Gladstone, NJ – Together, Steffen and Shannon Peters of San Diego, California, along with their mounts, Marlando (1999 Dutch Warmblood gelding) and Luxor (1993 Dutch Warmblood gelding), have built a roadblock that won’t be easy for fellow competitors to break through. With light hands and experience on the side of the Peters, and a real desire to master the sport on the part of the horses, both pairs continue to top the score sheets on the second day of the 2005 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Intermediaire I Dressage Championship, presented by Paul Miller Auto Group, Inc.

After his wife’s impressive performance captured the high score on Thursday, Steffen set out to set the record straight Friday, bringing in the top ride on Marlando, with 73.10%. Shannon and Luxor finished second with 71.75%.

Slated to ride last in the USEF Intermediaire I class Thursday morning, Steffen said he had the benefit of watching Shannon’s performance before he had to ride. “Shannon set a very good standard,” he said, sharing credit. “It’s her fault that she warmed me up perfectly this morning.”

Shannon had no trouble crediting the win to Steffen’s skillful ride though, smiling as she conceded, “He out-rode me.” Repeated pats on the back and reassuring smiles made one thing clear—Shannon is rather taken with Steffen and his uncanny ability to go out and get the job done, and gracefully so. With both competitors boasting several eights and nines in their scores, the judges obviously liked what they saw.

New to the national scene, Jane Hannigan of Harvard, Massachusetts, once again rounded out the top three with a score of 70.20% on Maksymilian (1994 KWPN Dutch Warmblood gelding). That adds another first to Hannigan’s career—her first score in the 70% range at this level of competition. “He’s a brilliant horse and he can get nines on everything if he wants to,” she said. “He needs to gain a lot more carriage before he moves to Grand Prix though. We have to go home and do a lot of work.”

All three top-placed riders are looking forward to Saturday’s USEF Intermediaire I Freestyle at 10:00 a.m., the last of the three classes that make up the 2005 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Intermediaire I Dressage Championship, presented by Paul Miller Auto Group, Inc. Saturday’s final class will determine the final 20% of the overall score. Thursday’s Intermediaire I accounted for 45% of the score, while Wednesday’s Prix St. Georges accounted for 35%.