DRESSAGE DAILY | NEWS
Verdades US Equestrian 2018 Dressage Horse of Honor
Thursday, December 20, 2018
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AWARDS | LAURA GRAVES | VERDADES | USEQUESTRIAN HORSES OF HONOR
In 2018, Verdades, affectionately known as Diddy, owned by Laura Graves and Curt Maes, again proved why he is one of the best horses to grace the international dressage ring.
Following a standout 2017, when he and his lifelong rider and trainer, Laura Graves placed second in the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle at the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final, US Equestrian named the 2002 Dutch Warmblood gelding and Graves to their second consecutive FEI World Equestrian Games™ The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team in 2018.
With the home crowd in his periphery, Verdades led Graves to an individual silver medal, the first silver medal awarded to a U.S. dressage combination at a global championship. In addition, they were the anchor combination for the silver medal-winning The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team.
During the 2018 FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ season, he helped the U.S. team earn a silver medal in the FEI Dressage Nations Cup Germany, part of CHIO Aachen. Individually, Verdades garnered eight first-place finishes in 2018, which included the Grand Prix at the FEI World Cup Dressage Final and the Grand Prix CDIO5* at CHIO Aachen. Their 2018 success allowed them to reach the world number one position on the FEI World Individual Dressage Ranking List in October, a status they held for nine straight weeks, marking the first time that a U.S. dressage combination has been ranked world number one.
Verdades began his journey to international success in 2014 after garnering attention from his reserve-champion finish at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions presented by The Dutta Corp. Since his launch into the spotlight, Verdades’s achievements and continued success are profound. He has earned 34 first-place finishes and over 20 second-place finishes in team and individual CDI competitions around the world since the inception of his international career.
2018 US Equestrian Horses of Honor are recognized because of their tremendous achievements over the course of the season. Each year, US Equestrian names a National Horse of the Year and an International Horse of the Year from the Horses of Honor roster.
