I didn't go to Rolex this year which now I cannot believe. I'll never make that mistake again! Anyway, it was an amazing, sometimes awesome, sometimes awful year for Rolex. On the sadder, more troubling news, Ralph Hill (a gentleman who has been competing in Rolex since the late 1970s) had a serious accident in March and was unable to compete. Earlier in January, his student, Kim Meier, sustained a serious spinal cord injury while schooling under him. At the Rolex, Amy Tryon aboard Le Samurai (Sparky) had trouble before the last fence (fence 34) -- he stumbled, but took the last jump and cantered past the finish line before she dismounted. His suspensory ligiments were destroyed and he is now at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. Amy is now currently under investigation by the International Equestrian Federation for possible animal abuse in this case. That was the darker news clouding Rolex this year. The good news was wonderful. This year, Clayton Fredericks of Austrlia won with the 16.2 hand Ben Along Time, seen here in this photo with their beautiful ribbon! He said of his clear round with a single time fault, "After watching some of the early riders go, I thought I was probably going to be one of those that had a couple of rails. But when I sat on Ben Along Time...he just felt brilliant today!" The other huge news was Karen O'Connor and Teddy. He is 14.1 hands, so he is a full 9 inches shorter than the winner! My kind of guy! He earned third place and just worked his way up the ranks from dressage, through cross-country, and then finally by jumping double clear (of which there were only two that day)! Karen said of him, "He's just a class act. He has no idea how small he is. If you ever leave the ground with him over a jump, you realize he's a giant. I'm in awe of him." Here are the final standings: 1) Ben Along Time with Clayton Fredericks 54.0; 2) Connaught with Phillip Dutton 59.1; and 3) Theodore O'Connor with Karen O'Connor 60.1. A single thin point divided Connaught from Teddy! You can read more about this year's Rolex at the following link: