Steffen Peters and Ravel during the awards ceremony following the 2012 World Dressage Masters Exquis Grand Prix Freestyle, which they won with a score of 83.70%. (Photo courtesy of Susan J Stickle)
Wellington, FL (February 7, 2012) – Thanks to the efforts of the show management team from the Gold Coast Dressage Association and the Wellington Dressage Classic Association, the 2012 Dressage season kicked off with three amazing CDI events in January and 2 Paralympic Qualifiers. With world-class dressage riders providing an air of European competition, the Gold Coast Dressage Association’s Opener CDI W/CDEDI3* January 19-22, 2012, the Wellington Classic Sunshine Challenge CDI3*/CPEDI3* January 25-29, 2012 and the 2012 Palm Beach leg of the prestigious World Dressage Masters presented by the Axel Johnson Group set the tone for a fantastic Wellington dressage season.
Wellington Classic Dressage once again hosted the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach with International Polo Club as Presenting Sponsor. The Masters proved to be a record setting event for the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center, with dressage star Steffen Peters setting the dressage ring on fire with record breaking scores, while the number of spectators also proved to be at an all-time high. “This year’s Masters was one for the record books,” said John Flanagan of Wellington Classic Dressage, Gold Coast Dressage, International Horse Sport, and one of the organizers of the WDM Palm Beach. “The competition was amazing and a record number of people were able to watch this event live, which is a great testament to the strength of our sport in South Florida and the United States.”
West Palm Beach, FL – The 2012 World Dressage Masters Palm Beach CDI4* presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach ended as it began with American dressage superstar Steffen Peters and Ravel storming to their second consecutive sweep of the event. Their dramatic freestyle was very difficult and they were rewarded by the judges with a score of 83.70% and recognized with a standing ovation from the crowd. It was a narrow victory, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin gave Peters and Ravel a lot to handle but they held on by 5/100ths of a point.
“What an amazing ride,” said Peters. “Thanks again to my buddy Ravel.”
Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven was third on a score of 78.250% with Favourit.
Peters (San Diego, CA) and Ravel’s incredibly difficult transitions, including from canter pirouette to piaffe to walk, were seamless. Ravel’s half-pass has amazing reach at both the trot and the canter and the one- time changes on the centerline were effortless. The all-around brilliance gave this pair the edge – making them back-to-back World Dressage Masters Palm Beach Champions.
Steffen Peters and Ravel, winners of the WDM Palm Beach Exquis Grand Prix Freestyle. Photo credit Sue Stickle and Marie Cobb
Wellington, FL (January 28, 2012) – Steffen Peters of the United States successfully defended his World Dressage Masters Palm Beach title on Saturday evening when he rode Ravel to his second consecutive Exquis Grand Prix Freestyle win. But it wasn’t an easy victory. British challengers Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro came within five one hundredths of a percentage point of toppling Peters from the center of the podium.
“I had a great night with Ravel, but I watched Charlotte after our ride,” said Peters after the awards ceremony. “When she came out of the ring I went over and said to her, ‘I think you’ve won it.’ It is exciting to be that close to another of the world’s top horses and riders.” Peters and Akiko Yamazaki’s 14 year old KWPN gelding had received a score of 83.7%, which kept them ahead of Dujardin and Valegro, a ten year old KWPN gelding owned by Carl Hester and Roly Luard, by the tiniest of margins; the British pair received 83.65% for their performance.
Steffen Peters and Ravel celebrate (Shannon Brinkman Photo)
West Palm Beach, FL – Before a packed house at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center, defending champions Steffen Peters and Ravel scored the first victory of the 2012 World Dressage Masters Palm Beach CDI4* presented by the International Polo Club Palm 81.383% in the process.
The marquis event brought some of the very best from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and Charlotte Dujardin, from Great Britain, made a hard charge at the victory with Valegro scoring 78.468 %. But Peters never flinched in the pressure of being the final rider in the ring. He impressed the judges (and gave the crowd what they came for).
“Sometimes it’s a little hard to put it into words,” said Peters after his ride. “First I have to give a big thank you to my buddy Ravel; it’s a personal best for us. It’s amazing to think he keeps getting better after all these years.”
Steffen Peters and Ravel, Grand Prix winners at the 2012 WDM Palm Beach. Photo credit Sue Stickle
Wellington, FL (January 27, 2012) – American Steffen Peters took a step toward defending his 2011 World Dressage Masters Palm Beach title by winning the WDM Palm Beach Nürnberger Grand Prix test with a record-shattering score of 81.383%. Not only is that a personal best result in a CDI Grand Prix for Peters and Akiko Yamazaki’s 14 year old KWPN gelding, it is also the highest score ever attained in a WDM Palm Beach Grand Prix.
“I started to have the feeling I got from Ravel tonight in the last couple of weeks,” said Peters after his decisive victory over the international field of 16 competitors. “I had this feeling at a show two weeks ago in California, but I had to risk it a bit more here. Ravel feels even stronger than last year and more supple. It was a blast to ride.”
Jacob Arnold, Jim Wofford, and Steffen Peters (Geoff Bugbee)
The 2012 USEF Annual Meeting in Cincinnati, OH ended on Saturday night with a Pegasus awards show that was broadcast around the world. Steffen Peters was chosen from a fantastic group of nominees and earned the night’s top prize, Equestrian of the Year, for the third time. Opting for a slideshow rather than a speech Peters thanked in pictures Ravel, Weltino’s Magic and, among many others, his wife Shannon. James C. Wofford was honored with a lifetime achievement award (you can view a video about his life and achievements here) and Jacob Arnold accepted the award for 2011 Youth Equestrian of the Year.
On demand video of the Pegasus awards, along with pictures and video from Friday’s Horse of the Year celebration, is available here on the USEF Network.
Steffen Peters, 2011 Equestrian of the Year, at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico
Cincinnati, OH – To cap off a record-setting year, dressage superstar Steffen Peters added one more record to his résumé on Saturday night at the United States Equestrian Federation’s Pegasus Awards dinner. He became the first person to score the USEF’s Equestrian of the Year title three times.
Peters (San Diego, CA) won the top honor in 2008 and 2009 based largely on his accomplishments with Akiko Yamazaki’s phenom Ravel – but in 2011, Ravel had some help. Peters capitalized on his first trip to the Pan American Games and scored Team and Individual Gold in a tremendous effort with Jen and Bruce Hlavacek’s Weltino’s Magic. From California to Aachen, Germany Peters was undefeated in 2011 with the now 9-year-old Westphalian gelding.
Both Ravel and ‘Magic’ scored at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Dressage Championships in Gladstone, NJ in September sweeping the Grand Prix and Intermediaire I divisions respectively. Peters won all six classes in the effort and secured his Pan Am spot with Magic in the process.
Custom Saddlery is proud to believe in the magic of dressage rider Steffen Peters and his equine partner Weltino’s Magic. (Photo courtesy of Sheryl Ross)
Aiken, SC (January 2, 2012) – Pan Am Gold Medal winning horse Weltino’s Magic, owned by Jen Hlavacek and ridden by Steffen Peters, has a motto designed to remind people that they can achieve the highest goals they set for themselves. Magic’s motto is, “I Believe in Magic,” and his fans around the world have embraced the saying. The staff at Custom Saddlery, the saddle company that endorses Peters and his magical equine partner, is thrilled to embrace the magic of Peters and Weltino’s Magic.
“Custom Saddlery has sponsored Steffen Peters on a variety of horses over the years. Steffen now rides predominantly in our Icon Flight Saddle and we are currently in the process of making a new saddle for Weltino’s Magic. We could not ask for a higher profile or more accomplished rider then Steffen. He is a true ambassador for the sport and for Custom Saddlery. We are proud and honored to have him ride in our saddles,” said Graham Newell, Professional Saddle Fitter for Custom Saddlery.
Anne Gribbons at a 2011 Training Session (Photo: USEF Archives)
Lexington, KY – Beginning in December, the USEF and USET Foundation will host six Olympic Games Preparation Dressage training sessions/clinics. Riders will have the unique opportunity to work with USEF Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons and U.S. Olympic, World Equestrian Games and Pan American Games medalist Steffen Peters. These clinics will focus on preparing potential team riders for the 2012 Olympic Games Selection Trials and Olympic Games.
The clinics are by invitation only, based on criteria set forth by the USEF High Performance Dressage Committee and concentrating on athlete/horse combinations with international competition experience and the prospect of contributing to a Team or Individual medal at the 2012 Olympic Games. For more information please see the USEF website. Clinics will take place December 2011 – April 2012 with three being held in California and three in Florida.
L to R - Heather Blitz (silver), Steffen Peters (gold) and Marisa Festerling (bronze). Photo: FEI/ Stockimageservices.com
Lausanne (SUI), 20 October 2011 – American Dressage riders swept all before them when returning a record-breaking fourth consecutive team victory and filling all the steps of the individual medal podium at the 2011 Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. On Sunday they cruised confidently into pole position in the team event ahead of the silver medallists from Canada while Colombia claimed the bronze. And yesterday Steffen Peters steered Weltino’s Magic to individual gold ahead of Heather Blitz with Paragon in silver and Marisa Festerling and Big Tyme in bronze.
It was a convincing performance at all levels, and anchorman Peters was the linchpin of the American side. But, as he pointed out in the aftermath of the team success, he was under considerably less pressure than usual due to the highly-competitive performances of his team-mates. “Over the past few years I have always had to carry a lot of weight on my shoulders as the very last rider, but the team did an awesome job – every single horse, every single rider,” he pointed out. The silver medallists from Canada and bronze medallists from Colombia had plenty of reason to celebrate too, as their second and third-place finishes have provided them with qualifying spots for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
TEAM MEDALS A total of 12 nations battled it out for the team medals, and the combined US score of 75.754 gave them a clear five-point victory. Peters and Weltino’s Magic produced the only score over 80% – his 80.132 setting a new Pan-American Games record – and he was awarded the leading mark by all five members of the Ground Jury – Great Britain’s Stephen Clarke, Raphael Saleh from France, Canada’s Cara Witham, Argentina’s Gabriel Armando and President, Lilo Fore, from the USA.
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