Gladstone, N.J., Sept. 9

Steffen Peters couldn’t have asked for a better way to finish his day than by placing first in both the Grand Prix Special and the Prix St. Georges aboard two different horses at the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival Of Champions. 

He won the Special aboard Ravel (80.08 percent) and the Prix St. Georges on Weltino’s Magic (79.78%).

The Intermediaire I National Championship doubles as the selection trials for the upcoming Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, and the Prix St. Georges was postponed yesterday due to rain, so it was a relief to riders to finally get under way.

Peters scored an historic high, soundly topping the small tour field over Heather Blitz on Paragon (74.73%) and Cesar Parra on Grandioso (74.52%).

“I knew with the way they top five were looking, especially Heather, I couldn’t just come in here and cruise around,” said Peters. “He felt great today, even a little softer in the bridle. Sometimes he’s not the most supple horse, but today he was.”            

But Peters, San Diego, Calif., had confidence after winning the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I at the prestigious Aachen CHIO (Germany) in July with the 9-year-old Westphalian gelding (Weltino—Diva, Diamond Boy).

“That was the first time in a really big stadium. In his earlier days he was a bit spooky and a bit difficult. After Aachen I felt sure he could handle this arena, and he did,” said Peters.

Watch Peters’ test with Weltino’s Magic:

Blitz, Wellington, Fla., admitted she hadn’t pushed for every point because she’s been working hard at developing the Grand Prix work with Paragon, an 8-year-old Danish Warmblood (Blue Hors Don Schufro—Pari Lord, Loran).

“If I’d chanced it with a little more energy producing half-halts, I think I might have gotten into some passage, which wouldn’t have been good at this level. So I played it cool and wanted a lot of flow and a real mistake-free, forward-going, supple test. That’s what I feel like I got,” she said.

Watch Heather Blitz’s test:

Parra was right behind Blitz and beaming from ear-to-ear with the thought of being one step closer to making the Pan Am team for the United States. Although Parra has ridden at the Pan Ams before for his native Colombia, this would be his first time riding for the United States, where he now splits his time between Whitehouse Station, N.J., and Jupiter, Fla.

“I’ve been saying since winter that this is a dream team, and I’d be honored to be part of it. I’m excited. What else can I ask than to be in the best company possible to go to Mexico?” he said. “Can you imagine the day that we have a team like this for Grand Prix?”

A Personal Best In The Special

Ravel felt a little behind the leg during his Grand Prix test. While his lack of desire to go forward in the pouring rain was understandable, Peters wanted no questions about his expectations during his Grand Prix Special.

“I had to wake him up a little bit more than usual, and he said, “OK, I better pay attention.’ He carried that through from the first step into the arena to the last halt. He as was so in front of me. I think it was the best Grand Prix Special ever,” said Peters.

Indeed, their score of 80.08 percent was their highest to date in the Special and easily gave them in the lead over Tina Konyot on Calecto V (73.41%) and Lauren Sammis on Sagacious HF (67.95%).

Linda Zang, who judged at E, announced she’d given Peters 10s for his halts and 9s for his passage. In fact, Peters scored six 10s altogether from the judging panel.

Peters revealed that his secret to keeping Ravel fresh has been adding treadmill work to his daily routine.

“There’s really not that much you need to change in the way he’s going in his daily routine. I was thinking, ‘What can I do to get him cardiovascularly more fit?’ ” said Peters.

His wife Shannon, who is also competing in the Grand Prix Championship with Odyssey, suggested putting the 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Contango—Hautain, Democraat) on the treadmill. So now he spends 10 minutes walking on the flat surface, then 5 minutes on an incline, then 5 more minutes on the flat and then 7-8 minutes on a steeper incline.

“I was so nervous about putting him on there. What if something happens?” said Steffen. “We put him on there, and he took the first step as if he’d always been there. I think the extra cardiovascular fitness is why he stretched over 80 percent a couple of times.”

Walking on the hills is also a big part of Konyot’s training plan with Calecto, whom she hacks often at her farm outside of Toronto during the summer months. But today she credited her strong finish to being able to hold onto her reins. “I really struggled yesterday holding onto my reins [in the rain]. I felt like my horse helped me out an awful lot yesterday,” she said.

 Konyot was unsure if her 13-year-old Danish Warmblood stallion (Come Back II—Bahera, Rastell) would remember having a negative experience in the ring and react to it, but he was completely at home.

“My horse felt great right from the beginning. He’s just getting stronger, and he’s confident with himself,” said Konyot.

For Sammis, the Grand Prix Special was redemption for a day that didn’t go so well in the rain.

“I’m still bringing Sagacious back, and I need a little bit more ring time. I didn’t help him out as much as I should have in the footing. Literally every time I went across the arena I kept on having mistakes. I rarely make mistakes in my changes, and he was questioning whether I was going to be there for him,” she said.

 Sagacious is returning from surgery to his sinuses and a bad colic attack. “He was out of work for six weeks. It’s been a rough summer,” admitted Sammis. “I’m not quite where I’d like to be. He didn’t make one hesitation today. It was purely rider error.”

With one test left to go, it’s looking like Peters and Konyot have the national championship and reserve championship wrapped up. The Grand Prix test counts for 45 percent, the Grand Prix Special counts for 30 percent, and Sunday’s freestyle only counts for 25. But there’s still a close race for third place, with yesterday’s third-placed finisher, Shawna Harding on Come On III, holding a slight edge over today’s fourth-placed finisher, Kathleen Raine on Breanna.

Susie Dutta had to withdraw Currency-DC from the Grand Prix Special after he developed a lameness in the warm-up.

Leibler Earns Another Young Rider Win

Isabelle Leibler and Watson 108 scored a win and a personal best in the Young Rider team test today, topping the class with a 70.26 percent over Brandi Roenick on Pretty Lady (68.00%) and Jillian Kemenosh on Nelzon (66.89%).

“That was our best score in the Prix St. Georges,” Leibler said. “We had a little mistake in our four-tempis where I wasn’t paying attention, but I couldn’t have asked for anything more from him. He doesn’t have a lot of confidence naturally. Today he was oozing confidence when he went in the ring. It was incredible to have that new feeling.”

Leibler, Greenwich, Conn., had an ideal preparation for the Festival Of Champions. With Watson 108, a 14-year-old Westphalian gelding (Weinzauber—Djuna, Damenstolz), she won team bronze with Region 8, individual gold and freestyle gold at the Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Team Championships. Since the NAJYRC, she’s been focusing on fine-tuning the tests with trainer Marcel Van Der Berg. 

“We realized young riders was a successful test run for this, and we want to build on that step-by-step,” said Leibler, 16.

Roenick, also 16, and Pretty Lady are also coming off a successful season; they won team gold with Region 5 and individual silver. Pretty Lady, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Iglesias—Ivonne, Sit This One Out), and Roenick started competing at training level together. With the help of her mom Tracy Roenick and Steffen Peters, the two moved up the levels together. Brandi, Scottsdale, Ariz., said the footing—still a little wet from yesterday’s deluge—was different than what her horse is used to, but that it didn’t affect her ride today.

“We never see rain where I live, so this was a huge shocker for me,” said Brandi. “My mare is very good about weather changing and different feels in the footing. It was definitely a little sticky when it came to getting her out of it, but it wasn’t too bad. I have a hot mare; that’s what happens when you get a little redhead. The mistakes in my test came from her getting excited and me trying to juggle calming her down without making it obvious.”

Cyprus Cleans Up In Pony Team Test

Though there were only two competitors in the FEI Pony Team test, the competition was fierce. Allison Cyprus and Maple Lane Kero went first, laying down a smooth test to score 63.94 percent. Barbara Davis and Bohdjan were next, earning a 63.61 percent to take second by a few tenths of a point.

“I felt very nervous, but once you come up the ramp and start riding, and the judge rings the bell, you’re so focused on your test that all the nerves go away,” said Cyprus. “It was a great experience to ride here at Gladstone, but it was a little nerve-wracking with five judges.”

Cyprus, 13, began riding “Peaches,” an 8-year-old Welsh Cob (Mill Gate Hercules—Canterbrook Marmalade, Trevallion Royal Consort), about three years ago. The two started at training level together.

“We did training, first and second level,” said Cyprus of Magnolia, Texas. “Then the year we were going to move up to third, we were working on his changes, and they started the FEI pony division. Since he is a pony, we decided to try and make it here to Gladstone.”

This is the first year of the FEI Pony competition at Gladstone, and Davis, 13, was thrilled to qualify with her 12-year-old Dutch pony (Prins Baccarat—Papanga, Apollo).

“[My trainer] Cesar Parra was here last year, and he heard a rumor that Lendon Gray was trying to get the ponies into Gladstone,” said Davis. “I’m glad they decided to give the ponies a chance. I hope they’ll be here next here and with more than two people. It’s a close community with the kids who have done ponies. I’m friends with Isabelle Leibler, and I’ve seen what the ponies did for her and her riding.”

Read our coverage from Thursday’s rainy classes at the Festival Of Champions.

Full results available at Fox Village. You can watch videos of all the top tests for free at USEF Network.