Steffen Peters had a disappointing test with the veteran Suppenkasper in the 4-star Grand Prix at the Aachen World Equestrian Festival on Wednesday, scoring 68.131 percent as he finished nineteenth in a field of 22 starters.
The 16-year-old Suppenkasper, or Mopsie as he is nicknamed, previously never had failed to break 70 percent in a Grand Prix at an FEI competition.
The Dutchbred gelding lacked his characteristic cool, with the trouble starting right at the beginning of the test, when he was marked at 48 percent for the entry and halt, where he was restive and moved backward for a few steps.
“Tonight’s test had uncharacteristic tension,” observed U.S. Chef d’Equipe Christine Traurig.
“Steffen, with his vast amount of experience, handled it skillfully.”
While Germany and Denmark are not naming their dressage teams for Paris until after Aachen, the U.S. squad was selected June 25. Steffen was named along with Marcus Orlob and Adrienne Lyle.
Ranked first in the Olympic standings since last year, Steffen competed in Europe during the head-to-head Grand Prix match for short-listed riders at Hagen, Germany. He was, however, excused from June competitions in Rotterdam and Kronberg, Germany, where other candidates participated.
Marcus is competing on Jane with the U.S. team in the 5-star at Aachen, where the U.S. Olympic traveling alternate, Endel Ots, also is on the squad with Zen Elite Equestrian’s Bohemian. Adrienne skipped Aachen to give Helix a break and do a bit of fine-tuning. (Read about it in the second feature on this website)
The 4-star was won by world champion Lottie Fry of Great Britain on Glamourdale, who blew everyone away with a perfectly measured test and great extensions, a package marked at 80.78 percent. That was her second-highest score since she earned 80.97 percent in the 2023 European Championshps. Lottie was far ahead of German favorite Isabell Werth on DSP Quantaz (75.443), who lost impulsion in the second pirouette.
Another German, Frederic Wandres on Duke of Britain, had some brilliant moments, but his score wasn’t what it could have been due to mistakes in his tempi changes, so he settled for third on 73.913 percent.
There was better news for the U.S. in the jumper arena, where McLain Ward finished second of 44 starters in the Turkish Airlines Prize of Europe grand prix with Callas.
One of seven clears in a 12-horse jump-off, Callas was clocked at 44.06 seconds, a tenth of a second ahead of Germany’s Janna Wargers on Dorette and 1.62 seconds behind the winner, Richard Vogel of Germany on Cepano Baloubet. It was the second victory of the day for Richard, who took top honors earlier in the Prize of Handwerk with Phenyo van het Keysersbos.
“My mare jumped spectacular. She’s been having a great summer, so I’m not disappointed,” McLain said about his placing in what riders consider the second-hardest class at the show.
About Richard, McLain said, “He’s a great winner. It’s a fast horse and a super-fast rider. I pushed him to the limit. I made it not so easy.”
Although he has been competing at Aachen for three decades, McLain still finds it a thrill to be in the awards ceremony.
“It never gets old,” he said.
Katie Dinan, part of the U.S. Nations Cup team that will be in Thursday’s two-round class, was thirteenth with a single time fault on Atika des Hauts Vents. The other U.S. rider in the fray, Lauraa Kraut, wound up thirtieth with 8 faults on Bisquetta.
Click here for dressage results
Click here for Turkish Airlines Prize of Europe show jumping results