The Global Dressage Festival continued on Saturday, January 30, with a consecutive win for the USA’s Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper in the Grand Prix Special 4*.
Peters and Akiko Yamazaki and Four Winds Farm’s 2008 KWPN gelding by Spielberg topped the class of 11 entries, earning a final score of 75.766%.
"My Favourite Test"
“The grand prix special is always my favorite test,” began Peters. “It has those beautiful transitions from extended trot to passage, and then the half-passes are a little easier to ride, so there was a bit more of a throttle there with Mopsie today because he was so relaxed. The passage tour felt really good, and I really thought I had him there for the one tempis – I really collected him on the short side, and then I risked it a little and it was just a tad too much, so we had a small mistake. But, he’s done five shows in a row without a single mistake, and at the end of the day I am human, and they’re horses and not machines, so those things happen.”
Peters was happy with his mount’s strengths during the performance and noted his relaxation in the walk and patient transitions into piaffe. He explained, “He walked nicely, which is a challenge for him in the grand prix special because he gets so fired up from all of the extensions and all of the passage, and to get him to relax is not an easy thing. However, he waited patiently for me to ask for the piaffe, he didn’t anticipate it, so overall it was a good test and I’m happy with it.”
Training with Debbie
The pair won’t be back in the Global Stadium Arena at Equestrian Village until the five-star at AGDF 7, and Peters plans to work with U.S. Dressage coach Debbie McDonald on improvements between now and then. However, he noted, Mopsie will get some time to relax as well.
“Debbie McDonald comes over a couple times a week, and we will be taking a look at all of the videos,” said Peters. “We always appreciate the judge’s comments too, so we will review those and go from there. The main thing is that Mopsie will get a nice, easy week. I’m so fortunate that he’s a horse that I can warm up for a bit and get all of the collected work done in 20 minutes, and take him for a half an hour walk, so the workload on his legs is extremely limited for a grand prix horse. I believe in preserving horses, not just winning, doing well, or making the team. Truly preserving them, spoiling them, giving them lots of love and relatively easy work, keeping them fit, but in a relaxed, happy way.”
Second place in the Grand Prix Special 4* went to Charlotte Jorst (USA) on Nintendo, her own 2003 KWPN stallion by Negro, with a 72.043%. Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu (CAN) on All In rounded out the top three with with a 71.553%. All In is a 2005 KWPN gelding by Tango owned by Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and Marc-Andre Beaulieu.
Wagman Wins
Earlier in the day, Nick Wagman (USA) and Elizabeth Keadle’s 2010 KWPN gelding by Scandic, Ferano, bested the Grand Prix Special 3* with a 71.638%. Benjamin Ebeling (USA) and Illuster Van De Kampert, the 2008 Belgian Warmblood gelding by Spielberg owned by Amy Roberts Ebeling and Nuvolari Holdings, LLC, earned second place with a 71.255%. In third place was the USA’s Susan Dutta and Don Design DC, Susan and Tim Dutta’s 2010 Hanoverian gelding by Der Designer, finishing with a score of 69.362%.
In the Intermediare A 3*. Allison Kavey (USA) and Citha’s Utopia, Andrea Woodner’s 2007 KWPN mare by Dayano, claimed the top spot with a score of 60.500%.
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