Thundering Storm Stops Competition Just as Kristina Harrison-Nanes and Rociero XV Begin to Enter Arena

King and Idocus made it through their freestyle just moments before a thundering summer rain storm that actually stopped the competition, leaving the last three riders waiting out the rain. The large number of spectators were herded into the rotunda of the historical building which houses the USET offices and barns. And almost everyone remained, for the final three rides of the day. For third-place finisher Kristina Harrison-Nanes that meant warming up the 12-year-old PRE stallion Rociero XV (Rociero VIII out of Bombardina II) twice. It didn't affect them much. Their Freestyle score was 71.950 giving them an overall third-place score of 69.527.

“I went back to the barn and said, ‘I’ve got to pull it together.’ And I listened to rock music. And thought, ‘I’ll have to come back out here and do it again.’ I was already warmed-up and walking in the arena when they cancelled it. He usually has a bit more to give and was a little tired but for having warmed-up twice I couldn’t ask for more,” said Harrison-Nanes.

The spectators, back in their seats, greeted the pair with huge cheers and applause as the duo entered the arena. Harrison-Nanes rode her freestyle to music specially composed for her by Karl Preusser and recorded live by an orchestra in Prague. When asked why such an elaborate composition for her music, she replied “because if you’re going to do it, you might as well do it right.”