U.S. Olympic Team Horse Suppenkasper Retired from Sport

Dressage

U.S.A.

Steffenn Peters' U.S. Olympic team horse Suppenkasper has been retired from sport. The 16-year old KWPN gelding will enjoy his retirement with owner Akiko Yamazaki at Four Winds Farm near San Francisco.

Danny Boy, Sir Lukas, Suppenkasper

Suppenkasper is a Dutch warmblood gelding by Spielberg out of Upanoeska (by Krack C x Juventus). He is bred in The Netherlands by Frans van der Poel and was originally named Danny Boy.

He was started by Stijn Bruisten as a 3-year old. German Sarah Lukas bought him from the breeder in July 2011. In 2013 she sold half ownership to German veterinarian Dr. David Lichtenberg. The horse was renamed Sir Lukas. They made their show debut in Germany in 2013 and she competed him from A-level up to Prix St Georges through 2015.

Helen Langehanenberg

When Lichtenberg began dating his future wife, German Olympian Helen Langehanenberg, the horse moved to Helen's yard at the end of 2015. Lichtenberg secured full ownership in October 2015 and renamed the horse Suppenkasper.

The new duo made their show debut in January 2016 and contested the developing Prix St Georges horse classes in Germany that year. They showed in the small tour at the 2016 CDIO Aachen and were sixth in the 2016 Nurnberger Burgpokal Finals in Frankfurt.

In 2017 Helen made the transition to medium tour level and did their first national Inter II at the 2017 CDI Dortmund For a few months they didn't appear at shows (he was entered for the CDI Hagen in April but got withdrawn) as a sale was being negotiated to one of Patrik Kittel's Swedish students did not go through. After the deal fell through, Helen and Suppenkasper made their CDI debut at the CDIO Compiegne where they won the Grand Prix and Special with 73.520% and 74.294%. They scored 75.118% in the Special at the 2017 German Championships. At the CDI Cappeln in July they won the Grand Prix and Kur with 70.580 and 75.975%.

Suppenkasper was one of Germany's most talented, up and coming Grand Prix horses and ended up selling to the U.S.A.

Sold to the U.S.A.

Akiko Yamazaki acquired Suppenkasper for Steffen Peters to ride in July 2017 and followed in the footsteps of Rosamunde.

Peters and Suppenkasper made their international debut in January 2018 at the CDI Temecula and furhter competing him in Del Mar, Rotterdam, Leudelange and Aachen. Steffen was nominated in the US team for the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon with Rosamunde, but Suppenkasper ended up replacing her when the mare was not fit to compete. The pair finished 27th in the Grand Prix Special (69.073%) and won team silver.

Double Olympic Team Horse

Suppenkasper took over the baton as Peters' number one in the barn. He became the fourth horse the German born rider rode in six Olympics. Rosamunde was retired from sport and is now in Germany as a broodmare.

Suppenkasper was the 2019 and 2020 USDF Grand Prix Horse of the Year. In 2020 they scored 11 consecutive CDI victories on the Wellington circuit in just two months and added another 4 wins in California that year, totally 15 wins in one year.

They got team silver at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games and finished 10th in the Kur to Music, where Suppenkasper became known as the "Rave horse" for his freestyle. At the 2022 World Equestrian Games the USA was off the podium (6th) and individually they were 17th in the Special (73.708%). At the 2023 World Cup Finals in Omaha, they were 4th with 83.921%.

Peters rode Suppenkasper in his second Olympics and final career competition at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Team USA was eliminated and Suppenkasper placed 51th with 66.491%.

Suppenkasper scores only four times below 70% in his international career. At the 2018 WEG and then three times in 2024. The duo was one of America's strongest performing international combinations in recent years. They competed in 85 international classes in the U.S.A. and Europe to post 58 victories.

Retirement at Four Winds Farm

Suppenkasper's retirement was announced by Akiko Yamazaki on 20 September 2024 through the U.S. Equestrian Federation.

“Today, I look out my window to catch Ravel and Mopsie (Suppenkasper) basking in the sun, the large crowds and long airplane rides now a distant memory," Akiko stated. "As we mark 20 years together as a team, the time has come to end this amazing journey and it is with deep gratitude to Steffen, the horses and everyone that has been part of this journey that we now end this excellent adventure and long ride with this team."

Akiko has been instrumental in Peters' success as a dressage rider. She sponsored five horses for Peters, four of them were ridden on the team.

“With Steffen as our rider, and with a number of horses, including Lombardi, Ravel, Legolas, Rosamunde, and Suppenkasper, our team has traveled around the world and had the honor of representing the USA in multiple international championships and events," said Akiko.

Steffen Peters said, "what a true honor it has been to be a part of Mopsie’s career and life. It’s hard to explain how much appreciation I have for Akiko for purchasing him eight years ago and then supporting us to compete around the world together. The historic silver medal in Tokyo was, of course, the highlight of our career together. For me, it will always be one of the proudest moments of our partnership - to have Mopsie deliver for our team that night in Tokyo. The individual victories were amazing, but I always felt the proudest delivering for our team."

Steffen has no immediate successor for Suppenkasper but is producing Akiko's Lombard (by UB40 x Krack C) and Nasri Mani's Endeavor (by Morricone x Foundation) to Grand Prix level.