Watch an exclusive video interview with Steffen Peters, winner of the 2009 FEI World Cup Dressage Final and 2009 CHIO Aachen.
July 6, 2009 — In an unprecedented sweep, Steffen Peters and Akiko Yamazaki’s 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood Ravel swept all three classes in the CHIO Aachen in Germany July 3-5: the Grand Prix, the Grand Prix Special and the Grand Prix Freestyle–further validating their Rolex/FEI World Cup Dressage Final victory in April.
The sweep was a first for an American combination, and they did it in classic style. Their score in the finale, Sunday’s Grand Prix Freestyle, was 85.600 percent, more than a point clear of 2008 Olympic Gold Medalists Anky van Grunsven (Netherlands) and IPS Salinero.
Peters and Ravel picked up 30,000 EURO for their efforts on Sunday, pushing their three-day prize money total to more than 45,000 EURO. With this win, Peters (who was born in Germany ) more than realized a lifelong dream of finishing in the top three at Aachen. He achieved it, to a standing ovation, with family, friends and fans in attendance to celebrate his tremendous accomplishment.
The pair will return to their base in San Diego, Calif., with the next major goal in their sights, the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games next September in Lexington, Ky.
