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I've been traveling for the past two weeks, visiting the world of equestrian products, goods and services and a few tourist sites. I started my journey in Florida, where I got to witness the Grand Prix in Wellington, at the Winter Equestrian Festival. Wow. Not only was it a perfect day in Florida, sunny, warm and with a light breeze blowing off the ocean, but the scene…oh my. The nation's best jumper riders, several Olympians amongst them, flew around the course of jumps that looked impossibly high, and were, Sixty four riders competed, with 12 coming back for a jump off round. While the grand prix is certainly the highlight of the day, there are nine or ten competition rings going in Wellington on a Sunday afternoon. Adult Amateur jumper classes, hunter classes of all kinds, and everyone at the top of their game; If you're a horse lover, you have to make it to Wellington in Winter just to see it. Then it was on to Paris, yes, Paris, for a few days. I visited the famous Chantilly, called the horse capital of France, just twenty minutes by train from Paris. Among the miles of bridle paths, the race track, the polo fields and the private stables there is the magnificent stables built by Louis-Henri de Bourbon, seventh prince of Conde, in 1719, because he believed he would be reincarnated as a horse. He commissioned a famous architect to build a home worthy of a prince—only for horses. Now, the stables house the Living Museum of the Horse, a 20-year-old project of the Bienaime family, where the goal is to bring horseback riding and classical dressage training to the masses by making it accessible and entertaining. They have 33 horses of all breeds, including a rare Indian breed who's ears are Arab-like in shape but point to each other instead of to the front. And then on to Cologne, Germany, for the wonderful SPOGA HORSE trade show, where Europe and Asia and the Middle East gather to trade in equestrian brands… there were some American companies exhibiting as well as some tack stores shopping. If you love finely made bridles and saddles and brushes and breeches, this is heaven, only it's a little expensive for Americans right now, give the state of the American dollar compared to other world currency. But no matter: There are deals to be had and plenty of interesting things to see—some 16 countries have booths here, and there are attendees from dozens of nations. A truly international trade fair. Tomorrow, I board the long flight home, and I'm more than ready to see Baleno and the gang, find out how Belle's training is progressing, and visit with the old man horse (and the old man husband!) Happy trails!
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