Rotterdam, the Netherlands—June 25

The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team (Shelly Francis and Doktor, Laura Graves and Verdades, Kasey Perry-Glass and Goerklintgaards Dublet, and Steffen Peters and Legolas 92) took the silver medal in a close CDIO***** Nations Cup competition on Saturday. Graves led the way for the United States, winning the Grand Prix Special (77.31%). 

Laura Graves and Verdades won the five-star Grand Prix Special. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

The U.S. team finished on 455.64 points, just behind the Dutch team (Danielle Heijkoop on Siro, Adelinde Cornelissen on Jerich Parzival, Diederik van Silfhout on Arlando N.O.P. and Hans Peter Minderhoud on Glock’s Johnson TN N.O.P.) with its 460.16 points. The result was decided over three classes, and a total of seven nations started in Thursday’s Grand Prix, after which Germany and Belgium were left on the sidelines when only the top five countries progressed to today’s Grand Prix Special and freestyle. 

Diederik van Silfhout on Arlando N.O.P. had the highest score for the Dutch team in the freestyle. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

In the CDI***, the United States also earned two top placings in the Grand Prix Special, with Peters taking the win aboard Rosamunde, and Allison Brock and Rosevelt placing third. Rotterdam was the last of three designated observation events as part of the selection process for the U.S. Olympic Dressage Team.

“I could not be more proud of our American riders and horses here in Rotterdam,” said Chef d’Equipe Robert Dover. “With wins in both CDI*** and CDIO***** classes by Steffen Peters and Laura Graves, and many other top placings, our U.S. squad was simply brilliant, culminating [with] the second-place finish in the Nations Cup. 

“Our nine combinations showed why they have become a true world power as we head toward Rio,” he continued.

The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team finished second in the Rotterdam CDIO***** (the Netherlands). Photo by Shannon Brinkman. 

Going into Saturday’s second and final day of Nations Cup competition, the U.S. team sat in second on a total of 226.92, behind the home team of the Netherlands, who led on a total of 231.58. The U.S. riders were able to build on their solid performances in the Grand Prix from Day 1 and put continued pressure on the Netherlands. Ultimately, the United States placed second. Sweden placed third on a total of 444.57.

Dutch rider Heijkoop had posted 73.67 percent with Siro, but that left the Dutch lying second after Peters’ high scoring result. Van Silfhout knew he needed to deliver a solid performance to clinch it for his country, and he didn’t falter, advancing up the centre line with determination and confidence as Arlando drummed out piaffe and passage for a score that almost matched his American rival as he put 79.47 percent on the board. 

Dutch Chef d’Equipe Johan Rockx was delighted. “I’m very excited because this is the first time for me to be senior chef d’equipe, so to get such a result, winning a Nations Cup right away, is fantastic!” he said. “I’m so happy and so proud to have such good riders in my team—I really enjoyed it all!

“Diederik has done so much fine tuning; it’s very impressive how he can refine the nice communcation he has with his horse,” he continued, adding that this weekend’s Nations Cup was part of the Dutch team selection process for the Olympics. “We have two observation competitions, this one in Rotterdam and then the Dutch Championships at Ermelo,  so this is an important part of selecting people, and we now have an idea how things are at the moment. We don’t want to select too early; we want to decide as close as possible to Rio.”

Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven won the CDIO***** freestyle and helped the Swedish team to third. Photo by Shannon Brinkman. 

The CDIO Rotterdam format called for two members of each team to represent their country in the Grand Prix Special while the remaining two compete in the Grand Prix Freestyle. Graves and Perry-Glass began the day for the United States in the Grand Prix Special. 

Graves and her own Verdades were the final combination to go in the class and showcased their signature power and expression throughout the test to score the winning 77.31 percent, going one better than their second-placed finish in the Grand Prix.

Perry-Glass and Diane Perry’s Goerklintgaards Dublet scored 71.76 percent, placing them fifth in the Special.

Concluding the Nations Cup was the Grand Prix freestyle. Francis and Patricia Stempel’s Doktor were the lead-off combination for the United States, scoring 72.80 percent. Capping off an immensely successful weekend, Peters rode Four Winds Farm’s Legolas 92 in a brilliant and energetic freestyle test, featuring music from U2 and Vanilla Ice. It pleased both the crowd and the judges to score 79.65 percent, placing them in second by a slim margin. Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven and Don Auriello won the class with a score of 79.75 percent.

“Today was a day for the history books for the United States here at Rotterdam,” said Peters. “Personally, winning [the three-star Grand Prix Special] and coming so close to the win in the [freestyle] with Legolas was so exciting. I am most pleased about Legolas though. It was a full house in the arena with a very electric atmosphere. Going around the arena I was waiting for him to act up, but he was perfect. It was one of his best freestyles. It is so exciting to be second at Rotterdam.”

Steffen Peters and Legolas 92 contested the freestyle in the Rotterdam CDIO*****. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

In the CDI*** Grand Prix Special, Peters and Brock matched their Grand Prix placings from Friday, once again taking first and third, respectively. Peters and Four Winds Farm’s Rosamunde again impressed the judging panel with their harmony, executing clean half-passes and wonderful extensions to score 75.15 percent.

“Rosamunde came in as the favorite today, and that pressure is never easy, but she delivered just as well as yesterday, and the judges rewarded her with a win,” said Peters.

Rosamunde and Steffen Peters topped the Rotterdam CDI***. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Maintaining consistent form, Brock and Claudine and Fritz Kundrun’s Rosevelt displayed an accurate performance, and though the stallion lacked some energy, was able to deliver solid expression throughout the test to score 73.17 percent.

Arlene “Tuny” Page (Wellington, Fla.) and her own Woodstock also landed near the top of the leaderboard, scoring 70.98 percent and placing fifth.

Competing in the CDI*** Grand Prix freestyle, Francis and Patricia Stempel’s Danilo placed sixth with a score of 70.95 percent. Guenter Seidel and James and Charlotte Mashburn’s Zero Gravity rounded out the American contingent, placing 12th on a score of 66.67 percent.

Steffen Peters patted Legolas 92 after their freestyle. Photo by Shannon Brinkman. 

“I am so thankful for the whole team that we have with Hallye [Griffin] and Robert [Dover] taking the lead,” said Peters. “They do so much behind the scenes for not just riders, but for the family members and support staff. They put in 18 hours a day and never complain. It is absolutely amazing to be a part of and to have such dedicated team leaders.”