Graves and Verdades Nominated for 2017 U.S. Rider and Horse of the Year Title

Dressage

U.S.A.

Laura Graves and Verdades :: Photo © Astrid Appels

American Grand Prix rider Laura Graves and her horse Verdades have been nominated for the 2017 U.S. Rider and Horse of the Year title. Based on a voting system, the titles will be awarded Friday 19 January 2018 at an Awards dinner during the US Equestrian Annual Meeting in Lexington, Ky.

In the "Equestrians of Honour" category, eight riders from different disciplines have been selected. Laura Graves is the dressage contender.

Laura Graves continued to shine in the dressage ring in 2017, earning numerous impressive results. With her longtime partner Verdades, Graves racked up three Grand Prix wins and three Grand Prix Freestyle wins at the Global Dressage Festival to begin the year. The pair then went on to earn the silver medal at the 2017 World Cup Dressage Final in Omaha. Graves and Verdades headed to Europe to represent The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team in FEI Nations Cup™ competitions. At CHIO Rotterdam, they won the FEI Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle and helped the U.S. team earn a gold medal. Graves and Verdades delivered top performances at CHIO Aachen, winning the Grand Prix Special, placing second in the Grand Prix, third in the Grand Prix Freestyle, and aiding the team to a silver medal. Currently ranked number four on the FEI World Individual Dressage Ranking List, Graves peaked as number two in the world in 2017.

This is the third time Graves has won the William C. Steinkraus Trophy.

In the "International Horses of Honour" two horses are in the running: the show jumper HH Azur and the dressage horse Verdades.

Verdades has stamped his mark on the international dressage ring. In 2017 alone, this 15-year-old gelding finished second at the 2017 World Cup Dressage Final in Omaha and went on to represent the U.S. team in FEI Nations Cup™ competitions in Rotterdam and Aachen, contributing to first- and second-place finishes, respectively. Individually, 2017 saw Verdades earn four first-place finishes and one second-place finish internationally, and he won the USDF Year-End Awards in the Dressage Horse of the Year – Grand Prix, Musical Freestyle – Grand Prix, and Musical Freestyle Challenge – Grand Prix categories. His life-long partnership with owner and trainer, Laura Graves, along with their 2017 success allowed them to reach the world number two position, and finish in the number four position on the FEI World Individual Dressage Ranking List.

Verdades began his journey to international success in 2014 after garnering attention from his reserve-champion finish at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions presented by The Dutta Corp. Since his launch into the spotlight, Verdades’s achievements and continued success are profound. Earning over 25 first-place finishes and nearly 20 second-place finishes in team and individual CDI competitions around the world since the inception of his international career, Verdades continues to claim titles individually and for the U.S. team.