Steffen Peters has done it again.
Bringing home the United States’ first two individual medals in Dressage, the German-American equestrian star made history for the U.S. at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Lexington, Kentucky on October 1st.
“I was simply beside myself," Steffen Peters said, receiving the gift of his second bronze medal, just two weeks after his 46th birthday.
Riding Ravel, the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood, owned Akiko Yamazaki (of Four Winds Farm), Steffen Peters earned his best-ever marks, posting a score of 84.900 to place third in the Grand Prix Freestyle.
For Steffen Peters, the two thirds redeemed a bittersweet memory, as the American equestrian had narrowly missed a bronze medal in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Hong Kong.
“I’m so thankful for an amazing horse that I’m allowed to ride,” Steffen Peters commented, “I’m a lucky guy to have such a horse. You can’t do well by yourself, and I have such an amazing support team. Many thanks to the owners Jerry [Yang] and Akiko [Yamazaki], my coach at home and the love of my life, Shannon. What an amazing week to share a couple of medals with the whole group.”
Steffen Peters praised his mount, Ravel (2009 USEF Horse of the Year), after the pair’s remarkable October 1st performance in the Grand Prix Freestyle.
"I think this is pretty much the ultimate Freestyle for him,” the two-time American bronze medalist recounted. “We changed a few things around, and we even tried different music. It’s just like a good movie … I talked to the person who does the music, and I told them to pump it up a bit … ‘You pumped it up, but now we have to turbo-charge it … I’m really happy with the outcome. And, it looks like the judges were, too."
Netherlands and Great Britain earn gold and silver medals … again.
Dutch world champion Edward Gal picked up his third gold medal in the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) with a score of 91.000 on Moorlands Totilas. Great Britain’s Laura Bechtolsheimer and Mistral Hojris will take home their third silver from the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) for a performance earning an 85.350 score.
Edward Gal (on Moorlands Totilas) and Laura Bechtolsheimer (on Mistral Hojris) had already received gold and silver medals earlier in the week in the Team Dressage and Grand Prix Special competitions at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG).
Steffen Peters honored fallen fellow equestrian Courtney King-Dye in the Grand Prix Freestyle.
Steffen Peters dedicated his WEG Grand Prix Freestyle performance on Friday, October 1st, to his friend and fellow Dressage rider Courtney King-Dye. In March 2010, Courtney King-Dye sustained critical injuries in a fall from a horse, fracturing her skull and leaving her in a coma for several months.
In honor of Courtney King-Dye, Steffen Peters wore an equestrian safety helmet (rather than the traditional top hat) for the Honor Ride for his Grand Prix Freestyle at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) on October 1st.
“I sent an e-mail to Courtney today saying that tonight I would dedicate the ride to her,” Steffen Peters recounted. “She has inspired me … and I felt like what she overcame in the last six months was so extremely inspiring that I made the ride for here tonight."
The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) continues through October 11th at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.
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