THERMAL, California, Dec. 16, 2022–Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper won the World Cup Grand Prix Friday in the second of three competitions aimed at earning an invitation to the Final in Omaha next April. Anna Buffini on FRH Davinia la Douce posted a personal best for runner-up.
Steffen of San Diego, California and the 14-year-old KWPN gelding scored 75.478% for the win in a lineup of four American rider and horse combinations.
Anna Buffini of Rancho Santa Fe, California on the 15-year-old Hanoverian mare FRH Davinia la Douce scored 72.522% for second place.
Kristina Harrison-Antell of Los Angeles on the 12-year-old KWPN gelding Finley was third on 68.565%.
Steffen described the performance by “Mopsie,” as Suppenkasper is nicknamed, as “probably his best Grand Prix of the season.”
“It was a very clean test and he gave me a wonderful feeling.”
He also extended huge congratulations to his wife, Shannon, who did the best Grand Prix of her career, placing second on Disco Inferno in the CDI3* Grand Prix.
The Freestyle is scheduled for Saturday to decide points toward totals needed to become one of three combinations from North America to go to Omaha where a total of 18 riders will be invited to the second Final in the Midwestern city. The first was in 2017.
Alice Tarjan of Oldwick, New Jersey leads the North American standings with a total of 57 points from two victories and runner-up in a third qualifier that appears likely to assure her an invitation to the Final.
If Steffen goes on to win Saturday’s freestyle that would vault him and Suppenkasper into second ranking, up from sixth.
A third qualifier is set for Thermal Jan. 5-8 and an opportunity for the duo to start in Omaha.
Three qualifiers are scheduled for the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida over the next three months.
Results:
World Cup Grand Prix
| Judges: | Cesar Torrente | Gabriela Valerianova | Christof Umbach | Sandra Hotz | William Warren | ||||||||
| Place | Score | Nation | Athlete | Horse | E | H | C | M | |||||
| 1. | 75.478 | USA | Steffen Peters | Suppenkasper | 77.935 | 75.326 | 74.674 | 74.130 | 75.326 | ||||
| 2. | 72.522 | USA | Anna Buffini | FRH Davinia la Douce | 72.500 | 73.043 | 73.261 | 71.848 | 71.957 | ||||
| 3. | 68.565 | USA | Kristina Harrison-Antell | Finley | 69.022 | 69.239 | 68.043 | 68.370 | 68.152 | ||||
| 4. | 65.609 | USA | Claire Darnell | Harrold S | 66.957 | 65.217 | 64.674 | 66.304 | 64.891 |
CDI3* Grand Prix for Special
| Judges: | Gabriela Valerianova | Christof Umbach | Sandra Hotz | William Warren | Cesar Torrente | ||||||||
| Place | Score | Nation | Athlete | Horse | E | H | C | M | B | ||||
| 1. | 67.000 | USA | Ashleigh Luca | Sans Soucis K | 64.457 | 66.304 | 68.478 | 67.609 | 68.152 | ||||
| 2. | 66.804 | USA | Shannon Peters | Disco Inferno | 69.457 | 67.717 | 65.543 | 66.196 | 65.109 | ||||
| 3. | 65.087 | USA | Amy L Miller | Encore | 65.217 | 64.565 | 66.630 | 64.239 | 64.783 | ||||
| 4. | 64.630 | USA | Tina Caldwell | Lagerfeld K | 64.130 | 64.130 | 65.109 | 63.913 | 65.870 | ||||
| 5. | 63.087 | USA | Missy Gilliland | Toledano XXXI | 64.239 | 63.478 | 63.370 | 61.087 | 63.261 |
