Ravel, America’s most decorated Grand Prix dressage horse ever, was officialy retired Saturday evening, April 27, before an adoring crowd at the Del Mar National Horse Show. Surrounded by the team behind his ascent, the two-time Olympic horse was feted by owner Akiko Yamazaki and rider Steffen Peters, who took the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding one last time through their Avatar freestyle before a tear-filled ceremony that honored Ravel’s entire team.

“I try to put in words a few times what I have experienced with Ravel and with the entire Ravel team, and I can’t put it in words,” said Peters, who called the 2009 World Cup Finals in Las Vegas his career highlight.

Akiko imported Ravel from The Netherlands 2006, and after a serious injury stalled their career, Peters and Ravel were fourth at the 2008 Olympic Games, won the 2009 World Cup Finals and were double individual bronze medalists at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. In 2012 they were 17th at the Olympic Games in London, their final competition.

Just prior to the ceremony, their Olympic teammates, Rafalca and Jan Ebeling, posted their highest score ever of 76.125 percent to win the Grand Prix Freestyle at the Del Mar National CDI3*. Günter Siedel and Coral Reef Wylea were second with 73.950 percent.