flighty Thoroughbred and a hot headed rider, individually, we didn’t stack up but together it was magic. He moved with more grace and poise than I could have ever dreamed of, and I had the concentration and attitude that he so evidently lacked. We were a match made in heaven. Sometimes, I wonder if my mother had planned this partnership, or if this was merely a coincidence. Either way, she’d have been proud of what we’d set out to accomplish. My mother always told me that it took time, patience and a great brain to become a great rider. She was right about all of them, accept she forget to include stress management in her list. Stress and International competitions were almost synonymous. Let me tell you, as an upper level rider, yoga and pilates will always, and I mean always, be your best friend. This translated to Carpe Diem too, he was always so tense and our score always reflected it. My mother had never been a true believer in all of the equine chiropractics, massage therapy, or acupressure, but that didn’t stop me from giving it a shot. It worked like a charm. Carpe Diem was as relaxed as I was, and our scores were on the rise. With the World Cup Qualifiers under way, it was now or never if we were going to do this. The qualification process is rigorous. Eight qualifiers, five countries, six months, and only two positions in the starting lineup allocated to the North American League. The competition for a coveted starting position is fierce. I doubt my mother could have imagine just how fierce it was. Once you’ve finally qualified, it’s like an enormous weight has been lifted. Then the pressure is on to be your best, ride your best, and ride for the title of World Cup Champion. We made our debut late in the qualifiers. The London International Horse Show, Olympia, was the fifth of the eight qualifiers. Held every December in London, it was a British Christmas tradition. It was by far the best Christmas present I could have asked for. We channeled immense pressure into pure perfection, making it the ride of a lifetime. We won Olympia with an 87.9% in the Grand Prix Freestyle, setting a new personal best. We held a substantial lead in the North American League and were quickly becoming the fan favorites. There was nothing stopping us now. With that, we established that we were serious. We were here to stay.
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