Del Mar, Calif. – April 30, 2016 – The U.S. Olympic team qualifying period draws to a close May 1, and the focus is on the Del Mar National Horse Show as riders take advantage of their last chance to solidify their place or move up in the rankings. Steffen Peters has held steady in the second and third place positions with Rosamunde and Legolas 92, and he bolstered Legolas’ position by taking the win with the gelding in Friday’s CDI-W Grand Prix. The pair earned a strong score of 77.16 percent.
Guenter Seidel and Zero Gravity, who represented the U.S. at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Final in Gothenburg, Sweden, a month ago, are back on U.S. soil and looking better than ever. They scored a personal best for the Grand Prix of 73.02 percent to take second place.
Peters – who was Seidel’s teammate alongside Robert Dover and Michelle Gibson on the United States’ bronze medal team at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta – also picked up third place honors with Rosamunde, scoring a 71.68 percent.
Approximately eight horse and rider combinations will travel to Europe to compete in the next stage of the selection process. Laura Graves currently holds a commanding lead in the rankings. Seidel and Zero Gravity sit in 10th place, followed by Kathleen Raine and Breanna, who were fifth in Friday’s Grand Prix at Del Mar with a 68.44 percent.
Charlotte Jorst and Kastel’s Nintendo joined Seidel at the World Cup Final and are 14th in the rankings (although Pikko del Cerro HU, ahead of them on the official roster in 13th, has been retired from competition). They took fourth place in the Del Mar Grand Prix with a score of 69.5 percent.
Peters will ride Legolas in Saturday night’s Grand Prix Freestyle. The field of nine for the class also includes Jorst on Kastel’s Nintendo and Raine on Breanna. Sunday morning’s class of 10 in the Grand Prix Special includes Peters with Rosamunde as well as Seidel on Zero Gravity and Jan Ebeling on FRH Rassolini.
Results: Del Mar National Horse Show
CDI-W Grand Prix
Judges: E: Tissot – FRA/H: Waddell – BRA/C: Gribbons – USA/M: Clarke – GBR/B: Warren – USA
Rider/Country/Horse/Total Score
1. Peters, Steffen/USA/Legolas 92/77.160
2. Seidel, Guenter/USA/Zero Gravity/73.020
3. Peters, Steffen/USA/Rosamunde/71.680
4. Jorst, Charlotte/USA/Kastel”s Nintendo/69.500
5. Ebeling, Jan/USA/FRH Rassolini/68.660
6. Raine, Kathleen/USA/Breanna/68.440
7. McGrath, Kimberly/USA/Winslow/67.960
8. Raine, Kathleen/USA/Zuperman/66.200
9. Reilly, Michelle/USA/Umeeko/65.840
10. Jorst, Charlotte/USA/Kastels Akeem Foldager/65.660
Ranking List for the 2016 Olympic Games – U.S. Dressage Selection
Updated April 26 (prior to Del Mar National Horse Show)
1. Laura Graves and Verdades, owned by the rider – 77.000
2. Steffen Peters and Rosamunde, owned by Four Winds Farm – 75.701
3. Steffen Peters and Legolas 92, owned by Four Winds Farm – 74.669
4. Kasey Perry and Goerklintgaards Dublet, owned by Diane Perry – 73.215
5. Allison Brock and Rosevelt, owned by Fritz and Claudine Kundrun – 72.873
6. Shelly Francis and Doktor, owned by Patricia Stempel – 72.782
7. Shelly Francis and Danilo, owned by Patricia Stempel – 72.255
8. Arlene “Tuny” Page and Woodstock, owned by the rider – 71.584
9. Lisa Wilcox and Galant, owned by Jacqueline Shear – 70.565
10. Guenter Seidel and Zero Gravity, owned by James and Charlotte Mashburn – 70.531
11. Kathleen Raine and Breanna, owned by Jennifer Mason, David Wightman and Kathleen Raine – 70.264
12. Catherine Haddad Staller and Mane Stream Hotmail, owned by Rowan O’Riley – 69.854
13. Lisa Wilcox and Pikko del Cerro HU (now retired from competition), owned by Horses Unlimited LLC – 69.826
14. Charlotte Jorst and Kastel’s Nintendo, owned by Charlotte Jorst and Kastel Denmark – 69.075
15. Kasey Perry-Glass and Trostruplunds Scarlet, owned by Diane Perry – 69.069