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18 Trail Rider www.TrailRider.com Then came the final award of the night: the Veteran Trophy—the big one, the honor earned for our coun- try. Team Italia, represented by Enrico Tortolli, Gior- gio Grasso, and Tullio Pelligrinelli, was announced in third place. Team Austria's Bernhard Walzer, Johann Kaiser, and Chris an Kaiser took second. Then came the words we had been wai ng to hear: Team USA wins first place! The moment felt surreal—like a dream. Hundreds of compe tors, supporters, and photographers filled the closing ceremony, and it seemed as though everyone was thrilled to see us win. The excitement was unmistakable; you could feel it in the air and hear it in the crowd. When Fred, Terry, and Billy stepped onto the top of the podium, I cried. When the na onal anthem be- gan, the hair on the back of my neck stood up, goose bumps swept over me, and the tears returned. Even the FIM representa ves shared in the happiness of the moment. A few weeks before we le , I had a good feeling about our chances. Ac ng on that ins nct, I had 10 special red T-shirts printed with the words, "Team USA, #1 World Champions!" I kept them wrapped and out of sight; no one had seen them before we heard the official announcement. Then we opened the package, and at last we got to put them on! As Team Manager, I was invited onto the stage and enjoyed every second of it—champagne show- ers, happy tears, and all. Amid the celebra on, we paused, bowed our heads, and joined Terry in prayer. It was a meaningful way to give thanks for our safety, our God-given abili es, and the privilege of celebra ng such an extraordinary accomplish- ment. The celebra on con nued late into the night and well into the early morning. I am s ll overjoyed, and I hope you are, too! Over the next few months, we look forward to honoring this team and cele- bra ng its world championship achievement! Terry Cunningham Terry Cunningham