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Friday, January 18 2013 / Published in Sidelines Feature

Happy Trails: Ravel’s New Career

By Lauren R. Giannini

Ravel
Photo by SusanJStickle.com

Ravel, the dressage star ridden by Steffen Peters, is living out the life all horses deserve: he has gone from life as an Olympic superstar to life as a trail horse and schoolmaster for owner Akiko Yamazaki. Ravel has the reputation for being a generous horse and one of the nicest horses that Steffen has ever ridden. His agreeable temperament certainly comes in handy on Akiko’s Four Winds Farm in California where the superstar passaged gracefully into the good life.

 

“He came to my farm about two weeks after coming home from London,” recalled Akiko. “He got off the trailer and walked straight into his stall without batting an eye. The next morning, we put him in the small grass paddock. Even though he had not had turnout during his competition years, he put his head down and started eating grass as if he had always done it.”

 

It’s equally impressive that an equine who knows how to piaffe, passage and pirouette didn’t have any problems adjusting to the trails. Four Winds Farm borders 100 acres, open to members of the trail riding club. “The first time we took him out, I went with a friend just to be safe as there are deer and many outdoor sculptures,” explained Akiko. “Ravel just walked calmly through it all. By the third trail ride, I was so confident he would be fine by himself that this became the norm. He goes through ditches, walks next to a herd of deer, and we watch hawks land on branches together. I really cherish these quiet beautiful moments with him.”

 

Ravel poses with a group of admiring visitors.
Photo Courtesy of Akiko Yamazaki

Ravel – aka His Majesty – knows he is a star. When he first arrived at the barn, he received visitors all the time. “We have many visitors who come to say hello and bring him apples and carrots. I think he really enjoys posing for photos,” said Akiko. “Whenever there is an audience, even if it is two people that have come to watch him, he puffs up a bit more in the arena. Ravel never begs for his treats – you must come to him!”

 

Like any royalty, Ravel has a mind of his own. Akiko recalled that the first time she brought him to the mounting block, he stopped five feet short and refused to move. “I was sad about this, thinking he doesn’t want to work any more,” admitted Akiko, “until Steffen told me Ravel did this to him every single day.”

 

Akiko grew up with horses in Costa Rica and competed jumpers as a teenager. Her first dressage experience took place when she was in high school. Then she moved to California to attend Stanford University. She had left behind the horses, but never forgot them. Akiko’s passion for horses revived early in her marriage to the unsuspecting Jerry Yang. One horse led to many, but it was Jerry’s suggestion that they look for a horse for Steffen to ride in the Beijing Olympics.

 

Ravel and Steffen at the World Equestrian Games.
Photo by Lauren R. Gianinni

When asked what moments she cherishes most in Ravel’s career, Akiko replied, “Beijing 2008. World Cup 2009. Aachen 2009. Kentucky (WEG) 2010. Being the crowd’s favorite in Aachen 2011. There are just too many special moments, but one of the special moments was to go on a trail ride with Steffen and Ravel.”

 

Every few weeks Steffen travels from his training facility in San Diego to Four Winds Farm in northern California to work with Akiko, who rides Ravel three to four days in the arena and one day on the trails. “When Steffen comes out to give me lessons, he gets on him, and one time I couldn’t get him off of Ravel,” exclaimed Akiko. “He is an incredible teacher and still seems happy to do his work.”

 

Ravel may be retired, but not his rider. Steffen plans to compete on Akiko’s Legolas 92 in the World Dressage Masters in Palm Beach, Jan. 23-27. The bay Westphalian gelding, now 11, who had been trained to Grand Prix in Germany by Ulrich Kasselman, arrived with little show experience in June 2011. Legolas won the 2012 US Grand Prix Championship and went to London as reserve horse for Steffen.

 

Retiring dressage stars to Four Winds began with Lombardi, the first horse Akiko sponsored for Steffen. They met in 1999 when she bought a horse through him. In 2004, awaiting her first daughter’s birth, Akiko sent Lombardi to Steffen. Within a year he turned the 14-year-old Holsteiner into an international grand prix horse. They competed in Hagen and twice at Aachen, earning the National Championship at Gladstone and placing fifth in the selection trials for Beijing.

 

“Whereas Ravel is happy to be the world’s best schoolmaster for me, Lombardi basically told me, ‘I never want to see a saddle EVER again’ when I retired him, so we honored his wishes,” stated Akiko. “I am not sure if Ravel would like to go back to the life of an international competition horse, because he seems to be enjoying his grass and trail rides, but he is for sure the King!”

 

Akiko and Steffen hit the trails.
Photo by Sheryl Ross

 

Ravel’s Rocking Resume

Ravel, the dark bay Dutch Warmblood gelding, and his rider Steffen Peters are the most successful American Grand Prix dressage combination in many years. Bought in 2006 and imported from the Netherlands by Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang for Steffen, Ravel had been trained by Edward Gal of Moorlands Totilas fame. In early 2008 they stormed the dressage bastille, earning their place on the U.S. team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics where they placed fourth individually.

 

In Las Vegas in 2009 they won both the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Freestyle at the Rolex FEI World Cup Dressage Final, besting the Netherlands’ Salinero and Anky van Grunsven (nine World Cups and three Olympic gold medals), and Germany’s Satchmo and Isabel Werth (five gold Olympic medals). Later that year, Ravel and Steffen scored another first for the U.S. when they swept all three classes at the prestigious CDIO Aachen.

 

The duo earned two bronze medals at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. It was the first time ever that a U.S. dressage horse had won an individual medal at the World Championships. You had to be there – the crowd went crazy. They also won two U.S. Grand Prix Championships and, along the way, the hearts of people around the world.

 

Esperanza, Ravel’s daughter, was a gift in 2009 from Ravel’s previous owner: now three and learning alongside her illustrious daddy at Four Winds Farm. Ravel was gelded after arriving in the United States.
Photo Courtesy of Akiko Yamazaki

In 2012, Steffen and Ravel dominated the World Dressage Masters CDI4* Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club, winning the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Freestyle. (The photo on the cover of this issue is Ravel and Steffen at the 2012 World Dressage Masters.)

 

Ravel is a five-time Horse Of The Year (HOTY), presented by the United States Equestrian Federation. He earned three consecutive Adequan/USDF Grand Prix Horse of the Year titles (2009-2011), The Chronicle of the Horse’s 2009 Horse of the Year and the 2010 USEF Farnam/Platform Horse of the Year.

 

At the London Olympics last summer, the U.S. Dressage Team finished sixth overall. Steffen and his longtime sponsor Akiko, who owns Ravel, had made the decision to retire their 14-year-old wunderkind after the Games. Hopes ran high for them: they were the only U.S. combination to qualify for the freestyle, which decided the individual medals, but it wasn’t the great horse’s day. Ravel’s career ended without a trip to the podium and final blaze of glory. Steffen honored his wonderful equine dancing partner with moving words which have been quoted all over the media map: “Ravel owes us nothing. We owe him everything.”

 

Ravel was inducted into the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame at the USDF annual convention in December.

 

The Woodside Vaulters, of California, showed their support for Ravel and Legolas, both owned by Akiko Yamazaki, while the team was competing in the National Vaulting Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park during the first week of the Olympics.
Photo Courtesy of Woodside Vaulters

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Tagged under: Akiko Yamazaki, Beijing Olympics, dressage, Four Winds Farm, Jerry Yang, lauren r. giannini, Ravel, Ravel retires, sidelines-magazine, steffen peters, World Cup 2009. Aachen 2009. Kentucky (WEG) 2010, World Dressage Masters in Palm Beach

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Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses—in a way, she was born into her career. She grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where her parents ran a farm. Her mother taught, and her father had a jump business and then created one of the first horse show software programs: Ryegate Show Services, Inc.

Riding all her life, Annette spent many years as a groom and loved it, but knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do as a career. After she finished college, Annette’s father recruited her to help process entries at Ryegate. Since her father, Lloyd Longenecker, founded it in 1981, Ryegate has provided show management and office staff for some of the largest shows in the country. Now, Annette has taken over from her father and directed the company as it focuses on managing memberships and rankings for organizations such as the North American League, WIHS Championships and Equitation, Rolex/USEF Computer Ranking and National Medal Series (THIS NCM and Ariat NAM). Ryegate also provides scoring software for use with video walls, and production teams for hunter and jumper shows.

“Besides running Ryegate Show Services and its various organizations, I can be found in the show office, running a scoreboard or judging jumpers at most shows,” Annette said. “I love getting to wear a few different hats at the show.”

When she’s not busy at a show, Annette lives in Annville, Pennsylvania, with her “fur-baby,” Maggie Mae, and enjoys spending time with her many godchildren. Though she doesn’t currently own any horses, Annette rides when she can at Rolling Acres Farm with Patty Foster, Ashley Foster-Worthington and Mary Lisa Leffler.

Read this month unbridled with Annette Longenecker by clicking the link in our bio. Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine! 🦄
📸Photo by Sheryl Sutherby

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A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself The spor A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself 
The sport of eventing is a demanding and mentally challenging discipline that requires a combination of physical and mental fortitude from both the rider and horse. While having a coach can be incredibly beneficial, self-coaching can also play a crucial role in a rider’s success.

I think that given the opportunity, most riders would like to be coached every day. The reality of life in the horse world, however, is that the majority of us need to absorb as much from the lessons we have on a limited basis and then practice those skills at home to improve.

When I am riding, I try to have a plan for the horses each day and focus on what I’m looking to achieve. It’s important to be aware of the steady improvements rather than trying to solve everything all at once. This is especially important when teaching horses new movements or exercises that they might struggle with, and we need to give them time to learn and understand what we are asking for.

I have a couple of quotes that I use regularly when I’m teaching, and these are mottos that I hold myself to in my daily work as well.

The first is, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.” This is a quote that was said to me many years ago when I was still motor racing and I keep it in the back of my mind each day. It’s easy to get stuck doing the same thing every day with your horse and bad habits are hard to break, from both riders and horses!

This leads me to my next quote, which is, “If what you are doing isn’t working, try something else.” It really is as simple as that! Many riders I see keep asking a horse to do something the same way over and over with an ongoing negative response and they wonder why things don’t get better. In these circumstances, I recommend that the rider change something, even if it’s wrong.

Read the full article by clicking the link in our bio! Don’t forget to keep your eye out for our April subscription!
📸Photo by Alex Banks Photography
The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here and we are so excited to feature three-day eventer Liz Halliday on the cover! Big thanks to photographer Melissa Fuller for the beautiful photo of Liz and Cooley Nutcracker- Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing. Liz and her horses have taken the eventing world by storm - and find out how Liz is at the top of the sport as a female eventer! As the horse world gears up for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event 2023, it's the perfect time to enjoy our eventing issue!! We also feature eventer and woman entrepreneur Frankie Thieriot Stutes, who is not only an eventer, but also runs Athletux and FRANKIE CAMERON handbags and accessories. And don't miss our eventing story on Robert "Bobby" Costello, who will be leading the US Eventing team to the 2024 Paris Olympics- and US Equestrian has named Bobby the eventing technical advisor/chef d'equipe!! Liz, Frankie and Bobby all have GREAT stories - don't miss any of them and don't forget to get your tickets for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day event! We are also excited to introduce you to hunter-jumper rider Casey Lorusso Smith, who is not only a talented rider but also a psychotherapist and incorporates horses into her career. If you are up for adventure, then read the story on dressage rider Priscilla Baldwin who certainly doesn't let any grass grow under her feet! We also head to the west coast to catch up with hunter-jumper trainer Jim Hagman of Elvenstar Farm, we feature beautiful art by equestrian artist Tammy Tappan, and we get to know Miranda Jones and her family. Miranda is not only an attorney who spends a lot of time in the courthouse, but she's a rider and spends lots of time riding, and is joined by her daughters also! We are excited to feature Stephanie Lightner in our Unbridled column, and don't miss our columnists George Williams, Robert R.L. Jacobs and Margie Sugarman! It's a great issue - and you can read it online, but don't forget to go to the website and order a subscription and get every issue delivered to your mailbox!! Enjoy this issue and enjoy the ride: Link in bio!!
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