This collection of excerpts is from Jilly Cooper's novel, "Riders," a romance set in the competitive world of show jumping. The text introduces key characters such as Jake Lovell, a talented rider consumed by ambition and a rivalry with the promiscuous Rupert Campbell-Black, and Helen, Rupert's wife, whose journey from a repressed American upbringing to a life in England is explored. The passages also touch upon Fen, Jake's protégé, and the personal and professional challenges faced by the British show-jumping team, encompassing themes of love, betrayal, ambition, and the dramatic highs and lows of international competition, culminating in the Los Angeles Olympics.