80% Club Riders Honored at Omaha World Cup, Special Award to Isabell Werth

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Celebration of “80% Club” riders Steffen Peters of the USA, Inessa Merkulova of Russia, Laura Graves of the USA and Isabell Werth of Germany at the Omaha World Cup Final. © 2017 SusanJStickle.com

OMAHA, Nebraska, Mar. 31, 2017–Four riders who are among the 14 of the “80% Club” by riding horses for a score of at least 80 per cent in the Grand Prix were honored at the World Cup Final Friday.

Inessa Merkulova rode Mister X for a score of 82.240 per cent in Moscow in February, 2016 to be admitted to the club that was created by dressage-news.com.

Isabell Werth, the most decorated Olympic equestrian, was given a special award of a browband and a belt to honor her achievement of becoming the first rider in the world to score 80 per cent at Grand Prix on three different horses–Bella Rose, Weihegold OLD and Emilio.

Laura Graves of Geneva, Florida was the latest 80% Club member, receiving the mark on Verdades in two Grand Prix at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida in February.

Steffen Peters on Ravel that he competed at two Olympics, the 2010 World Games and became only the second American as World Cup champion in 2009 was also on hand to be applauded by the crowd estimated at about 5,000.

Other “80% Club” riders competing at this World Cup Final are Edward Gal who performed the feat on Totilas and Glock’s Undercover and Carl Hester who did the same on Uthopia.

The browbands and the special belt and browband for Isabell were designed and made by Robin Brown of Sarasota, Florida.