Custom Saddlery Salutes US and International Riders Qualified for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Custom Saddlery MVR, Steffen Peters hopes to show just what the Steffen Advantage means at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Aiken, SC - Some of the best saddles in the world will be carrying some of the best riders to the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, August 23-September 7, in Normandy, France.

Master Saddlefitter, Cary Wallace, of Custom Saddlery in Aiken, SC, is confident that Custom dressage riders Steffen Peters and Tina Konyot will have the shine for the US. The Wesel, Germany-born Peters, of San Diego, CA, is a 1996 Olympic and 2010 World Equestrian Games Bronze medalist, and the namesake behind Custom Saddlery's Advantage Signature line, who swept this year's US Dressage Festival of Champions Grand Prix division with Legolas 92, clinching (76.036%) his third US Dressage National Championship and delivering a one-two punch in the Small Tour with Reserve and National titles in Intermediare-I on mares Apassionata and Rosamunde.

2012 Olympic and 2010 World Equestrian Games veteran Konyot, of Palm City, FL, whose 16 year-old Danish Warmblood stallion, Calecto V, goes in a Custom Saddlery Icon Coda Mono Flap, was the highest-placed (71.929%) US rider at the Dressage World Cup Final in Lyon.

Custom dressage rider Caroline Roffman of Wellington, FL and her amazing mare Her Highness O, qualified for the 4th slot on the team this year but the select committee felt the pair was not quite ready.

While they missed their ride on the US Dressage squad this time around, the talented pair have left no doubts that the future of American dressage in international competition is only going to get brighter. According to a statement issued by USEF, “As part of the selection process in naming the Team the performances of all combinations were taken into consideration. It was felt that with just six months of competing at Grand Prix level it was too soon to ask the talented combination of Caroline Roffman and her 11-year-old Hanoverian mare, Her Highness O, to contend with the World Championship atmosphere of the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.”

The newest member of the Custom International MVR team, Patirick Kittel will also be riding at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Kittel is a highly decorated rider. He rode for Sweden on at the 2008 Beijing Olympics where he and Floresco placed fourth in the team dressage. He also competed as an individual at the 2012 London Olympics with Watermill Scandic.

In May, Kittel and Toy Story won the 2014 Swedish National Dressage Championships in Ericsberg, Sweden. He also dominated at the CDI Falsterbo, winning the CDI 5* Grand Prix with Deja, a 2004 Swedish warmblood gelding (Silvano x Don Schufro) with a 75.34%, and the CDI 3* Grand Prix with Watermill Scandic HBC, a 1999 KWPN stallion (Solos Carex x Amiral), with a score of 74.94%. Kittle and Watermill Scandi HBC will now try to make the podium at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.”

Wallace, of Custom Saddlery, says that the makers of one of equestrian sports' most coveted saddle brands have been proud to support all three riders on their journey to Normandy. “Dressage is about development of the horse, from the foundation through the most advanced level of horsemanship,” said Wallace.

“Custom Saddlery recognizes how an equestrian athlete, in its musculature and its horizons, continues to grow. We're honored to know our saddles have taken Steffen, Tina, Caroline and their horses this far, and excited to see what the future holds.”

For more information on Custom Saddlery visit their website at http://mysaddle.com/en.