Kathleen Raine disappointed

Kathleen Raine was more than disappointed after her ride in the Grand Prix. She had to go in first and she was also to open the freestyle the next day. "Well, everybody knows when a class starts. That's when I'm riding," she jokingly said. Fidelia, a most lovely KWPN mare by Beethoven, showed some excellent and some mediocre pieces in her grand prix test.

The change at X in the extended canter was slightly late behind and the rein back was hesitant. However, Fidelia's trotwork was very expressive showing nice engagement and good rhythm. The extended trot could have been more impulsive. The walk showed nice overtrack. The first transition from passage to piaffe was hesitant. The passage was overall very nice. Fidelia really lifted her hind and front legs. During the first flying change from right to left in the zig zag in canter Fidelia tossed her head a bit too much. The tempi changes were clean and well structured in the ring. The final extended trot needed more overtrack but the last passage on the center line was absolutely beautiful.

A score of 64.68% was slightly low but the judges loved to have seen more engagement from behind from this mare. Raine was of course disappointed as she knew that this score would push her into a fifth, alternate position in the American Olympic Team for the Games in Sydney.