Karen, this was not as good of show as last year in Harrisburg but is was much flashier group of riders, all were Icelanders except for Laura Benson. The horses were much more snappy looking in their movement when they stayed in a tight formation and it does make them look mechanical and unreal, even commical. I noticed the show bill gave all the names of the riders this year and in the past, only Gudmars name was mentioned in the group. The first time I saw them at Harrisburg, the demo group was put together by K. Pierce and many others here in the east and it was nice but too brief. Last year was more performance in gaits and this year it was tolt or pace, except for the buckskin who kept breaking into cantor when the others were movin out... Gudmar and his brother did the best with the pace, go figure. They came back for an oncore. The young people behind my family were saying they figured most of those guys were really small to not be dragging there feet from those ponies, I know Gudmars brother is tall, I spoke to him a couple years ago at Dillsburg, not nearly as small framed as Gudmar.Jeannette
