STEFFEN PETERS
Born: 1964
Residence: San Diego, CA
Discipline: Dressage

Horse: Ravel
9-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding
owned by Akiko Yamazaki

Steffen Peters and Floriano swept the competition at the 2006 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Grand Prix Dressage Championship in Gladstone, NJ, landing them on the World Equestrian Games team. At the World Equestrian Games, Steffen and Floriano put together marvelous scores, helping the U.S. Dressage team to earn a Bronze medal, and the pair narrowly missed a medal in the individual Free Style. Steffen had previously earned an Olympic medal, a Team Bronze, at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics riding Udon. Ravel is a newly purchased mount who will be pointed to Grand Prix this year, with the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a future goal.

"It is only because of the USET Foundation grants that I was able to become internationally competitive. I have been competing in Europe since 1993. Being exposed to the international atmosphere is a must for any top rider. To medal at every Olympic and World Games since 1992 would have been impossible without the generosity of everyone who is supporting the USET Foundation."
-- Steffen Peters