Lars Petersen And Dansko's Success Win Grand Prix at 3rd Annual Dressage At The National At The 121st National Horse Show & Family Festival

Lars Petersen and Dansko's Success
Photo by Ken Braddick

WELLINGTON, FL - December 3, 2004 - Denmark's Lars Petersen, 39, of Wellington, Florida, aboard his long-time partner Dansko's Success successfully defended his Grand Prix title at the 3rd Annual Dressage At The National At The 121st National Horse Show & Family Festival today. Petersen earned a score of 72.292% from judges Lorraine MacDonald and Jeanne McDonald to top a class of 12 horses. Katherine Bateson aboard Rainier owned by Jane Clark placed second with 68.958%. Jans Brons earned the third place ribbon aboard Jourdan. Petersen, who won the Grand Prix at last year's Dressage At The National was pleased with his second consecutive victory at this show. "It feels good," Petersen beamed. "It always feels good to win!"

Dansko's Success is in his second year of competing in the Grand Prix and has only shown the test five times, including last year's win at Dressage At The National where he made his debut at this level. He followed that win with victories in the Winter Equestrian Festival CDIs, and then on to clinch the Grand Prix honors at this year's Dressage At Devon. "I thought he was good today," said Petersen. "He hasn't shown since Devon so I was very happy with him. He's a very hot horse and at Devon he was very fresh - too fresh, so I was a little bit worried for here, but he was good. He stayed with me. I was really happy."

Dansko's Success is a 17-hand, 10-year-old gray Danish warmblood by the Trakehner stallion Silver Moon out of a World Cup I mare. He put in a solid, obedient, and harmonious test today, showing fluid gaits and precise performance of the movements. Petersen was most pleased by his horse's execution of the Grand Prix trademark moves. "I was really happy with my piaffe/passage tour and my tempis today," noted Petersen. "That was just easy to ride." He has trained Dansko's Success up the levels to Grand Prix, but without attempting to adjust the horse's hot temperament. "I like to keep him hot, but controllable, of course," Petersen smiled. "I like hot horses." But he said Dansko's Success is relaxing on his own with age. "He's getting better. He was a lot hotter when he was young."

Petersen says he will not compete in the 2005 World Cup Dressage Final in Las Vegas in April, but he is considering a trip to Europe. "If everything goes well, I'd like to go to Europe and try for the European Championships," he said. He noted that he is not planning as far ahead as the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. He will next compete Dansko's Success in tomorrow's Grand Prix Special at Dressage At the National.

The 121st National Horse Show & Family Festival runs through Sunday, December 5. More than 500 of the nation's top horses are competing in hunters, jumpers, equitation and dressage for more than half a million dollars in total prize money. Upcoming attractions on Saturday, December 4, include the Children's Fair from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM sponsored by Wellington Show Stables, Lenehan Builders, Barbara Conners, and Alexandra Pozzo; the Taste of Wellington from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM; and The I.V. Technologies, Inc. Ladies' Side Saddle Over Fences and Hack classes.

For more information about the 121st National Horse Show & Family Festival, write to National Horse Show, PO Box 386, Greenvale, NY 11548. E-mail: NationalHS@aol.com; Phone: (516) 484-1865; Fax: (516) 484-1982. Web: www.nhs.org.