Dressage-News

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

WELLINGTON,  Florida, June 9, 2021–Adrienne Lyle produced an “amazing” ride for an American record Grand Prix score, above 82.4%, to win the first day of the United States Olympic observation event that is the final competition and in conditions similar to those expected in Tokyo before the Games begin in 44 days.

Sabine Schut-Kery on Sanceo also logged a personal best to place second while Steffen Peters on Suppenkasper was third with the Grand Prix Special to come Friday night at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center before about 500 paying spectators that will be the last show before the team of three and a reserve is selected.

In only their second night competition under lights, in an arena unfamiliar to dressage and sub-tropical climate, Adrienne and the 14-year-old Hanoverian stallion scored 82.413%, beating their previous best of 80.065% posted two months ago and the previous American record of 81.537% set by Laura Graves on Verdades at the 2018 World Equestrian Games.  Although this competition of 14 invited combinations was not a CDI, the ground jury comprised four foreign judges including two 5*s, Stephen Clarke of Great Britain and Ulrike Nivelle of Germany who last week officiated at the German championships.

Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo, a 15-year-old Hanoverian stallion, were awarded 78.978%, beating their previous best of 75.022% by 3.956% in their campaign to go to their first Olympics.

Steffen Peters on Suppenkasper on 77.696% placed third, the first time in 22 starts since the beginning of 2020 that the four-time Olympian and the 13-year-old KWPN gelding have not been the winning duo.

“I’m absolutely thrilled,” said the 36-year-old Adrienne who is based in Wellington. “He makes me tear up. I have no words. Every time, he is more amazing than the time before.

“The more pressure we are under, the more he seems to shine…very strong, secure, and confident in his work.”

The final centerline of passage, piaffe, transition, passage and halt produced four marks of 10 and 14 of at least nine with two judges giving scores well above 83% and two above 82% with one of 80%.

Salvino came into Adrienne’s life after the retirement of Wizard that she competed at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2014 World Equestrian Games. She was without a Big Tour mount and a syndicate of Americans backed by Akiko Yamazaki, the owner of Steffen Peters’ Olympic and championship mounts Ravel, Legolas and Suppenkasper, stepped up to acquire the horse from Spain that was named Sandronnerhall for the pedigree (Sandro Hit x Donnerhall) that was quickly changed to Salvino. Betsy Juliano, who has also been a financial supporter of Laura Graves on Verdades and other horses, took over ownership.

Adrienne and Salvino were on the U.S. silver medal team at the 2018 World Equestrian Games and competed at the 2019 World Cup Final in Sweden.

For Sabine, 52, of Napa, California, the ride on Sanceo put her a step closer to going to her first Olympics.

The pair have featured in American dressage since their first world championship as a six-year-old in 2012. Three years later they competed successfully at Small Tour in Europe to be named to the United States team for the 2015 Pan American Games where they took team gold.

Sabine said of the first ride at the  PBIEC jumping arena: “He is a stallion and when he gets to a new venue the first day he is quite tense, so I just tell myself to stick with what I would do at home, which paid off! I have to hold myself and trust it because I know I can always add that little extra that I want in the ring. But, I want it to come from an honest spot, so first I need to be in control through my basics that get me from one movement to another. Obviously this is the observation event, so I wanted to aim for a personal best. I have been told in the past that there are 80s in there and I believe in [Sanceo], so that was definitely something I was going for. But again, it all depends on what he is that day. I try to listen to him and take advantage of the 12 years we have together. That is so valuable and I need to take advantage of that.”

Steffen of San Diego, California on his campaign for a fifth Olympics: “I tend to think that with age comes a little more wisdom, and enjoying it a bit more. Before it was always the pressure of delivering for the team, and of course we are going to do that and try our very best, but it is different and the pressure is different now. Even tonight, I enjoyed it much more than previous Olympic trials because [Suppenkasper] is a bit more reliable now than Legolas. With Legolas it was rolling the dice–it could be perfect in the warm up and then questionable in the ring. Suppenkasper is just a big teddy bear…”

Results:

Grand Prix