Olympic gold

Forget Bejing Olympics. The quintessence of athleticism cantered to the gold in Hong Kong, August 20th, 2008. A Canadian’s mount, Hickstead, jumped into history winning the 2nd individual gold medal for Canada since 1968. The rider’s victory over drug abuse was eclipsed by the glorious performance of his horse to which he gave credit for the win as his fans cheered. Shameful, that a mere 15 minutes of sports’ coverage captured the climax of equestrian stories, dramas, achievement and excitement. Eric Lamaze, the wining rider, is familiar to me. I knew him from my frequent satellite visits to Spruce Meadows, an equestrian facility in Calgary, Canada, about a decade ago. A decade has been the waiting period for a great rider and horseman to achieve his dream. Grace surely has had something to do with it. I hope Eric realizes this 1st gift from God (grace) as he acknowledges his 2nd gift, the great Olympic competitor, Hickstead.