The final day of Grand Prix competition at the Hagen, Germany, 3-star dressage show Sunday on Friday kept multi-Olympic veteran Steffen Peters on Suppenkasper ahead of the other U.S. riders in competition for a place on the team for the Paris Games this summer, but he was behind the winner of the Special, Henri Ruoste of Finland on Tiffany’s Diamond (74.894 percent).
Steffen and Suppenkasper earned 72.660 percent to be second, leading the U.S. contingent. Second-best of that group was Ashley Holzer on Hansel (72 percent) in fourth place. She was not among the top eight in the rankings on the official U.S. trip to Europe, but made the journey anyway as American competitors vied for Olympic selection.
Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper in Hagen.
Steffen had been at the head of the U.S. Olympic rankings since last year. On the new FEI global ranking list, Steffen is the highest listed U.S. rider, in thirty-second place. Suppenkasper is thirty-third on the horse ranking list. In the Olympics, the Special counts for the team medal; the freestyle determines individual medals.
Adrienne Lyle, who topped the U.S. placings after Helix finished third in the first part of the class on Thursday with 71.956, was fifth in the Special with 71.979 percent. She finished just ahead of Marcus Orlob on Jane, scoring a personal best in sixth, marked at 71.936 percent.
Marcus Orlob and Jane.
Marcus took over the ride on Jane from the mare’s owner, Alice Tarjan, only during the winter. He spent more time in Germany before Hagen than the other U.S. riders so he could get to know Jane better. A native of Germany, Marcus is a naturalized U.S. citizen.
Endel Ots and Zen Elite’s Bohemian dropped in the placings to eighth with 71.745 percent. Helix, Adrienne’s ride, is also owned by the Zen Elite Equestrian Center of Florida.
Nanna Skodborg Merrald of Denmark, who had won the Grand Prix on Thursday with Blue Hors Zepter, did not ride that horse in the Special. She won the Freestyle Saturday with Blue Hors Znickers (79.975), with Kasey Perry-Glass of the U.S. second on Heartbeat W.P. (75.280).
To review the rest of the placings, click here for Grand Prix Special results.
