U.S. Dressage Riders Complete German Competition

PMG Press Release - U.S. dressage rider Steffen Peters and 15-year-old Westphalien gelding Floriano finished in the top 10 after the musical freestyle on Sunday at the World Equestrian Festival.

Peters of San Diego, California, was the highest placed U.S. team member, finishing ninth in the Grand Prix Freestyle with 75.15 percent, but based on earlier performances in the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special, the pair’s overall ranking was eighth out of 37 horse and rider combinations from 13 countries. U.S. riders Leslie Morse of Los Angeles, California, with her World Cup Final mount Kingston, and George Williams of Delaware, Ohio with Rocher also made the final of the individual competition. Morse finished 12th overall and Williams was in 15th place.

Jan Brink of Sweden rode Bjorsells Briar, the 14-year-old stallion that he competed in the Las Vegas World Cup Final, and was the clear overall winner. The pair’s freestyle test on Sunday was confident and flawless and received an impressive score of 82.70 percent, well ahead of Olympic and World Cup champion Anky van Grunsven and Keltec Salinero, who were scored at 81.525 percent.

Peters said of his ride that Floriano was “quite excited” before the test, but held himself together in the test. The test was the first U.S. team competition for the horse.

“Although we had a few small mistakes through the ride,” he said, “the judges said the test showed real harmony and lack of tension. The judges reacted well to one particular sequence showing extended canter to piaffe to walk.”

Laurie Browning, Floriano’s owner, and her son, Stephen, said they were “ecstatic” to be involved in the whole Aachen experience.

The United States riders are competing in Aachen with the help of grants from the United States Equestrian Team Foundation.