By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
Steffen Peters was back in the international Grand Prix arena Saturday for the first time since the 2024 Olympics, riding a horse he hasn’t competed before to win the CDI3* in Del Mar, California.
Steffen and Blue Hors Zirrus, a 14-year-old Oldenburg stallion, were awarded 68.717% in the Grand Prix to qualify for the Special. Runner-up was Günter Seidel, often a team mate in years past, who rode Jack to a score of 65.370%.
Steffen’s last Big Tour competition before Saturday was on Suppenkasper for the U.S. team in the Grand Prix at the Paris Olympics on July 30, 2024. He had ridden Suppenkasper on the American silver medal team at the Tokyo Games, one of six Olympics Steffen competed in, as well as five World Championships including silver on Suppenkasper in Tryon, North Carolina in 2018.
After the 2024 Olympics he took a year off riding to successfully battle a nerve condition that affected his arms and legs.
The German-bred Zirrus (Blue Hors Zack x Donnerhall 11) is owned by Five Rings Farm of Wellington, Florida and was competed at CDI3* Grand Prix by Christina Vinios at the Global Dressage Festival in January. Five Rings is where Steffen holds his clinics when in Wellington.
He competed Sir Ruffo in a national Prix St. Georges Friday for a winning score of 73.971%.
“The most challenging part for the last 10 days has been the piaffe-passage and that was really good today,” Steffen told DRESSAGE-NEWS.com of his ride on Zirrus. “I didn’t trust him for the last flying change in the two tempis I over rode it a little bit and the change was a little too tense, but he did his one tempis for an overall clean test.
“There’s lots of room for improvement. Lots of room for polishing.
“But it felt really good to be nice in the show arena.
“Last night I put Olympic pin number six on my coat and I think that brought us some good luck today.
“I am very, very grateful that I have this wonderful partnership with the entire Vinios family. Everybody at Five Rings Farm made this happen.
“The decision to show him today was made exactly 11 days ago and today was ride number 10 on him so it’s been a very short preparation for the show and I think for that I’m quite happy.
“We all know that a 68 is by far not a score that Is good enough on the international scene but again I’ve been out of the show arena for a year and a half.
“There were many moments that I didn’t know if I would actually come back. Now I have two wonderful horses, one for the small tour, one for the big tour. I’m very grateful and tomorrow is another day.”
Results:
| Rank | Competitor | Score | E | H | C | M | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Steffen Peters (USA) Blue Hors Zirrus | 68.717% | 69.457 | 68.261 | 68.913 | 69.891 | 67.065 |
| 2. | Günter Seidel (USA) Jack | 65.370% | 67.609 | 65.000 | 65.435 | 66.087 | 62.717 |
| 3. | Erin Silo (CAN) Jett | 65.196% | 66.304 | 65.000 | 65.543 | 64.348 | 64.783 |
| 4. | Jaclyn Pepper-Millard (USA) Limited Edition | 64.783% | 64.022 | 66.957 | 64.674 | 63.804 | 64.457 |
| 5. | Amy L Miller (USA) Encore | 61.565% | 63.261 | 62.065 | 61.739 | 59.891 | 60.870 |
| EL | Brittney Eastgate (CAN) Kartsevo Goldfinch | eliminated | |||||
 Find details on Equestrian Hub |
