PrintThe Southern California trainer sweeps the CDI and open divisions with his veteran mount and two young prospects.
Steffen Peters may have plenty of equine royalty in his San Diego, Calif., stable, but his wins at the Del Mar Classic, Nov. 9-11, proved there’s a new heir in his line of succession and success.
Peters claimed six total wins at the Southern California competition in Del Mar, two of which came in his first competition with Prince, a 10-year-old, Dutch Warmblood gelding (Hemmingway—Wimpel) owned by the DeGroot family of DG Bar Ranch in Hanford, Calif.
After training him up through Prix St. Georges himself, resident professional Willy Arts sent Peters the horse in early September.
“Willy said, ‘Look, I’d be interested in leaving him with you to see if he should be sold as a Young Rider horse or if he has more potential,’ ” Peters explained. “After 10 days I called Willy back and said, ‘This is definitely not a Young Riders horse. I think he’s an international horse.’ ”
Prince earned his highest scores at Del Mar on Friday morning, logging a 67.84 percent in the open Grand Prix, which Peters attributed to his talent for the piaffe. He said he chose to ride the movements a bit on the forward side owning to Prince’s inexperience, but scored well nonetheless. Peters was also pleased with the gelding’s extensions.
“I think the test was judged with the highest international standard, and for him to start out with a 68 was, to all of us, a big success,” Peters said. “What’s really neat about him is that as excited as he gets in the piaffe and passage, he still does an extended walk for a pretty high score.”
The pair’s score in Saturday’s Grand Prix test (62.29%) was, unfortunately, lower than on the previous day, but was still enough to claim the blue.
“On the second day we had too many mistakes,” Peters admitted. “We had a mistake in the one-tempis, in the half-pass, and in one piaffe he lost his balance. Two of those movements are coefficients.
“Knowing what he can do at home and by the feeling he gave me at home, I have to admit that I was a little disappointed, but on the other side I’m also very realistic,” he continued. “When you show a horse for the first time, and especially at the Grand Prix, you have to know that it’s not going to be perfect right off the start.”
By no means discouraged, Peters said he plans to take the horse in another Grand Prix in February. Meanwhile, he’ll continue to hone the young gelding’s skills, working on balance in the piaffe and highlighting his talent for trot and canter extensions.
“I definitely believe it’s a horse for the international levels,” he said. “There’s no doubt in my mind. I believe in the horse, and I’m very lucky that he’s another addition to [my other upper-level mounts] Lombardi and Ravel.
“I had the luxury of finishing the one-tempis and controlling the passage and pirouettes with him,” Peters added proudly. “Willy does a fantastic job with young horses, and it’s obviously a lot of fun to work with him. It’s an honor.”
Steffen Peters may have plenty of equine royalty in his San Diego, Calif., stable, but his wins at the Del Mar Classic, Nov. 9-11, proved there’s a new heir in his line of succession and success.
Peters claimed six total wins at the Southern California competition in Del Mar, two of which came in his first competition with Prince, a 10-year-old, Dutch Warmblood gelding (Hemmingway—Wimpel) owned by the DeGroot family of DG Bar Ranch in Hanford, Calif.
After training him up through Prix St. Georges himself, resident professional Willy Arts sent Peters the horse in early September.“Willy said, ‘Look, I’d be interested in leaving him with you to see if he should be sold as a Young Rider horse or if he has more potential,’ ” Peters explained. “After 10 days I called Willy back and said, ‘This is definitely not a Young Riders horse. I think he’s an international horse.’ ”
Prince earned his highest scores at Del Mar on Friday morning, logging a 67.84 percent in the open Grand Prix, which Peters attributed to his talent for the piaffe. He said he chose to ride the movements a bit on the forward side owning to Prince’s inexperience, but scored well nonetheless. Peters was also pleased with the gelding’s extensions.
“I think the test was judged with the highest international standard, and for him to start out with a 68 was, to all of us, a big success,” Peters said. “What’s really neat about him is that as excited as he gets in the piaffe and passage, he still does an extended walk for a pretty high score.”
The pair’s score in Saturday’s Grand Prix test (62.29%) was, unfortunately, lower than on the previous day, but was still enough to claim the blue.
“On the second day we had too many mistakes,” Peters admitted. “We had a mistake in the one-tempis, in the half-pass, and in one piaffe he lost his balance. Two of those movements are coefficients.
“Knowing what he can do at home and by the feeling he gave me at home, I have to admit that I was a little disappointed, but on the other side I’m also very realistic,” he continued. “When you show a horse for the first time, and especially at the Grand Prix, you have to know that it’s not going to be perfect right off the start.”
By no means discouraged, Peters said he plans to take the horse in another Grand Prix in February. Meanwhile, he’ll continue to hone the young gelding’s skills, working on balance in the piaffe and highlighting his talent for trot and canter extensions.
“I definitely believe it’s a horse for the international levels,” he said. “There’s no doubt in my mind. I believe in the horse, and I’m very lucky that he’s another addition to [my other upper-level mounts] Lombardi and Ravel.
“I had the luxury of finishing the one-tempis and controlling the passage and pirouettes with him,” Peters added proudly. “Willy does a fantastic job with young horses, and it’s obviously a lot of fun to work with him. It’s an honor.”
