Tag Archives: Steffen Peters

US Dressage Team Moves Up Leaderboard after Second Day of Grand Prix Competition

Steffen Peters and Legolas 92 (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – The second day of dressage competition at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games had sunshine beaming down on the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Center as the remaining 30 athlete-and-horse combinations took to the main arena to perform the Grand Prix test, the first of two tests in team competition. The U.S. team, which held fourth place after the first day of competition on Wednesday, has moved into third in the team standings on an average of 76.971% after anchor riders Steffen Peters and Laura Graves performed excellent tests aboard their experienced mounts. Of the 11 nations competing in the team competition, Germany is in the lead on an average of 81.295%, while Great Britain is in second on 79.252% going into Friday’s final phase of the team competition, the Grand Prix Special.

Peters (San Diego, Calif.) made his fourth Olympic Games appearance aboard Legolas 92, a 14-year-old Westphalian gelding owned by Four Winds Farm. The pair competed during the first half of the competition Thursday morning and performed a spectacular Grand Prix test, earning high marks from the seven-judge jury for their piaffe-passage tours, achieving a well-deserved score of 77.614%. This strong showing put them into sixth place individually going into Friday’s Grand Prix Special.

“Legolas delivered everything that I dreamed of,” said a delighted and emotional Peters. “I’m just so excited that he did one of the best tests of his life – probably one of the best tests of my life – and it’s always been my dream to deliver for my team! It’s the Olympic Games and we are 90% about the Team medal and the other 10% – or maybe even less – about the Individual medal. It’s been a difficult road with him – sometimes I don’t know exactly which horse is going into the show arena, but he did not change one single bit from the warm-up arena to the show arena today, and there was not one single point that we gave away.

“Legolas’s half-passes in the trot felt amazing and the trot extensions got better, which has always been a weak point,” remarked Peters on his favorite parts of their test. “His piaffe-passage were very high today; I was able to keep the 15 steps of piaffe in place. This was the test that I dreamed of for my team. It was just one of those awesome days!”

Laura Graves and Verdades (Shannon Brinkman Photo)
Laura Graves and Verdades (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Graves (Geneva, Fla.) and her own Verdades, a 14-year-old KWPN gelding, impressed in their Olympic debut, performing an outstanding test to become the highest-placed U.S. rider with a score of 78.071%, good for fifth place individually. The pair’s fluid and powerful test earned a plethora of 8s throughout the performance, as well as several 9s for her right half-pass, left canter pirouette, and passage down the last centerline.

“My horse was really super!” said a delighted Graves. “I’m very happy with the feeling he gave me today and the way the training is reflecting in the arena.”

In regards to her favorite parts of her test, Graves remarked, “I’m really happy with the pirouettes and the passage-piaffe, which is a talent for this horse, but not so much in the arena when he’s not sure where to be with his big legs. I feel that’s really improved in the last two months.”

U.S. teammates Kasey Perry-Glass (Orangevale, Calif.) aboard Dublet and Allison Brock (Loxahatchee, Fla.) with Rosevelt put in impressive performances Wednesday, which put the U.S. into fourth place overnight. After Thursday’s competition Perry-Glass holds 17th place individually with her score of 75.229%, while Brock is in 25th place with 72.686%.

“I can’t say enough good things about our team,” said Graves. “The word team has a lot of different meanings, and for us as equestrians, I think the Olympics is very special, as we have a large team of people including our trainers, friends, family, as well as each other, and I couldn’t ask to be here with a better group of people. Here we also get to be Team USA, which is also really special, and it’s definitely a memory that we’ll all have for a lifetime.”

“It’s going to be a tight, tight horse race, so to speak,” commented Peters about the team standings. “Tomorrow is another day, but today I just couldn’t be happier. There’s so much comradery on our team. We’ve been training together for three months, and every day we all watch each other. It doesn’t matter if it’s 6:30 in the morning, every single team member is there, and it’s the same here in Rio. Every day we come to the barn and there is a big group hug. I’m just so honored to be with these talented girls as part of the team.”

The dressage team competition continues Friday with the Grand Prix Special. The top six teams from the Grand Prix will move forward to the Grand Prix Special, after which each team’s top three scores from both tests are added together to decide the Team medals. The top 18 competitors from the Grand Prix Special will go on to compete in the Individual final, the Grand Prix Freestyle, on Monday, August 15. Only three athletes from each nation are eligible compete in the Freestyle, which will ultimately decide the Olympic Champion.

NBCOlympics.com Morning Live Stream
NBCOlympics.com Afternoon Live Stream

Keep up-to-date on equestrian competition at the Rio Olympic Games on the USEFNetwork.com. Coverage includes links to live streams and TV coverage, athlete bios, behind-the-scenes photos, and more.

Classic Communications/USEF Communications Department

US Dressage Team Prepared for Competition at Rio Olympic Games

Kasey Perry-Glass and Dublet (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Dressage competition at the Rio Olympic Games got underway at the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Center Monday with the horse inspection. A total of 59 athlete-and-horse combinations representing 18 countries are set to compete in Wednesday’s Grand Prix, the first test in team competition. The U.S. has drawn eighth in the order of 11 teams and will be represented by Allison Brock, Laura Graves, Kasey Perry-Glass, and Steffen Peters. The U.S. team is led by U.S. Dressage Chef d’Equipe Robert Dover, a six-time Olympian and winner of four Team Bronze medals.

“I have been thrilled with all of the riders,” said Dover. “Individually, Allison Brock and Rosevelt have been ramping up day-by-day to show more and more brilliance. Kasey Perry-Glass has been thrilling to watch and truly, for a young person at her first Olympic Games, the learning curve, even here during the last week, has been awesome to watch. Verdades [ridden by Laura Graves], has scope beyond scope and Laura is paying the greatest attention to the minutia, the details that tend to set apart the very, very best from everybody else with nice horses. And then of course Steffen Peters, here at his fourth Olympic Games with Legolas, has actually found new strengths, new scope, and abilities and so I’m just very, very hopeful and really proud to be a part of their team.”

U.S. team will compete in the following order.

Day one, Wednesday, August 10: Leading the way for the U.S. will be Brock (Loxahatchee, Fla.), a first-time Olympian, who will ride Claudine and Fritz Kundrun’s Rosevelt, a 2002 Hanoverian stallion. This longtime partnership has been developing at the Grand Prix level over the past three years with consistent successes in the U.S. and Europe. This spring at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival, the pair capped off the season by winning the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special in the CDI3* presented by Stillpoint Farm.

Perry-Glass (Orangevale, Calif.), a first-time Olympian, will be next in the order with Diane Perry’s Dublet, a 2003 Danish Warmblood gelding. Following a solid career at the Small Tour level, the pair moved up to the Grand Prix this winter and has had remarkable success in just a few short months. The pair placed in the top three in all of its 2016 CDI outings during the Adequan Global Dressage Festival, including as members of the Gold medal-winning The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team at CDIO3* Wellington presented by Stillpoint Farm, where they also won Individual Silver. This summer in Europe, Perry-Glass and Dublet won the Grand Prix at CDIO5* Compiègne as part of the Gold-medal winning The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team.

Steffen Peters and Legolas 92 (Shannon Brinkman Photo)
Steffen Peters and Legolas 92 (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Day two, Thursday, August 11: First in the ring for the U.S. on day two of the Grand Prix will be Peters (San Diego, Calif.), a four-time Olympic veteran with a Team Bronze medal (1996). He will ride Four Winds Farm’s Legolas 92, a 2002 Westphalian gelding. Last summer, Peters and Legolas 92 represented the U.S. at the Pan American Games, winning Team and Individual Gold medals. This winter, the pair won in all of its West Coast CDI outings. Competing in Europe this summer, the pair won the Grand Prix at CDI4* Roosendaal.

Anchoring the U.S. team will be first-time Olympian, Graves (Geneva, Fla.), riding her own Verdades, a 2002 KWPN gelding. 2015 was an immensely successful year for the pair as it finished fourth in its first Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final appearance, earned Team Gold and Individual Silver medals at the Pan American Games, and was crowned The Dutta Corp./USEF Dressage Grand Prix National Champions. Competing at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival earlier this year, the duo won both the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special at the CDI5* presented by Diamante Farms, the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle at the CDI4* presented by Havensafe Farm, and were members of the Gold medal-winning The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team at the CDIO3* Wellington presented by Stillpoint Farm, where they also won Individual Gold. This summer, the pair was a part of the Gold-medal winning The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team at CDIO5* Compiègne, and the Silver-medal winning U.S. team at CDIO5* Rotterdam where they also topped the Grand Prix Special.

The first test in team competition, the Grand Prix, runs August 10-11. The second and final test of team competition, the Grand Prix Special, will follow on August 12. Dressage competition concludes on August 15, with the Grand Prix Freestyle.

Keep up-to-date on equestrian competition at the Rio Olympic Games on the USEFNetwork.com. Coverage includes links to live streams and TV coverage, athlete bios, behind-the-scenes photos, and more.

Classic Communications/USEF Communications Department

US Dressage Team Earns Silver Medal in CDIO5* Aachen

The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Aachen, Germany – The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team had solid performances throughout the Lambertz Nations Cup at CHIO Aachen. Led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Dover, the team of Katherine Bateson-Chandler, Shelly Francis, Arlene “Tuny” Page, and Steffen Peters garnered the Silver medal with a total score of 437.139. Saturday’s final placing also clinched the inaugural FEI Nations Cup™ series title for the U.S. Germany had a dominant performance in the eight-nation field, taking the top three places in the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special and earning the Gold medal with a total of 492.598. Denmark finished with the Bronze medal on a total of 430.418.

“I could not be more proud of our team here in Aachen,” said Dover. “It’s great when you consider that there are some of the best countries in the world selecting their teams for the Rio Olympic Games here and our team placed second, a team who included our traveling reserve and other super combinations that are not on our Olympic team. I am so proud that of all of them they stepped up to the plate.”

Coming into this sixth and final Nations Cup event in the 2016 series, the U.S. needed to secure a placing ahead of Sweden, who was four points ahead of the U.S. on the leaderboard, to secure the title. Dover was extremely pleased with this weekend’s outcome. “We set a goal right from the beginning to win this series. Winning the first event in Wellington was exciting, but we anticipated that win. At Odense we had a nice showing with some of our greener combinations. Then going on to Compiègne, we thought, ‘Yes, we have a strong chance’, but when we won that it really got me excited and planning. After a second-place finish at Rotterdam the idea was to come to Aachen and place second or third and beat Sweden, but to actually place second with this group, that was really exciting.”

In Thursday’s CDIO5* Grand Prix, Peters (San Diego, Calif.) and Four Winds Farm’s Legolas 92 anchored the U.S. team with an excellent test, receiving a score of 77.324% from the Ground Jury of Maribel Alonso (MEX), Susanne Baarop (DEN), Stephen Clarke (GBR), Eduard de Wolff van Westerrode (NED), Peter Holler (GER), Thomas Lang (AUS), and Gary Rockwell (USA) to finish in fourth place. Francis (Loxahatchee, Fla.) and Patricia Stempel’s Doktor demonstrated their partnership with a steady test to score 72.200% for 12th place. Page (Wellington, Fla.) and her own Woodstock had a consistent test, marred only by a mistake in the two-tempi changes, scoring 68.971% to finish in 23rd place. Bateson-Chandler (Wellington, Fla.) was the first down centerline for the U.S. aboard Jane Clark’s Alcazar and had a solid test, aside from issues in the piaffe and collected walk, to post a score of 66.314% for 32d place.

The U.S. Team put forth a determined effort in Saturday’s CDIO5* Grand Prix Special to earn the Silver medal. Peters and Legolas 92 were the final ride of the day and they did not disappoint with impressive piaffe and passage work and lovely canter half-passes. The Ground Jury of Maribel Alonso (MEX), Stephen Clarke (GBR), Eduard de Wolff van Westerrode (NED), Peter Holler (GER), and Gary Rockwell (USA) rewarded the pair with a score of 76.627% to put them in fourth place.

Peters was very pleased with the maturity Legolas 92 exhibited, stating, “The first huge relief was when we came in, the announcer said a few things about Legolas, and he did not react whatsoever and that is the exact reason why we were here. I still felt like at Rotterdam, in the Grand Prix, that we were still a little on edge during the first minute of our test, but now he has proven that he can deliver for the team and this is exactly what the plan was. He did the piaffe movements very nicely, as well as his changes, and did beautiful canter pirouettes. Thursday and today the judges gave him a really high mark for his collected walk and that is a gigantic accomplishment. It’s those little things that most people who don’t know Legolas that well don’t appreciate, but I am just stocked about those tiny little things.”

Page and Woodstock had a much improved performance in the Grand Prix Special, producing an accurate and rhythmical test. They nailed their tempi-changes and demonstrated lovely passage work, scoring 71.451% to finish in 13th place.

Francis and Doktor gave another consistent performance to help the U.S. Team. They demonstrated solid piaffes and executed brilliant passage work. Francis and Doktor scored 70.647% to finish in 17th place.

Bateson-Chandler withdrew Alcazar from the Grand Prix Special following a case of colic on Friday.

Complete Rider Results

Complete Team Results

The top 18 individuals, including Francis, Page, and Peters, will move forward to Sunday’s Grand Prix Freestyle.

The U.S. is also being represented this week at CHIO Aachen in dressage, driving, and show jumping. On Thursday evening, the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping tied for the Silver medal with France in the Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup. On Saturday afternoon, the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team finished in sixth place in the CICO3* Nations Cup. The U.S. Driving Team is in second place after the first phase, competition continues Saturday with the marathon phase, and concludes on Sunday with the cones. Find out more on USEFNetwork.com.

From the USEF Communications Department

USEF Names US Olympic Dressage Team for Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Clockwise from top left: Laura Graves, Steffen Peters, Allison Brock, and Kasey Perry-Glass.

Lexington, Ky. – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has named four athlete-and-horse combinations to the U.S. Olympic Dressage Team and one traveling reserve athlete-and-horse combination for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. One direct reserve horse has also been named. A direct reserve horse would be an automatic replacement should the original horse on which the athlete was named need to be substituted. Dressage competition at the Olympic Games will take place August 8-15, 2016 at the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The following athlete-and-horse combinations will compose the Team (in alphabetical order):

Allison Brock (Loxahatchee, Fla.) with Claudine and Fritz Kundrun’s Rosevelt, a 2002 Hanoverian stallion

Laura Graves (Geneva, Fla.) and her own Verdades, a 2002 KWPN gelding

Kasey Perry-Glass (Orangevale, Calif.) with Diane Perry’s Dublet, a 2003 Danish Warmblood gelding

Steffen Peters (San Diego, Calif.) with Four Winds Farm’s Legolas 92, a 2002 Westphalian gelding

Direct Reserve
Four Winds Farm’s Rosamunde, a 2007 Rheinlander mare

The following combination has been named as the traveling reserve:

Shelly Francis (Loxahatchee, Fla.) with Patricia Stempel’s Doktor, a 2003 Oldenburg gelding

Further information regarding the U.S. Olympic Dressage Team selection process can be found on USEF.org. All nominations to the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team are subject to approval by the United States Olympic Committee.

From the USEF Communications Department

Peters Places Third in Freestyle as CDI4* Roosendaal Concludes

Steffen Peters and Rosamunde (DigiShots)

Roosendaal, The Netherlands – Steffen Peters wrapped up a fantastic three days of competition at CDI4* Roosendaal on Sunday. He and Rosamunde placed third in the Grand Prix Freestyle with a score of 77.250% to end to the competition on a high note. The maturing combination had incredible rhythm and energy, executing graceful half-passes and pirouettes, in their relatively new Freestyle. Peters was joined by U.S. compatriots Laura Graves and Guenter Seidel during CDI4* Roosendaal as the competition served as an observation event for selection of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Dressage Team.

“I’m super excited that both Legolas [92] and Rosie [Rosamunde] were in the top three every time, with good scores and good tests. It is a lot about preserving the form we have right now and proving consistency in Rotterdam,” said a pleased Peters.

All three combinations got off to a good start in Friday’s Grand Prix Test, with Peters and Graves finishing first and second, respectively. Peters (San Diego, Calif.) and Legolas 92, Four Winds Farm’s 2002 Westfalen gelding, showcased superb thoroughness in the test, along with outstanding piaffe and passage work, for a score of 76.820%. Graves (Geneva, Fla.) and her own Verdades, a 2002 KWPN gelding, had a harmonious test that included wonderful piaffe movements and half-passes for a score of 75.800%. Seidel (Cardiff, Calif.) and Zero Gravity, James and Charlotte Mashburn’s 2004 Dutch Warmblood gelding, placed eighth with a test full of nice one-tempi changes, piaffe, and passage work.

As a result of their top finishes in the Grand Prix, all three combinations qualified for Saturday’s Grand Prix Special. Peters and Legolas 92 continued with another gratifying performance. He and Legolas 92 showed expressive passage, piaffe, and canter work to place second with a score of 75.863%. Graves and Verdades exhibited great scope and ability in their test. However, they had an unusual mistake in their first pirouette. They missed placing in the top three, barely, with a score of 74.255% for fourth place. Seidel and Zero Gravity had an accurate test but struggled in the piaffe work to finish 10th with a score of 69.686%.

Peters competed with Four Winds Farm’s Rosamunde in Saturday’s Grand Prix. He and the 2007 Rheinlander mare had incredible passage, piaffe, and canter work to place third with a score of 72.220%, which qualified them for Sunday’s Freestyle.

View the complete results from CDI4* Roosendaal.

From the USEF Communications Department

Steffen Peters and Rosamunde Notch Another Grand Prix Win and Vita Flex Victory Pass Award

Steffen Peters and Rosamunde (Photo courtesy of JRPR).

Wellington, FL (February 19, 2016) – Steffen Peters and Rosamunde, a nine-year-old Rhinelander mare (Rock Forever x First Lady, Fidermark) owned by Akiko Yamazaki’s Four Winds Farms, claimed another impressive victory with a 75.38 percent in the FEI Grand Prix CDI3* at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida. Their performance earned them the Vita Flex Victory Pass Award, which is presented to winning horse and rider pairs six times throughout the 12-week show series.

“She felt great today,” Peters said as he collected his blue ribbon. “She came into this show with some huge results from shows in California. There’s always that bit of pressure there, but she felt great today and probably was just as good as she was in L.A. I thought we had a very clean test. I saw a bunch of 8.5 and 9.0s in the test, which is exciting, but there is always room for improvement.”

Not only did he earn another blue ribbon, but he also won the Vita Flex Victory Pass Award. Vita Flex, a leading producer of equine performance supplements, appreciates Peters’ careful development of his equine partner, and proudly presented the pair with the Vita Flex Victory Pass Award for exceeding the fine line between good and great by winning their class. They received a bucket filled with popular Vita Flex® performance products and an official Vita Flex Victory Pass ribbon.

Peters next plans to work on Rosie’s one-tempis, and hopes to improve her tempo as well as strengthen her fitness level. He knows that developing the young and talented mare requires thoughtful attention. “At the end of the day though, we have to appreciate that they even do the one-tempis,” he said. “This will take a little bit of time, but there’s nothing wrong with a 75 percent for a 9-year-old horse. I’m very proud of her and honored that I get to ride a horse like her.”

Vita Flex is proud to offer cutting-edge supplements and horse care products to aid top competitors like Rosamunde. The company is known for producing high quality products designed to meet customers’ goals. Vita Flex® products include performance products, antioxidants, electrolytes, topical solutions, vitamins, and minerals to help keep equine competitors in top performance shape. Peters is excited to try out the Vita Flex® performance products that he won at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival.

Vita Flex is happy to once again support its equestrian community by sponsoring both the Adequan Global Dressage Festival and Winter Equestrian Festival this year. As part of its sponsorship, the company will award a total of twelve Vita Flex Victory Pass Awards at both show grounds throughout the season.

For more information about Vita Flex®, visit www.vitaflex.com or call (800) 848–2359.

Contact: Katie Stevenson
kstevenson@central.com
www.vitaflex.com
(800) 848–2359

Graves and Verdades Go Two for Two in CDI 5* Competition at AGDF 5

Laura Graves and Verdades. Photos: ©SusanJStickle.

Steffen Peters and Rosamunde Top FEI Grand Prix Special CDI 3*

Wellington, FL – February 13, 2016 – The FEI Grand Prix Special CDI 5*, presented by Diamante Farms, concluded FEI CDI 5* competition today at the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). Laura Graves (USA) and Verdades added another win to their week, as the duo scored a 74.667% to best the class. Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven (SWE) and Benetton Dream finished in second with a 72.412%, while Belinda Trussell (CAN) and Anton captured third place receiving a 71.431%. In the FEI Grand Prix Special 3*, presented by Wellington Equestrian Realty, Steffen Peters (USA) and Rosamunde took home the victory. Competition for AGDF 5 concludes tomorrow with the FEI Intermediaire I Freestyle CDI 1*, presented by Kirk Arabians.

Graves and Verdades topped the FEI Grand Prix CDI 5*, presented by Diamante Farms, on Thursday and chose to compete in today’s FEI Grand Prix Special class. While their test was not as exact or powerful as may be typically expected from the duo, it was an example of an established partnership that is continuing to grow with time. The judges recognized the maturity of their effort, awarding it a 74.667% for the win. Graves reflected on the experience of coming back to the ring after their last difficult competition.

“Today I really wanted to ride him down and let him have another good experience. Tonight I felt like it was far from being our highest score, the most precise, and certainly not our most powerful, but he was 100% himself tonight and that was a really good feeling,” she explained. “What we did in the Grand Prix on Thursday really paid off and it’s good to feel like I have him back knowing that I could have ridden better.”

The pair seemed back to their usual selves during the Special, which Graves has noted is a strong test for Verdades. The pair, instead of focusing on accuracy and precision, decided to reach towards a more relaxed and harmonious test to continue boosting their confidence in the ring.

WATCH Laura Graves and Verdades win FEI CDI 5* GP Special here!

“This was a big confidence builder for me as a rider and a trainer, having (had a) first kind of low point since we’ve been successful. It’s always hard and it makes you question things, like what do we do and how do we move on. But it’s really true – if it doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger and you learn,” she explained. “Now, I know this will happen again. It’s not the first time, and it’s not the last. This is life and this is the chance you take when you go into the arena with another living being. That’s the sport.”

Graves now plans to give Verdades some down time while she discusses his competition schedule with her team. He will enjoy a lighter work schedule for a few weeks, do some work in the fields, and continue his favorite part of their training regimen – a once a week bareback hack.

Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Benetton Dream, owned by Lövsta Stuteri, represented Sweden with excellent style, earning a 72.412% for a solid test that featured sweeping half-passes and a strong piaffe-passage tour. Vilhelmson-Silfven noted that this is only the second time that the 12-year-old Hanoverian stallion has done the Special and was pleased with his performance.

“I’ve very, very pleased with my horse tonight. I’ve never had such a good feeling in the ring on him actually as we did today. He got really on when [the crowd] applauded Laura coming around the arena. He had much more power than [we] had before and it was a nice feeling. It was a nice feeling and he was going together with me in a nice way. Just a great feeling,” she said. “It was the second time that we’ve done the Special and it was the highest score that we’ve gotten so I’m happy. He got a little bit difficult when we did the trot extensions, especially when he’s that hot. He stumbled a bit because he went for too much, but other than that it was a good feeling.”

She reflected on the time it has taken to establish a partnership with her stallion that came from an active breeding career in Germany and maintains a full studbook at Lövsta Stuteri in Sweden. She explained, “I had him here two years ago. He came from Germany and was a breeding stallion so he may seem a little bit further behind in his training for his age. He’s been breeding a lot in Sweden too, so he’s had double work. This year we’re going to decrease the breeding so that I can focus on showing him a little bit more.”

“He has a great feeling, but he’s a big horse and a stallion, so for sure he gets a little bit nervous and that can show in many ways, but that’s why I was happy with today because he wanted to go on my aids,” she commented. “We’ve been working with a lot of different things, but really most to get him stronger so that he can perform the movements but also getting him to want to work with me, not to have to put pressure on him to do it by himself. He’s really getting together with me and that’s the great feeling with him. That takes time and that’s what it takes to build confidence and get to know them.”

Belinda Trussell rode Anton, owned by Robyn Eames and Marc Trussell, to third place after an already successful campaign at AGDF so far this season. Trussell noted that Anton’s natural capacity for piaffe makes the Grand Prix Special a great test for him.

“Anton, his gift is his piaffe and it’s just a dream to ride it actually. I sit there and cluck and he piaffes. That’s his highlight, and he’s just so consistent. He loves to do it, so that is really nice and in the Special, going from walk to piaffe is not difficult for him. It’s a nice feeling. I feel confident with this test and I like it because it is so forward moving. It’s nice to ride.”

She was pleased that Anton settled down a bit from his anxiety during the Grand Prix. Unlike Vilhelmsom-Silfven’s mount Benetton Dream, who gains energy and enthusiasm from applause, Anton can become tense, which can negatively impact his performance.

“He was difficult this week and was pretty nervous from the Grand Prix. I really am happy that he went in there and was more relaxed tonight than he was earlier in the week,” she continued.

Judge at C, Lilo Fore (USA), recognized the exceptional quality and training represented by the athletes she saw this week, ranging in nationality and international competition experience.

“The horse quality we have nowadays is just amazing and it’s exciting of course. But I think what I like very much in the whole week really, and especially with the top riders, is that everything is so much more harmonious. It’s wonderful to see how the riders and horses work with each other. The suppleness is getting better and better,” elaborated Fore. “I think the confidence of the horses and their riders is very obvious. You’re going to see a mistake here and there, but none of those mistakes were from incorrect training or a lack of understanding of the basics because you can see all of the top riders we have here have amazingly good basics and solid training under their belts. It’s very obvious and it shows itself in the test and in the confidence of the combinations. It’s fun to watch.”

Steffen Peters and Rosamunde Top FEI Grand Prix Special CDI 3*, presented by Wellington Equestrian Realty

Steffen Peters (USA) and Rosamunde continued their dominance in Large Tour competition at AGDF, earning top scores in the FEI Grand Prix Special CDI 3*, presented by Wellington Equestrian Realty, to take the class with a 73.333%. Kasey Perry-Glass (USA) and Goerklintgaards Dublet earned another top finish, adding a second place collection for the week, while young talent Juan Matute, Jr. (ESP) and Quantico Ymas earned third place with a 69.059%.

Steffen Peters and Rosamunde
Steffen Peters and Rosamunde

Peters and Rosamunde have taken the dressage world by storm as he and the stunning 2007 Rhinelander mare, owned by Four Winds Farm, continue to make a strong statement with their efficiency in the ring.

“She’s clearly improving and the one-tempis were already straighter. The weak parts were better today and we just had silly little things. She anticipated the two-tempis a bit and then at the end, the final halt, she stepped a little bit back. Silly little things, but expensive things,” noted Peters. “The collected wasn’t quite as relaxed, but things that were very difficult for her are better. Those are minor little things and are easier to polish.”

Rosamunde has progressed quickly through the beginning of her young career and Peters plans to keep her feeling comfortable, but confident, through their training at home.

“The good thing with Rosie is that I don’t have to push her. She wants to go. There are so many situations, especially in the first few extended trots, where I’m holding her back a little bit. At home, it is just very comfortable and not stressful so she just offers so much,” he explained. “I don’t think it’s really about what you’re doing in the show arena, it’s more of what you’re doing in the warm-up and how much work you have to do at home. That’s the main thing. I always believe in keeping them mentally just as healthy as they are physically healthy.”

WATCH Steffen Peters and Rosamunde’s FEI CDI 3* GP Special ride here!

As the combination heads back to California to test the rest of the season before the pressure begins to rise with the qualifications and selections for the 2016 Olympic Games, Peters is confident that “Rosie” will continue to improve during the duration.

“Rosie needs to get stronger, and we have a nice fitness program laid out for her. We’re skipping the next CDI in California, but we’ll show her again in late March. It’s always easy to think about improving, but it’s also equally important to think about maintaining what we have. I believe in bubble-wrapping them when they’re good.”

Peters brought Legolas 92 and Rosamunde to PBIEC for the USEF Festival of Champions in December 2015 and for this week’s competition. He explained why traveling to Wellington during the winter season is not just important for his horses, but for the sport.

“This is the place to be from January to March,” he said. “Nowhere else in the world, even at the Grand Prix, do you have such a wonderful turnout. We had a great panel of judges for both the CDI 3* and CDI 5*. We have to support shows like this and on top of that, I’ve never seen anywhere in America a crowd like we had last night. When the audience is that generous, the riders need to play along and show up here.”

Perry-Glass has shot through the national rankings at the Grand Prix level with Goerklintgaards Dublet over the course of the past month and the combination continues to show improvements in their tests together with each outing.

“He felt really good in the warm up, probably the best I’ve ever felt him. He was really focused and relaxed, but hot at the same time. When I went into the ring, I felt he got a little bit hotter. There were a few mistakes in the test, but that was probably the most focused and in front of my leg that I’ve ever felt him,” commented Perry-Glass. “That was the positive thing for today. It’s just a matter of pilot errors on my end. It’s me getting used to him in the ring, and we’re going to continue working on that.”

With two horses competitive at the Grand Prix level, Perry-Glass has found herself learning more about her own riding and technique under the watchful eye of trainer Debbie McDonald. Gaining more experience in the international arena is a priority for Perry and “Dublet” who are still solidifying their partnership together at the Grand Prix.

“We are entered into the CDI-W at the end of the month and then possibly skip the Palm Beach Derby, but have put in our application for the CDIO Nations Cup and see where it goes from there,” explained Perry of her future plans with “Dublet”. “If Scarlett doesn’t get into the top eight for the traveling tour to Europe, we’re possible going to breed her because she’s such a good mare. That’s her plan and then we’re shooting for that top eight with Dublet.”

The young Juan Matute, Jr. found himself among some of the best in today’s FEI Grand Prix Special CDI 3*, but that did not deter him from riding a beautiful test aboard Quantico Ymas for third place.

“It’s the details of the tests. I think we have all of the relaxation and the movements. I’ve been riding him now for three years. This was our first CDI Grand Prix so I was very happy with the results and really proud of our progress and our journey,” he explained. “It’s a horse that is very sensitive. He’s from a jumping line by Fighting Fit so he’s a horse that has really made me work every day and analyze my basic concepts of riding. He has a lot of talent. He’s ambitious in the ring, which helps, but today was very good.”

Ever so early in his career, Matute has found success in the inner workings of the basic movements, which has helped to increase scores and create a more secure partnership with Quantico Ymas.

“We always begin working on the passage and piaffe when they’re young, maybe five or six years old, to start developing that power from behind little by little. He’s always been a talented passage horse because he likes to sit a lot. We’ve been working little by little on our way up to Grand Prix, but really only over the past year did we start to consider moving him up to the Under 25 division and then to the Grand Prix.”

Competition at AGDF will conclude tomorrow with the FEI Intermediaire I Freestyle CDI 1*, presented by Kirk Arabians, beginning at 11:20 a.m. To see a full list of results and a weekly schedule, please visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

About the Adequan Global Dressage Festival:

The Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) is one of the world’s largest international and national dressage circuits featuring 7 FEI Dressage events, including a 5* and the only FEI Nations’ Cup Series CDIO in the Western Hemisphere. The AGDF offers more than $650,000 in prize money for the seven international competitions, making it one of the richest circuits in the world. The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center facility includes the Van Kampen covered arena (made possible by Kimberly and Frederic Boyer and family) and four outdoor arenas with world-class footing, 200 permanent stalls, and a VIP seating area.

Please visit
www.globaldressagefestival.com
www.pbiec.com
or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Adequan Global Dressage Festival is located at
The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center
13500 South Shore Blvd, Wellington, Florida 33414

Allison Kavey and Carly Weilminster
Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Peters and Rosamunde Make Statement on First Day of Competition at AGDF 5

Steffen Peters and Rosamunde. Photos: ©SusanJStickle.

Wellington, FL – February 10, 2016 – Steffen Peters (USA) and Rosamunde, owned by Four Winds Farm, made an impressive jump to the top of the standings with a score of 75.380% in the FEI Grand Prix CDI 3*, presented by Wellington Equestrian Realty, at the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF). The CDI 3* Grand Prix competition started off the fifth week of AGDF, which is sponsored by Diamante Farms, at The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). The CDI 5* competition will begin tomorrow at 1 p.m. with the FEI Grand Prix, presented by Diamante Farms, preceded by the FEI Prix St. Georges CDI 1*, presented by Kirk Arabians at 8 a.m.

Peters and the impressive 2007 Rhinelander mare maintained their consistency with their performance at AGDF, as they have only competed on the West Coast so far this season. Today’s competition had only the top three combinations break the 70% mark, with Peters and Rosamunde receiving a 75.380%. Shelly Francis (USA) and Danilo finished in second place with a 72.240%, while Kasey Perry-Glass (USA) and Goerklintgaards Dublet collected third place honors with a 71.020%.

“She felt great today,” said Peters. “She came into this show with some huge results from shows in California. There’s always that bit of pressure there, but she felt great today and probably was just as good as she was in L.A. I thought we had a very clean test. I saw a bunch of 8.5 and 9.0s in the test, which is exciting, but there is always room for improvement.”

While elaborating on the small improvements Peters would like to make with Rosamunde over the next few months, a few specific movements will be the main focus, including the one-tempis. He explained, “I think it’s clearly in the one-tempis. She still is swinging quite a bit. It’s interesting because when you watch the scoreboard, you can watch what the leader got as you’re watching other tests and she was at an 81% after the trot work and there again right before the one-tempis. Those are still expensive and you know, with her finding that perfect tempo for them. If it’s too forward, she’ll swing, and if it’s too collected, she does the same. It’s a bit tricky.”

“At the end of the day though, we have to appreciate that they even do the one-tempis,” laughed Peters. “This will take a little bit of time, but there’s nothing wrong with a 75% for a nine-year-old horse. I’m very proud of her and honored that I get to ride a horse like her.”

Shelly Francis and Danilo
Shelly Francis and Danilo

Shelly Francis and Danilo performed another beautiful test in the Grand Prix, riding late in the order and securing second place with a 72.240%. She said, “Overall, from the last show to this show because I’m going show by show, he’s more in front of my leg in certain places. There are a few moments where I think he could be a bit more, but he’s trying really hard to keep up with me.”

“Now that I’m making him more sensitive, I have to make sure that I’m making less mistakes myself,” noted Francis, who has seen consistent improvement from Danilo over the course of the past year and a half at the Large Tour.

“He feels really good. I had to squeeze a little bit in a few places, but he’s just improving, which is what I want him to continue doing,” she continued.

The 2004 Hanoverian gelding was a solid mount for Francis last year, but has come into his own in the Grand Prix over the past year, setting her up nicely for a strong winter campaign alongside Francis’ top mount Doktor.

“It’s constantly about getting him fitter without overdoing it too much. I just steadily, two days a week, do a bit harder days with a day in between of lighter work. We do it week after week and he gets fitter, stronger, even more willing, and responsive,” said Francis. “You put the pressure on once or twice a week and then he just gets better and better.”

Perry-Glass has also admittedly come leaps and bounds since taking the 2015 AGDF circuit by storm in Small Tour competition with “Dublet”. The pair has been extremely competitive in Large Tour competition so far this season, in just their first few international competitions so far this year.

“We really worked on that connection and through-ness in the off season. Today we had a bit of an issue in the extensions. It started off a bit rough, but he came back to me so nicely and that’s also what we’ve been working on with Debbie [McDonald],” she explained. “It’s about getting his attention in a positive way and even if we make a mistake here and there, he always seems to come right back to me. We’re getting him stronger and more comfortable in the Grand Prix.”

Perry-Glass has been working with U.S. legend Debbie McDonald since her recent permanent relocation from her original hometown of Orangeville, CA to Wellington, FL. She and Dublet continue to display poise and control in the ring, and Perry has learned to continue riding through the mistakes that may arise during their tests, which has helped their scores tremendously.

“Specifically right now we’re keeping him really happy. I feel like if he’s doing everything in training in a positive way. We are working it day by day on that through-ness and connection. It’s about the balance. I’m riding with Debbie four days a week and having that consistency is really important for us,” she noted. “It’s more now about getting him focused in the arena and keeping him really connected with me in the ring.”

Competition at AGDF continues tomorrow at 8 a.m. with the FEI Prix St. Georges CDI 1*, presented by Kirk Arabians, followed by the FEI Grand Prix CDI 5*, presented by Diamante Farms, beginning at 1 p.m. in the Global International Arena. For more information on AGDF please visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

About the Adequan Global Dressage Festival:

The Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) is one of the world’s largest international and national dressage circuits featuring 7 FEI Dressage events, including a 5* and the only FEI Nations’ Cup Series CDIO in the Western Hemisphere. The AGDF offers more than $650,000 in prize money for the seven international competitions, making it one of the richest circuits in the world. The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center facility includes the Van Kampen covered arena (made possible by Kimberly and Frederic Boyer and family) and four outdoor arenas with world-class footing, 200 permanent stalls, and a VIP seating area.

Please visit
www.globaldressagefestival.com
www.pbiec.com
or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Adequan Global Dressage Festival is located at
The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center
13500 South Shore Blvd, Wellington, Florida 33414

Carly Weilminster
Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Premier Equestrians Have Dry Haven in Midst of Powerful El Niño Storms

Riders at Steffen and Shannon Peters’ Arroyo Del Mar lost no riding time after one of the strongest El Niño storms on record. The OTTO Sport arena system provided by Premier Equestrian kept the arena in stable and safe condition (Photos courtesy of Keri Homer, Arroyo Del Mar)

San Diego, California (January 8, 2016) – As a series of storms pummel California this week with one of the strongest El Niño weather systems on record, many equestrians find themselves extremely limited with the excess of flooding in paddocks and riding rings. However, with early preparations to the warnings of the upcoming El Niño year, some wise equestrians have installed an elite arena system that allows them to “walk on water” during this massive storm.

U.S. Olympian Steffen Peters knew that selecting an arena footing system for his California training facility was of utmost importance, especially with the threat of harsh storms and heavy rain. That’s why he chose to train on riding surfaces provided by Premier Equestrian, a leading industry innovator in arena footing. Steffen selected the advanced OTTO Sport arena. Premier Equestrian is the exclusive North American distributor for German based OTTO Sport-und Reiplatz GmbH. Now, even through the record-tying flooding, potential flash floods, and mudslides, Peters’ facility continues to function smoothly with riders and horses out and about training on the Premier Equestrian and OTTO Sport arena system.

“OTTO Sport offers a system of drainage, concussion relief, biomechanics benefits, and longevity,” said Heidi Zorn, President of Premier Equestrian. “The OTTO Sport system is a proven product that has been around for over thirty years. Many arenas are still standing and performing as well as they did the first day the system was installed thirty years ago.” This is why several “Premier Equestrians,” riders like Peters who are people dedicated to the development and preservation of horse sport, have chosen to put the OTTO Sport system under their winning horses’ hooves.

The OTTO system centers on the OTTO Sport Perforated Mat. This arena base mat system provides maximum drainage, concussion mitigation, stability for horse and rider, and a proper and durable separation of footing and substructure. Drainage holes in the mat remove excess water quickly, making the arena useable immediately after persistent rain. Built-in reservoirs hold enough water to rehydrate the footing later. These features make the OTTO Sport Perforated Mat System universally suited for any arena or farm in the world, and crucial in times of extreme weather.

Another key factor in Peters’ arena is the revolutionary Premier HT footing, which stands for Hydration Technology. This is a programmable textile footing that can be configured to uptake water at different levels and rates. The HT footing drastically reduces the amount of water needed to maintain an ideal riding surface, and reduces the amount of time spent maintaining the arena. Premier HT will always maintain the appropriate hydration whether it be drought or flood conditions.

Even while riders enjoyed schooling in the OTTO Sport arena at Arroyo Del Mar, the facility’s round pen - without the OTTO Sport arena system provided by Premier Equestrian - was rendered unusable after the intense El Niño storms.
Even while riders enjoyed schooling in the OTTO Sport arena at Arroyo Del Mar, the facility’s round pen – without the OTTO Sport arena system provided by Premier Equestrian – was rendered unusable after the intense El Niño storms.

Peters and his wife, USDF Gold Medalist Shannon Peters, believe that this advanced arena system and footing are essential, and their arena has truly proven its worth throughout the series of intense El Niño storms. Peters continues to train with Akiko Yamazaki’s Legolas 92 and Rosamunde 20, while the majority of the Californian equestrian population without the arena system is virtually stall bound. Yamazaki, another Premier Equestrian, also planned ahead and installed the OTTO Sport arena system before the storms hit. Peters and Yamazaki were originally introduced to the OTTO Sport arena system at the 2006 Word Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, where the system held up against two weeks of heavy rain.

Keri Homer, the barn manager for Steffen and Shannon Peters at Arroyo Del Mar, remarked that before the Premier Equestrian and OTTO Sport arena system, they would have had to close the outdoor ring with no telling when it could be reopened in the massive amount of flooding. Homer states, “Today, we are playing in the rain on stable, safe, and consistent footing. Let El Niño in – we are ready!”

Dave Martin of Footings West, who worked with Premier Equestrian to install the OTTO Sport arena at Peters’ facility Arroyo Del Mar, has been paying close attention to the arena’s maintenance during El Niño. Martin states, “The Arroyo Del Mar arena is the only outdoor arena in all of southern California that is 100% usable even for heavy equipment. The performance of the OTTO Sport arena system is beyond anything I have ever seen in my 35 years of arena construction,” he remarked.

Founded in 1999, Premier Equestrian is the Official Dressage Arena of the United States Equestrian Federation and the United States Dressage Federation. For more information about Premier Equestrian, visit www.PremierEquestrian.com or call 1-800-611-6109. To see more news about this press release, visit http://premierequestrian.com/category/pressrelease/articles/PR-dry-heaven-in-midst-of-powerful-El-nino-storms.html.

For more information contact:
Heidi Zorn, Premier Equestrian
1-800-611-6109
www.PremierEquestrian.com
heidi@dressagearena.net

Steffen Peters Takes Two Top Titles at U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions

Photo courtesy of JRPR.

Wellington, FL (December 18, 2015) – As a top athlete in his discipline, Steffen Peters will settle for nothing less than the best for his world-class horses. That’s why for the past two years, the dressage icon has trained his Olympic partner Legolas 92 and new rising star Rosamunde on arena footing provided by Premier Equestrian, the Official Dressage Arena of the United States Equestrian Federation and the United States Dressage Federation. Once again, Peters’ meticulousness in his riding and equine partners’ care and training has paid off at the 2015 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions, presented by the Dutta Corporation this past weekend at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival show grounds in Wellington, Florida.

After a four-year streak as the title Champion – winning in 2011 with Ravel and in 2012, 2013, and 2014 with Akiko Yamazaki’s Legolas 92 – Peters returned to the Festival of Champions this year with both Legolas and Rosamunde, Yamazaki’s eight-year-old Rhinelander mare that he began training in 2013 as a successor to Legolas. Both horses delivered outstanding performances during the three-day competition, overall capturing Peters both the Reserve Championship on Legolas and third place on Rosamunde in the Dutta Corp./USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Championship.

Of particular note was Peters’ show-stopping performance on Legolas in the Grand Prix Freestyle. The flawless routine earned the pair an impressive score of 77.675 percent, prevailing over Laura Graves and Verdades, who came in first overall in the Dutta Corp./USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Championship standings. “It was one of my best freestyles,” said Peters, adding that he felt the performance was even stronger than the freestyle that won him the Gold medal at the 2015 Pan American Games. “It wasn’t just with the music, but with the footfall of every single beat,” he explained. “It was a very clean freestyle, and I’m extremely excited.” In the same competition, a score of 74.950 captured third place for Peters and Rosamunde, positioning the up-and-coming new talent just a hair’s width behind Graves’ and Verdades’ mark of 75.125 percent.

Overall, Peters said he was thrilled with both horses’ performances, having scored 74.22 percent with Legolas and 72.62 percent with Rosamunde in the FEI Grand Prix Open on Wednesday. In Thursday’s FEI Grand Prix Special Open, Rosamunde stole second place from Legolas with a score of 74.549 percent, promising to be a worthy successor for the top international mount, who placed third at 72.412 percent.

As the exclusive North American distributor for German based OTTO Sport-und Reiplatz GmbH, Premier Equestrian recently upgraded Peters’ facility with the advanced OTTO Sport arena system, which will be used next year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The OTTO system centers on the OTTO Sport Perforated Mat, which provides maximum drainage, concussion mitigation, stability for horse and rider, and a proper and durable separation of footing and substructure. Concussion absorption and skid resistance protect the horse’s joints and tendons from debilitating, long-term damage. Peters currently uses solely Premier Equestrian footing products, including the new Premier HT textile footing, which uses hydration technology to dramatically reduce the amount of water needed to keep an arena properly maintained.

Since 2013, Peters has trained Legolas and Rosamunde on arena footing provided by Premier Equestrian, the global footing company that also provided the dressage arenas used at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival facility where the Festival of Champions was hosted. Peters researched footing extensively before making the decision to equip his own California facility with Premier Equestrian arena surfaces and the OTTO Sport Perforated Mat system, which is also the choice arena system of Akiko Yamazaki, owner of Legolas and Rosamunde. “Premier’s footing is the best we have ever ridden on,” said Peters. “It’s the perfect combination of materials and is very easy to maintain. The footing and mat system provides superior traction as well as cushioning, exceptional drainage and retains moisture while reducing dust. We couldn’t be happier. Premier Equestrian is simply the best!”

Premier Equestrian is proud to sponsor top professionals like Peters, who the company considers a true “Premier Equestrian.” For more information about this industry leader in providing outstanding arena footing and equipment, visit www.PremierEquestrian.com or call 1-800-611-6109.

For more information contact:
Heidi Zorn, Premier Equestrian
1-800-611-6109
www.PremierEquestrian.com
heidi@dressagearena.net