Steffen Peters Dedicated his World Cup Freestyle Ride to Friend Mark Carter Who Died in Helicopter Crash Days Before Omaha Final

OMAHA, Nebraska, April 8, 2023–Steffen Peters felt that his friend Mark Carter was looking down on the Omaha convention center during the World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle ride that he dedicated to the man who died in a helicopter crash days before the championship.

“Mark and I had been friends for at least 25 years,” Steffen recalled after dressage-news held off asking until the competition was over. “In the early days, Mark used to pick me up in his Eurocopter A-Star every Wednesday. We would fly to his farm, where I would help Mark with his horses. In exchange, Mark taught me to fly helicopters.

“Last year, Mark purchased a Bell 407. At least once a month we flew from French Valley in Temecula to Big Bear, a local ski resort. The flight was 30 minutes instead of a two-hour drive.

“Everybody loved Mark’s sense of humor. He showed his horse, Bellino, successfully at the Grand Prix level. When Mark had a mistake in a test, he would humorously say, I ran briefly out of talent.

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Article written by: KENNETH J. BRADDICK