Dressage-News

Feb. 2, 2024

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

Anna Buffini completed her debut on Fiontini Saturday coming within one-third of a percentage point of Steffen Peters on Suppenkasper who won the Del Mar CDI3* Grand Prix Special.

Anna and the 14-year-old Danish Warmblood mare were awarded 72.447% with four of the five international judges placing the pair first over Steffen and Mopsie on 72.766%.

The Grand Prix and Special scores by Steffen and Anna were the highest of any American competitors in six international events in the U.S. so far this year with the Paris Olympics scheduled for the end of July.

Anna and Fiontini, runner-up to Steffen and Suppenkasper in the Grand Prix Friday, were placed first by judges Carlos Lopes of Portugal at E,  by Magnus Ringmark of Sweden at C, Marian E. Cunningham of Peru at M and Cesar Torrente of Colombia at B.

Steffen and Mopsie were placed first by Peter Storr of Great Britain at H.

The five-time Olympian for the U.S. lost significant marks in two set of one-tempi changes, receiving 4s across the board for one set and from 4 to 7.5 points in the second line between the two pirouettes.

This was the fourth straight victory for Steffen and Mopsie–with the two most recent events separated by the 59-year-old rider being hospitalized suffering from painful blood clots in his lungs and left leg. He told dressage-news.com after the Grand Prix he was feeling healthy and back to his regimen of exercises at his home in nearby San Diego.

For Anna and Fiontini there appeared to be no mistakes.

“Incredible!” she exclaimed to dressage-news.com.

“First show out in 2 1/2 years for her, I couldn’t be happier.

“Took some more risks today and it absolutely paid off and gave us so much confidence for the future. We are actually ahead of where we were hoping to be by our first show.

“Honestly, my favorite thing other than getting solid scores is how happy she is in her work. We’ve changed her training style towards mine which is a very soft harmonious way of riding, and it took her quite a while to learn but I am over the moon with how much she has turned into my horse and is just my best buddy now.

“She took a nap on me right before our test today, to me that’s more important than any score.

“She knows she’s loved and she’s comfortable and happy.

“I know our shows are small compared to the East Coast but with Steffen and Fiontini on the West Coast I think that helps us make a strong front out here also.”

Fiontini was competed only by men when she was world champion at the ages of five, six and seven with Severo Jurado Lopez of Spain then Andreas Helgstrand of Denmark and Patrik Kittel of Sweden until 2021 when the horse was sold to Anna.

Results:

CDI3* FEI Grand Prix Special

Rank	Competitor	Score	E	H	C	M	B
1.	Steffen Peters (USA) Suppenkasper	72.766%	72.340	73.511	72.660	71.596	73.723
2.	Anna Buffini (USA) Fiontini	72.447%	72.766	70.319	72.766	72.021	74.362
3.	Elizabeth Ball (USA) Escarigo	66.808%	65.638	70.319	67.128	65.851	65.106
4.	Tina Caldwell (USA) Lagerfeld K	60.085%	61.383	57.872	58.936	61.489	60.745
Find details on Equestrian Hub