Laura Graves and Verdades (SusanJStickle.com)
Caen, France – The U.S. Dressage Team closed out an extremely successful 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games with two top 10 finishes in Friday’s Freestyle. Fifteen of the world’s best combinations headed into the d’Ornano Stadium to stake their claim on the final medals of the FEI World Dressage Championships. Laura Graves continued her meteoric rise to the top level of the sport by earning a fifth place finish on Friday afternoon, while Steffen Peters once again demonstrated why he is so highly regarded with a 10th place finish.
Graves (Geneva, Fla.) and her own Verdades were welcomed into the d’Ornano Stadium by massive cheers by the capacity crowd and did not disappoint as they performed an extremely technical Freestyle. The 12-year-old KWPN gelding matured exponentially over the week as the nerves from earlier in the week were long gone and he looked every bit a championship veteran to score 82.036%.
For the Grand Prix and Special tests, Graves kept singularly focused but on Friday she did allow herself to take in the World Championship atmosphere.
“I try to turn it all off but a little bit today I let myself enjoy it because he’s had such a good two test earlier in the week,” said Graves. “I did let myself look up and take it all in and everyone was just cheering and he just walked in like he’s done it a thousand times.”
Graves has owned Verdades since he was six months old and has diligently prepared the gelding and believes that her long term plan was instrumental in their phenomenal World Championship debut.
“We try to do things really methodically and it proves when you do that plan and doing what you know is right, you get there.”
Peters (Sand Diego, Calif.) and Four Winds Farm’s Legolas 92 completed their 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games experience by earning a 77.321% in the Freestyle. The three-time National Champions demonstrated their trademark piaffe and passage.
“The piaffe and passage were great; when he’s this excited the walk can be difficult but he was great,” said Peters of the 12-year-old Westphalian gelding. “I’m very happy.”
The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games double Bronze medalist was not only pleased with Legolas 92’s performance in the Freestyle but with how the horse performed throughout the week.
“It (the atmosphere) was good; the crowd was very energetic and wonderful. My hat goes off to Legolas; it’s been a hard three days and he’s still energetic. This is one the best Freestyles he’s ever done and to do that at a major competition like the World Games is fabulous.”
Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro claimed the Freestyle Gold on a score of 92.161% and now the British combination are the reigning World, Olympic, European and World Cup champions. Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill of Germany claimed Silver on a score of 88.286%, with The Netherlands’ Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival NOP scoring 85.714%.
By Helen Murray
To learn more about the dressage championship at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, visit: http://www.normandy2014.com/2014-games/the-disciplines/2/dressage.
Follow the U.S. Dressage Team here.