Laura Graves and Verdades Maintain Overall Lead in FEI Grand Prix

Laura Graves and Verdades (Photo: John Borys Photography)

Wellington, Fla. –National Championship competition continued today at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival grounds in the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions presented by The Dutta Corp. Laura Graves and Verdades built on their lead in The Dutta Corp./USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Championship, winning the FEI Grand Prix Special.

Increasing her lead in the overall standings, Graves (Geneva, Fla.) and her own Verdades impressed with a fluid and dynamic test, scoring 77.137%. Today’s test contributed 40% towards the overall championship score, the 2014 Reserve National Champions now lead by almost three points on an overall total of 65.262.

“This is normally a better test for us; the transitions in [the Grand Prix Special] seem to work better for this horse. I was really happy with my canter half-passes; they rode really nicely. Our changes felt good. It was steady – when I stepped on the gas, he was there for me and was excellent.”

Steffen Peters and Rosamunde(Photo: John Borys Photography)

Maintaining second and third place overall and finishing second and third in today’s test, was Steffen Peters (San Diego, Calif.). His Four Winds Farms owned mounts swapped places on the leaderboard though, with Rosamunde now sitting in second and Legolas 92 extremely close behind in third. After disappointing performances for Peters on day one, today’s tests proved his masterful ability to put yesterday out of mind and rise to the occasion. Rosamunde performed beautifully for Peters, scoring a 74.549% and moving up to second on the leaderboard with 62.499. Sitting mere fractions of a point behind his stablemate was Legolas 92, earning a 72.412% in the test and dropping to third in the championship rankings on 62.364.

Speaking fondly of Rosamunde’s performance, Peters said of the mare: “For an eight-year-old horse, it’s the best test she’s done so far. I can’t really pinpoint a single movement, it was just the overall feeling – how she floats through the test and how awesome the connection is. The highlight of the test is really how she tries for me.”

Competition continues Saturday with the eagerly anticipated Freestyle tests for both divisions.

Saturday’s Ride Times

General admission to the competition is free; please visit gdf.coth.com for more information. All championship competition will be live streamed and available on-demand on USEFNetwork.com.