DeRosa Daily Equestrian Olympic News
Horsesdaily Veteran Olympic Reporter Diana DeRosa Brings Us Into Her World

Afterwards I phoned Steffen because I was curious to hear how he felt about everything.  He felt okay with the way everything went. 

“Obviously  was very very pleased.  This was only the second time that Ravel and I did the Freestyle.  When we did the sound check I asked him to turn the music down but when we entered the arena it was way louder than I had approved of.  Because of that Ravel was a tiny bit nervous in the beginning and I had a little problem in the two tempis.  After that he was soft to ride and extremely attentive.  Piaffes in the freestyle were the best.  There were a number of movements that the judges really rewarded including the canter pirouette to piaffe.  What they really appreciated was how hard he tried and then the relaxation from the piaffe to the walk.  Overall even though I wish it had been enough for a bronze I am very happy.”

Steffen went on to explain that if he had not had the mistake in the two-tempis that would have been enough to make up the difference to give them the Bronze.  “I definitely believe that would have made the difference.  If I wouldn’t have made that mistake it would have been good.  In this field you have to go for it.  I rode the one and two-tempis quite a bit forward.  For the ones it worked out and in the two tempis it didn’t but to get a 76.5 is not too shabby.”

Steffen further explained that he and Ravel had lost 8 months in 2007 when he had to be sidelined due to an injury in his left front leg.  If that had not happened they might have been able to show a season in Europe.    “Before the Olympics that could have made the difference,” he explained.  “Ravel was a new kid on the block.  We have to put those performances in front of the judges in Europe a few times and that is what we accomplished here.”

Steffen referred to that freestyle as  “the night when the world met Ravel.  If they had met him a little bit sooner it would have benefitted him.  It still was a wonderful stepping stone for Ravel. “

Steffen delved a bit into the judges noting, “The judges saw it the way it is.  I believe in the good of the judges  and that they don’t deliberately take a nation down or judge one rider higher.

It was November 15 right after lunch that Steffen restarted Ravel back to the road to the Olympics.  It was August 19 at night that the world met Ravel.