Laura Graves Gives Up Ride on Sensation FOD Six Months Ahead of Paris Olympics
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Jan. 28, 2024
By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
Laura Graves has given up the ride on Sensation FOD, the 11-year-old gelding that was widely regarded as a successor to her Verdades and considered a prospect for the U.S. team for the Paris Olympics in six months but more so for the Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
“I am saddened to confirm that my partnership with Sensation FOD has come to an end,” Laura said in response to questions from dressage-news.com about the horse, owned by Scott and Carol McPhee.
Carol McPhee told dressage-news that when Sensation “went to Laura’s, our goal was Paris 2024. 2028 is too far down the line to make such big goals.
“I’m very thankful for the work Laura has done thus far and glad to have him home.”
Laura said: “When the relationship began, it was planned to last through Los Angeles 2028. In the late summer of 2023, we accepted a grant from The Dressage Foundation in hopes of qualifying for Paris 2024.
“A few months later the owners of Sensation FOD made me aware of their intention to bring him home. ‘after Paris’.
“I vowed to try my best and did everything in my power to advance the horse for this dream.
“As time passed and the final qualifying procedures were published, I felt in my heart that it would be too much pressure, in the time allowed for Sensation FOD to gain the confidence needed for this level.
“In complete fairness to Sensation FOD, his owners, US Equestrian, The Dressage Foundation and all of the donors, it was decided to send him back to his owners now.
“I know the McPhees will continue to take the very best care of him and I wish them the best time enjoying their very talented horse.”
The 36-year-old Laura, based in the Orlando area rural community of Geneva, is the only American ever to rank No. in the world which she did on Verdades.
After the retirement of Verdades, Laura took over the ride on Sensation in May 2020. Michael Bragdell of Colora, Maryland, had competed the horse in the national young horse championships to win the five and six-year-old divisions.
On Sensation, Laura became the U.S. Intermediate I champion in 2022.
In October last year she competed Sensation at national Intermediate II, a level below Grand Prix. She was awarded $25,000 by The Dressage Foundation to train with Debbie McDonald.
Debbie was instrumental in working with Laura on developing Verdades to top in the world, with results that included leading the United States team to bronze at the 2016 Olympics and silver at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon in 2018. The duo was also reserve at the World Cup Final in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
The absence from Paris team prospects of Laura and Sensation will disappoint many in the American dressage community.
Steffen Peters on Suppenkasper is one of only a small number of known top combination at this stage of qualifying for the U.S. team for Paris. The combination that was on the 2018 WEG silver medal team with Laura and Verdades, and went to be on the Tokyo Olympics silver medal team. The pair are top ranked by US Equestrian based on a single Grand Prix result of 74.804% in California in November. Sarah Tubman on First Apple has scores of 73.065% in the Grand Prix and 73.872% in the Special from October’s Pan American Games
The status of Salvino that was ridden by Adrienne Lyle on teams at both the Tryon 2018 and Tokyo Olympics is unknown. Salvino, now 17 years old, last competed more than a year ago.
Meantime, some confirmed Big Tour horses have been bought this year as prospects for American riders for Paris, but none have yet been shown with their new riders.
