SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA - The world was watching as thousands tuned in to CDP Live's wildly-popular online video streaming service to see two incredibly impressive fields of Grand Prix and Prix St. Georges competitors fight it out for top marks on the first day of competition at California Dreaming Productions' Capistrano Dressage International CDI-W/Y/J/U-25, being held March 19 - 22 in beautiful San Juan Capistrano, Cal. But emerging as the big winner of the day was Olympian and long-time U.S. Dressage Team member Steffen Peters, who earned both first and second place in the CDI Grand Prix test aboard Legolas 92 and superstar-in-the-making Rosemunde with scores of 76.780% and 74.960%, respectively.

"One score above 74% in a day is great, but to have two in one day is just wonderful," said Peters. "Both horses did a clean test and a wonderful job. It's an awesome feeling." Despite some fleeting moments of tension, ultimately Four Winds Farm's veteran Westfalen gelding Legolas 92 (Laomedon x Fuerstin by Florestan II) maintained his composure to earn the winning score over talented young stablemate Rosamunde (Rheinlander mare [Rock Forever x First Lady by Fidermark]). "Legolas is still a firecracker, kind of like the Energizer bunny," laughed Peters. "But the overall feeling today was great, there was just a little bit of anticipation before the transition to passage. He used to be quite tight but he's gotten so much better, and even though it takes great concentration to ride him, he's a great challenge." 

With an invitation to next month's Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final on the line going into Sunday's Grand Prix Freestyle, Peters refuses to let the pressure of performance affect him. "I don't really think about it," he said. "The pressure is always there, and it's not the first time I've had to deal with it. Over the years, you learn to stick with your routine and what works. So actually I'm looking forward to the freestyle on Sunday."  
 

The CDI Prix St. Georges test became an all out knock-down drag-out fight to the finish for championship honors. Guenter Seidel and his Westfalen gelding Rey del Mundo (Rock Forever x Fiona by Ferragamo) were the first to break the 70% barrier, but they were immediately followed by Charlotte Jorst with Fraktura (Kastel Denmark's Hanoverian mare [Ferro x Carilla by Grannus]) who narrowly overtook the lead with 70.316%. Not to be outdone, Mette Rosencrantz then threw down the gauntlet with Anne Solbraekke's elegant black Hanoverian gelding De Noir 3 (De Niro x Maharani by Matcho AA). Their harmonious test earned 71.974%, a score which remained atop the leader board for the duration of the class. The ground jury was quite impressed with what they saw throughout the morning from almost 30 horse/rider combinations. "I thought we had a very strong group with lots of quality and depth and very well-ridden horses," said judge Sandra Hotz (3* USA). "But the winner's ride today was very active and expressive with lovely fluency, and a lot of confidence."

"I really like to compete when I have a lot of pressure - the more pressure I have, the calmer I am," said Rosencrantz after the win. "And today I knew what I had to do: with so many good riders and horses in the class, the only way to beat anyone was to really go for it, and it paid off for me today. But when you're bold, it can make it or break it, and when everyone is so close you're only one mistake away from being knocked out of the placings. I think it's fantastic that we have so many good riders and horses here right now - you never know who's going to rise to the top on any given day." 

 See complete competition results here.

Due to a record-setting number of entries for the Capistrano Dressage International, several CDI classes were held a day early on Thursday afternoon including the FEI Junior, Young Rider, and Under 25 Grand Prix divisions. Coming off two CDI Junior division wins at the Mid-Winter Dressage CDI in Burbank last month, Veronica West and her own black Hanoverian gelding Nobleman (Hatiello XX x Weira by Wenzel II) once again impressed the judges to earn the blue ribbon in the Junior Team Test with 68.153%. Catherine Chamberlain also continued her winning ways by piloting Kimberly Pribble's Dutch gelding Avesto Van Weltevreden (Gribaldi x Tevesta by Krack C) to victory in the Young Rider Team Prix St. Georges test with 69.123%, as well as with her former NAJYRC gold medal-winning partner Verdicci (KWPN gelding [Krack C x Nadine's Monday by Jackson]) in the 16-25 Intermediaire II test with 66.579%.

 See complete competition results here.