Lila Kommerstad, Steffen Peters' First Sponsor, Passed Away

Dressage

U.S.A.

Lila Kommerstad, one of America's most prominent dressage sponsors in the 1990s, has passed away on Sunday 23 August 2020. She was 94 years old.

Lila was married to the late entrepreneur Robert Kommerstad, who passed in 2002. The couple was married for 46 years.

After spotting Steffen Peters riding in a clinic with the late Dr. Reiner Klimke, Kommerstad decided to sponsor Peters. In 1990 she purchased Udon (by Darling Boy), who would become Steffen's 1996 U.S. Olympic team horse. The pair won team bronze in Atlanta.

Kommerstad greatly supported Steffen in the 1990s and early 2000s. She also owned Akeena, who went on to win team and individual gold with Peters at the Olympic Festival in St. Louis in 1994, as well as Peters' 1998 U.S. Reserve Grand Prix champion Grandeur (by John up to Berry) and Marlando (by Balzflug)

"Lila Kommerstad was was an extremely generous and kind-hearted supporter for the dressage community in the United States," Steffen reminisced. "Without Lila, I would have never received a spot on the 1996 Olympic team and Shannon and I would have never been able to operate the beautiful Equestrian facility, Arroyo Del Mar in San Diego, California."

Lila is survived by her daughter Carol.