Steffen Peters & Suppenkasper to Get Invite to Las Vegas World Cup Final, Leading USA Olympic Team Selection–Graphic by BlackHorse-One
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Feb. 18, 2020
Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper as the leading World Cup qualifying combination in North America are certain to get an invitation to the championship final in Las Vegas in mid-April and as the top partnership in the current United States Olympic standings may head to the Tokyo Games three months later.
Steffen of San Diego, California and the 12-year-old KWPN gelding clinched one of the two World Cup slots reserved for North America with a personal best Grand Prix Freestyle score of 83.495% at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida.
The pair has an average of 81.411% of the three scores required to be among the 18 combinations that will line up in Las Vegas. It will be at the same University of Nevada-Las Vegas Thomas & Mack Arena where he won the title in 2009, only the second American to do so.
This week, though, the 55-year-old will be riding “Mopsie,” in Global’s CDI5* looking to boost the duo’s current average of 75.192% from two Grand Prix Specials earned in Wellington since U.S. Olympic qualifying began last fall.
“Mopsie” is the nickname Suppenkasper came with from previous rider and owner Helen Langehanenberg, a German Olympic and world championship team medalist as well as 2013 World Cup champion on Damon Hill.
The U.S. is focusing selection on the Grand Prix Special as those results will decide team medals at Tokyo.
Kasey Perry-Glass on Dublet and Adrienne Lyle on Salvino, team mates from the 2018 World Equestrian Games silver medal squad, are expected to compete later in the Global circuit that runs through the end of March. Laura Graves has retired Verdades from competition.
