In their final preparation for the 2014 World Equestrian Games at the end of the month, the American WEG team candidates traveled full force to Verden for the CDI 3* competition there as last practise. Steffen Peters and Legolas swept the Grand Prix with 74.980%, followed by Canadian David Marcus on Chrevi's Capital.
Having recovered from a pneumonia which forced Steffen to be hospitalized at the medical centre in Turnhout, Belgium, during the CDIO Aachen, he is now back in the saddle and took Legolas out for his first show since the CDI Fritzens. The tall Westfalian gelding (by Laomedon x Florestan II) produced his typical expressive piaffe and passage work, but he could have been a bit more elastic in the trot extensions. The canter work was solid with a correctly ridden zig zag.
"It's been three weeks since I became ill," Peters recently commented. "Beside a couple of bad energy crashes each day, I'm almost back to 100%. My deepest respect and sympathy to all people who are ill for months and years. Three weeks are nothing."
Canadian David Marcus and Deborah Kinzinger's Danish warmblood Chrevi's Capital (by Lavallo x Weinberg) placed second in a strong international field of 31 riders in total. Marcus and Capital rode a strong test with improved piaffe passage transitions. One pirouette was unbalanced and one tempi change was a bit mediocre. The judges awarded them a 72,300%, their personal best score so far.
“What more can you ask for than to have a personal best right before the world championships," said 33-year old Marcus. “It is great for our confidence, and it shows the world the improvements that Capital is making and what he is capable of. My goal in Verden was to find the perfect balance between the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Special tests that I rode in Aachen,” explained Marcus. “I wanted the harmony of the Grand Prix from Aachen combined with the power and more uphill quality that I had in the Special. I think that was exactly what I was able to achieve today, and I was thankful that it was rewarded by the judges
German Dorothee Schneider and Gestut Peterhof's Dutch warmblood stallion Silvano (by Rubinstein x Cocktail) rounded out the top three with a 71.920% earning test.
Text and Photos © Astrid Appels - NO REPRODUCTION ALLOWED (NO FACEBOOK/INSTAGRAM)
Eurodressage's Astrid Appels was on the scene taking photos of all WCYH riders and several Grand Prix riders in Verden. Contact us if you are interested in photo prints, digital images, collages or albums.
Related Link
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2014 World Young Horse Championships