Dressage-News

WELLINGTON, Florida, Jan. 30, 2021–Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper stretched their winning streak to 17 with victory Saturday in the Global Dressage Festival CDI4* Grand Prix Special.

Steffen and the 13-year-old KWPN gelding were awarded 75.766% for what is the rider’s favorite test but was marred by a mistake in the one-tempi changes.

The streak of 17 straight victories beginning in January last year, have all been in the United States–13 in Wellington and four at Thermal, California. On Ravel, Steffen posted the previous best record of a total of 17 wins from 2008 to 2010, broken up by a second and third place finishes but that included the World Cup championship in 2009 and all three competitions in the CHIO at Aachen, Germany, the world’s most prestigious and competitive show, the same year.

Charlotte Jorst of Reno, Nevada on Kastel’s Nintendo was second on 72.043% with Canada’s Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu on All In third on 71.553%.

“The Grand Prix Special is always my favorite test,” said Steffen who is pursuing a place on his fifth Olympic team. “It has those beautiful transitions from extended trot to passage, and then the half-passes are a little easier to ride, so there was a bit more of a throttle there with him today because he was so relaxed.

“The passage tour felt really good, and I really thought I had him there for the one-tempis, I really collected him on the short side, and then I risked it a little and it was just a little too much, so we had a small mistake. But, he’s done five shows in a row without a single mistake, and at the end of the day I am human and they’re horses and not machines, so those things happen.”

Debbie McDonald, the U.S. team coach goes a couple of times a week to the farm where Suppenkasper is stabled in Wellington.

“We will be taking a look at all of the videos, and we always appreciate the judges’ comments so we will review those, and go from there,” he said.

“I’m so fortunate that he’s a horse that I can warm up for a bit and get all of the collected work done in 20 minutes, and take him for a half an hour walk, so the workload on his legs is extremely limited for a Grand Prix horse.

“I believe in preserving horses, not just winning, doing well, or making the team. Truly preserving them, spoiling them, giving them lots of love and relatively easy work, keeping them fit but in a relaxed, happy way.”

Results:

CDI4* Grand Prix Special