage competition at the WEG 2010.  When apprehended, suspects were found coveting Starbucks’ tea bags in their pockets for use later during the competition.  They will also be charged for parking in undesignated parking spots…. The competition officials are still trying to uncover the mystery of how they circumvented the parking officials, who are most cheerfully guiding spectators to their parking spaces with Luke Skywalker laser sticks…………

This way, people!

Day Two of the team competition held even more excitement than the first.  You could just feel the energy of the crowd anticipating the arrival of Totilas and then, of course, Steffen Peters as the final rider to go.  As I am sure everyone has, I heard that Totilas was even more impressive in person than on video.  So I had high expectations and did not want to be disappointed.  We had already been disappointed when two horses were excused from the competition; it was just heartbreaking.

So later in the afternoon we were all waiting like teenagers - waiting for a rock star to appear….and there are just no words to describe the privilege of watching Totilas.  When that horse entered the ring and halted, it was like magic.  While so many of the movements were spectacular, even the most basic movements took your breath away.  In the halt by C, the horse just landed into the halt with such elegant precision, that the whole crowd took a breath….the whole thing was so amazing.   

We were all feeling sorry for the rider to go after Totilas, but there was no need.  Juan Manuel Muñoz Diaz was up to the task.  He had a spectacular ride which said, ”Here I Am”, and that demeanor brought him into second place.  I would love to know how he prepared mentally for that ride.  And then we had Laura Bechtolsheimer from Great Britain who had a ride just as breathtaking as Edward Gal’s.  She rode with such beauty and precision that I had goose bumps the entire time.  And then, of course, there was the last rider to go that day, Steffen Peters, who was just so amazing that we were all practically in tears…what a rider!

It was such an emotional day, with such highs and lows.  It was such a privilege to watch all of these horses and riders, and to be reminded of how difficult and exhilarating that journey can be.