2004 Dressage at Devon - Performance Division

Dansko Dynamite Leads to Success in Grand Prix for Special

October 01 , 2004

Lars Petersen and his gray Danish warmblood gelding Dansko's Success won the Grand Prix for Special at the 2004 Dressage at Devon with a score of 64.458%. The parameters for a 'victory ride' in a dressage class usually involve harmony, simplicity, brilliance and some guts. Petersen seemed to have forgotten the first two standards at his barn in Florida, but did bring loads of brilliance and guts to Devon, which made him succeed.

Dansko's Success was dynamite in the ring. The horse was explosive and behaved like a naughty boy. He leapt out of the trot half passes and his two tempi's were a series of semi-bucking and single changes. So why did Petersen win after all? Because Success is simply brilliant in the piaffe and passage, he shows huge scope in the flying changes, and is overall a top quality dressage horse standing out in the field of 10 competitors in the Grand Prix for Special at Devon. Furthermore, Peterson had the guts (experience?!) to remain calm and collected throughout the test, while his horse was like a red hot chili pepper.

"He was wild today," Petersen said, "too wild." The Grand Prix at Devon was Success' third Grand Prix in his career, so the horse does not have the necessary show routine to be a reliable ride. "I only warmed up for 20 minutes because I thought he was fine. I don't know him in the Grand Prix so I still have to figure out the right warm up."

Petersen confessed liking hot, sensitive horses. His Dansko's Success is a Danish branded gelding by the Trakehner stallion Silvermoon, who stood up for stud at Petersen's former employer Blue Hors Stud in Randboel, Denmark. "I rode Silvermoon to Intermediaire I," Petersen said, " but he was not that hot and not that difficult."

Lars Petersen said goodbye to his home country Denmark two and a half years ago and moved to the United States. He is currently located in Loxahatchee, Florida where he runs a training stable. "America is everything what I expected it to be. I lived here 15 years ago and visited the country every year."

Despite his resettlement in the U.S., Petersen is not 'betraying' his Danish roots. He hopes to represent Denmark again with Dansko's Success. "Next year in the summer, I'll be going to Europe again, just to show."

Text by Astrid Appels - Photos copyrighted: Phelpsphotos

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