San Diego, California (October 19, 2015) — U.S. Olympian Steffen Peters knows that a show-stopping dressage performance is built from the ground up. That’s why when selecting an arena footing system for his own California training facility, he cannot settle for anything less than the best. For the past two years, Premier Equestrian LLC has provided the riding surfaces that Peters trains on. Now, the decision has been made to upgrade Peters’ facility with the advanced OTTO Sport arena system. This will be the same arena system that Peters will be competing on next year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Premier Equestrian is the exclusive North American distributor for German based OTTO Sport-und Reiplatz GmbH.
For Peters and his wife, USDF Gold Medalist Shannon Peters, durability and safety were key factors in selecting footing for the competition-sized dressage arena at their twenty-two acre facility. “We have approximately forty horses per day through our arenas,” said Steffen Peters. “The stability, traction, resilience, and cushion are all important factors in having footing that can stand up to our expectations. The footing we use from Premier Equestrian has exceeded all of those expectations and we are sure the OTTO Sport system will be even better.”
Peters was already familiar with the OTTO Sport arena system prior to his partnership with Premier Equestrian, having competed on the system at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, and the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky. He is delighted to have it in his own backyard as he is training on it with Akiko Yamazaki’s Legolas 92 and Rosamunde 20. Yamazaki is also enthusiastic about the OTTO Sport arena system. Having been extremely impressed with how well the system held up against two weeks of heavy rain at the 2006 Word Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, Yamazaki recently installed an OTTO Sport system at her facility in Northern California.
The OTTO system centers on the OTTO Sport Perforated Mat. Using the mat provides maximum drainage, concussion mitigation, stability for horse and rider, and a proper and durable separation of footing and substructure. Concussion absorption and skid resistance protect the horse’s joints and tendons from debilitating, long-term damage.
Drainage holes in the mat remove excess water quickly, making the arena useable immediately after persistent rain, such as that at the 2006 World Equestrian Games. Meanwhile, the water retention system holds up to four liters per square meter of water, providing the correct moisture levels at all times. These features make the OTTO Sport Perforated Mat System universally suited for any arena or farm in the world, including the fluctuating climactic conditions of Rio de Janeiro.
“We searched for quite a while to find the best footing, and not only do we think Premier Equestrian supplies the best footing, they are by far the most knowledgeable company we have found to find exactly the right materials needed for our arena,” said Shannon Peters. Premier Equestrian is happy to provide outstanding footing for such a talented pair. “Steffen and Shannon are top of the game in their discipline, and equally as important. They are true professionals — they choose the products they believe in. They are wonderful advocates,” said Heidi Zorn, President of Premier Equestrian.
An industry leader in providing outstanding arena footing and equipment, Premier Equestrian has found an ideal match in partnering with OTTO Sport. “We’ve expanded our arena offering immensely by teaming up with OTTO Sport. They offer a system of drainage, concussion, biomechanics, and longevity,” said Zorn. “The OTTO Sport system is a proven product that has been around for over thirty years. Many arenas are still standing and performing as well as they did the first day the system was installed thirty years ago.”
Now that the system is available in North America through Premier Equestrian, many high-level competitors have already installed it in their own arenas. U.S. Olympians and fellow Premier Equestrian advocates Debbie McDonald and Adrienne Lyle currently train on an OTTO Sport arena system at River Grove Farm in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Steffen and Shannon Peters are grateful for Premier Equestrian’s continued support. “We feel like Premier is the perfect fit for us and look forward to a long partnership with them,” said Steffen Peters. “Their customer service is second to none, they are always striving to improve their products and choices, and they have consistently provided the same service to everyone we speak to. Premier is the best!”
Premier Equestrian is the Official Dressage Arena of the United States Equestrian Federation and the United States Dressage Federation. For more information about Premier Equestrian, visit www.PremierEquestrian.com or call 800-611-6109.
