Biography - Steffen Peters

Steffen Peters was born on September 18, 1964. He was born in Wesel, Germany. With his wife Shannon, he runs a dressage training barn in Escondido, California. He became U.S. citizen in 1992. Peters is a three time Olympian.

Peters started riding as a young boy in Germany. When Steffen was 16 his father purchased him Udon, the 3 year old KWPN gelding by Darling Boy. Peters and Udon trained with Jo Hinnemann's barn in Voerde, Germany. At Hinnemann's Peters met Lauie Falvo who invited Peters to work at her barn in San Diego in the summer of 1984. One in California Peters loved the lifestyle and never looked back.

In 2004 Peters was an alternate on the U.S. Olympic team with his horse Floriano. In 2005 the pair rode to victory in the group 1 CDIO Grand Prix at the famous Aachen. In 2006 this pair won help the U.S. team secure a bronze at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen. Peters and Floriano went on to many more successes.

Peters began riding Akiko Yamazaki's Ravel. This pair have risen to the top of International Dressage competition. In 2009 Peters won the FEI Rolex World Cup finals, then went on to sweep the Grand Prix, the Special and the Freestyle at Aachen, something no American had ever done. That same year United States Dressage Federation (USDF) named Ravel horse of the year.

In 2010 Peters and Ravel represented the United States in Kentucky at the World Equestrian Games. Other members of the team are: Tina Konyot, Todd Flettrich and Katherine Bateson-Chandler.