Steffen Peters Debuts Suppenkasper at Grand Prix at National Show for 75.700% From Single Judge
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Oct. 7, 2017
By KENNETH J. BRADDICK.
Steffen Peters debuted Suppenkasper at Grand Prix at Del Mar’s “Spooktacular Halloween” national show Saturday, receiving a score of 75.700 per cent from the single judge to top the field of 10 combinations. Rosamunde, returning to competition after a summer break, was ridden by Steffen to third place on 72.600 per cent.
Suppenkasper, a nine-year-old Dutch-bred gelding was bought for Steffen based at nearby San Diego, to compete as an American team prospect alongside Rosamunde, a 10-year-old Rhinelander mare for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Charlotte Jorst, of Reno, Nevada but who keeps her competition horses in Del Mar, placed second on Kastel’s Nintendo with a score of 74.500 per cent.
She scratched Lorenzo from what was to be their debut in the Grand Prix in which Hilda Gurney, a two-time Olympian for the United States and experienced as a judge was the sole judge. Lorenzo’s back was swollen after being bitten by what Charlotte thought was a spider.
Charlotte bought Lorenzo in spring this year as a prospect for the American team for next year’s World Equestrian Games in Tryon, North Carolina. The 11-year-old German Sport Horse gelding had been ridden by Spain’s Severo Jurado Lopez at the 2016 Olympics and was ranked as high as No. 7 in the world.
Dawn White-O’Connor, an assistant trainer to Steffen, rode Legolas to fourth place on a score of 71.500 per cent in their first show since returning from competing in Europe over the summer.
Suppenkasper, Rosamunde and Legolas are all owned by Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang, who also owned Ravel that was competed by Steffen at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.
Suppenkasper was competed in two European CDI Grand Prix this year by Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg. She became an international superstar riding Damon Hill for Germany in medal-winning performances at the 2012 London Olympics, the 2014 World Games, 2011 and 2013 European Championships as well as four World Cup Finals, winning the title in 2013. She rode Damsey at this year’s Europeans.
Suppenkasper (Spielberg x Krack C) was owned by Dr. David Lichtenberg, a veterinarian and Helen’s husband. The horse was bought, Akiko told dressage-news.com, “to maximize our chance of making the team by having two shots with two horses.”
The horse began his Big Tour career ridden by Helen in Compiègne, France in May, winning both the CDI3* Grand Prix and the Special and at the CDI4* in Cappeln, Germany in July where the duo won the Grand Prix and the Freestyle.
Steffen, 53 years old has been America’s top rider for much of the past two decades since competing on his first U.S. Olympic team with Udon in 1996. He rode Ravel in the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games and Legolas in the 2016 Rio Olympics, winning team bronze in 1996 and 2016.
Dawn took over the ride on Legolas, a 15-year-old Westfalen gelding, at the start of this year competing on both coasts as well as Europe.
Steffen began competing Rosamunde at CDI Grand Prix in early 2015 and was in this year’s World Cup Final in Omaha, The pair have logged 21 victories in 34 starts on both sides of the Atlantic since beginning Big Tour in February 2015.
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