West Palm Beach, Fla., March 10
For the third year in a row Steffen Peters finished first in the Grand Prix test at the Florida edition of the World Dressage Masters with Akiko Yamazaki’s Ravel.
Finishing on an astonishing 80.87 percent, his highest CDI score to-date, Peters was understandably delighted.
“It was just an amazing ride. I think from now on it will be the ride I compare other rides to,” he said. “Everything felt really easy. He was so supple, perfectly in front of me. I was able to ride the piaffe a little bit more in place.”
Peters finished ahead of Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games teammate Tina Konyot on Calecto V (72.21%) and Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Favourit (71.34%).
Peters has only shown in one national show since his individual bronze medals at the WEG, but he said the 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Contango—Hautain, Democraat) was in better form even than last fall.
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“Coach Anne Gribbons has been asking me [about Ravel] because she hasn’t seen him since the World Games,” said Peters, San Diego, Calif. “I was so excited to tell her how he is, but I said, ‘You’ve got to see it for yourself. It’s really better. Words only mean so much.’ Anne has been working with me since we got here last week on Thursday. And that also was her impression that he was looking even better since the World Equestrian Games. I’m glad the judges agreed with that.”
The judge at C, Canada’s Cara Whitham, told Peters, “I wish I had a 12 to give to you. Wonderful!”
It was also a strong performance for Konyot, who bowed out of last week’s Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W (Fla.) when Calecto, a 13-year-old Danish Warmblood stallion (Come Back II—Bahera, Rastell) turned in a below-average test.
“Last weekend it was the lowest score I’ve had in a Grand Prix. I was shocked. I don’t know what happened between then and now, but I’m glad it was then and not now,” said Konyot. “I’m very happy. I’m trying to improve every time that. I try to get better and better and move our scores up. I think this was one of my better Grand Prix. It was the right time to do it.”
For Vilhelmson-Silfven, who comes from Sweden but has spent the last three months in Florida, it was the first time all season she’s placed worse than first in a CDI with Favourit. But she didn’t let her third-placed finish dampen her enthusiasm.
“I’ve had a super opportunity to educate my horses—my younger ones—and also Favourit has gotten the routine I wanted him to get. I couldn’t have had a better time,” said Vilhelmson-Silfven. “Favourit was a little bit tense today, but I’m still very pleased and happy with him.”
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The top eight from the Grand Prix will move on to the freestyle, scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. on March 11 for a sold-out crowd of 1200 people. The other nine competitors will contest the Grand Prix Special at 1 p.m.
The U.S. Equestrian Federation will provide a live webcast of the Special and the freestyle on the USEF Network.
Results
1. Ravel, Steffen Peters, USA, 80.87%
2. Calecto V, Tina Konyot, USA, 72.21%
3. Favourit, Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven, Sweden, 71.34%
4. Pop Art, Ashley Holzer, Canada, 71.06%
5. Otto, Todd Flettrich, USA, 69.93%
6. Le Mont d’Or, Anja Ploenzka, Germany, 69.85%
7. Come On III, Shawna Harding, USA, 69.08%
8. Exquis Clearwater, Anne Van Olst, Denmark, 68.87%
9. Lucky Tiger, Pierre St. Jacques, USA, 68.51%
10. Randon, Michal Rapcewicz, Poland, 68.17%
11. Ovation, Christa Laarakkers, the Netherlands, 68.08%
12. Ayscha, Shannon Dueck, Canada, 66.17%
13. Chablis, Valentina Truppa, Italy, 66.14%
14. Olivier, Elisabeth Austin, USA, 64.85%
15. Gran Gesto, Jacqueline Brooks, Canada, 64.02%
16. Cezanne, Gary Vander Ploeg, Canada, 62.36%
17. Dondolo las Marismas, Yvonne Losos de Muniz, Dominican Republic, 62.31%
