Were you cheering American Pharoah home on Saturday? Most of us had never seen a Triple Crown win during our lifetimes, but the brown colt made it look so easy as he won the Belmont Stakes in New York. It seemed like the whole world was watching, too.
But those who weren’t cheering and hooting might have been clapping politely, dressage-style, half a world away in Achleiten, Germany, where American dressage riders were flying the flag and collecting the ribbons.
Did you watch the race? American Pharoah dominated the Belmont Stakes to become the first horse since 1978 to win the Triple Crown. But he wasn’t the only winning American horse this weekend.
The American-on-tour dressage group completed their European tour at Achleiten on a high note. Steffen Peters rode his young horse, Rosamunde, to a double victory in the FEI Grand Prix for Kur (74.560%) and Grand Prix Kur that saw Four Wind Farms’ eight-year-old mare break the 80 percent scoring yardstick for the first time in her promising career.
While Steffen Peters made the headlines from Austria, he wasn’t the only American to stand on the tall podium block. Kasey Perry was fourth in the Grand Prix for Kur and veteran Katharine Raine was fifth.
Alison Brock and Rosevelt were second for the United States in both the Grand Prix for Special and the Grand Prix Special, finishing behind Austrian Olympian Victoria Max-Theurer on Blind Date.
Kimberly Herslow on Rosmarin (72.105%) was victorious for the USA in the Prix St Georges (72.105%) and Intermediare I (75.500 %). Herslow and Rosmarin led a sweep of American riders in the two classes, with Kasey Perry, Sabine Schut-Kery, and Olivia Lagoy-Weltz finishing in order behind her in both classes.
As we went to press with this story, US coach Robert Dover popped up on social media with a video message from Austria. He announced the US dressage team that will compete at the upcoming Pan Am Games in Toronto.
Steffen Peters on Legolas and Laura Graves on Verdades will compete at the Grand Prix level for the USA, with Steffen on Rosamunde and Alison Brock on Rosevelt as alternates.
For the small tour at Toronto, Kimberly Herslow and Sabine Schut-Kery will represent the USA, with Olivia Lagoy-Weltz as alternates.
