Mario Deslauriers kicked off CSIO Wellington with a win on Jane Clark’s Vicomte D in the WEF Challenge 8. He will ride Urico on the Nations Cup Team tomorrow but today he topped a big competitive International field, many looking to make sure all the buttons were working for tomorrow night’s $75,000 FEI Nations Cup presented by G&C Farm. I made it just in time to catch most of the class, it feels so nice to get a little sunshine and not constantly looking for my gloves. It was a little rainy and I felt translucent next to many of the tan Florida set that either live here or have been South for a few months now. In-gate organizer extraordinaire, Kevin Giblin, told me I ‘wasn’t as pale as some of them that come down’ I found some comfort in that I guess. The Palm Beach International Equestrian Club looks great, despite nearly driving straight in to a ring where the driveway used to be. Things evolve here very, very quickly, and as this is my maiden voyage, it took me a bit of time to locate the place where I was meant to park. Once that was sorted, I ran in to Jim Wolf, talked shop for a bit, went up and watched the class where George Morris was keeping a very watchful eye over his riders and said hello to all the people I haven’t seen since the World Games last fall. We are headed off to the Team USA Pep Rally right now, more later!