The unbeatable Dorothee Schneider wins the Grand Prix
Dressage World Cup Freestyle and the Spanish riders triumph in all the jumping
events of the journey!
Five trophies and five Spanish golds. The second day of IFEMA Madrid
Horse Week started just like yesterday, with Spaniards reaching the podium, and
this time the rest of the classes were contagious. Early in the morning, with
the bars at 1.40m above the ground, in the CSI2* Trophy Rodilla, Kevin González
de Zárate, scoring the second place yesterday in the CSI2* Exterior Plus Trophy
of 1.25m, and his Recesvinto horse were placed first, in a two-phase test in
which 26 pairs (of 38 participants) were able to complete the course. The
second place went to the rider Paloma Jiménez-Carmona González and her mare
Sherie Star, who surpassed Jesús Garmendia Echevarría and George by just a few
tenths of a second.
The morning continued with the CSI2 * 1.25m LG
Signature Trophy, also awarding more medals for the Spaniards. For a second
time, Kevin González de Zárate received the gold medal, where he surpassed his
own mark of the previous day with his 9-year-old horse Calipso van de
Bergdalhoeve Z. Álvaro Álvarez Gutiérrez also improved from his result on
Friday (bronze at 1.25m), this time, with his gelding Califa SA. The rider
Carlota Miret and her 18-year-old mare Ubine Jambo M won the third position.
Today at 2pm, Spain triumphed as the rider Pilar
Lucrecia Cordón with Seawillow won the CSI5 * 1.45m Air Europa Trophy, who were
the same pair that won the bronze yesterday. The Spanish rider, impressed
Madrid with her 9-year-old gelding who she has been jumping with this autumn in
the Belgian show competitions in Lier and Opglabbeek. The Italian, Emanuele
Gaudiano and his horse Kingston van het Eikenhof achieved the second place, and
the Norwegian Victoria Gulliksen, with Ballenteskin Watch This, took the third
place on the podium. Only six pairs finished the course without fail, because
the time was short.
Later on, the IFEMA Pavaillions were flooded with
some of the most beautiful and epic music. The music was chosen by the 14
riders who designed their own choreography to compete in the FEI Dressage World
Cup Grand Prix Freestyle. But the leaders of the podium did not change much
from last night. Dorothee Schneider did not disappoint, and dazzled again on
Saturday with DSP Sammy David Jr. in a very original and special reprise where
the judges awarded her with a score of 82.29. Just like yesterday, Claudio
Castillo Ruiz and his stallion Alcaide were not able to beat the German winner.
After winning three silver medals in Rotterdam, here in Madrid, he came second
with a good score of 80.23. And finally, in third place, the Dutchman Hans
Peter Minderhoud and his stallion Glock’s Zanardi repeated another bronze just
like on Friday in this Freestyle class with a score of 78.35 placing him in the
first position of the Dressage World Cup ranking.
In the evening, there was another Spanish victory,
and definitely the most exciting. Hidden away by the public, Sergio Álvarez
Moya, the last to enter the arena, flew through the most demanding class of the
day, the CSI5 * Alfonso X El Sabio University Trophy with heights of 1.55m. The
Olympic rider and his young mare Kardenta vant Meerhof were the fastest amongst
the dozens of excellent riders that played the winning manga. For less than a
second of difference, the Spaniard surpassed the German Christian Ahlmann and
the 8-year-old stallion Solid Gold Z. After Álvarez Moya’s exciting round, the
Italian Emanuele Gaudiano and his unsual
Chalou scored third place. This last pair who repeated their position on the
podium, as they achieved the silver of the CSI5 * 1.55m Star Damm Trophy on
Friday.
Beyond the high competition, the public of the
central arena were entertained by the ponies in the Pony Turf Aon Trophy. They
have been followed by a fun with the Horseman team show, the acrobats who,
barefoot, jumped an obstacle course of up to 1.40m.
At 10:45 p.m., the last test of the day began,
the CSI2* Lexus Trophy, an entertaining Jump & Drive in seven riders, dared
to jump on horseback and drive an SUV against the clock. This is how Kevin
González de Zárate got his third victory, and he was accompanied on the podium
by Fernando de los Santos García, the first rider of Eduardo Álvarez Aznar, and Marco Juncadella Hohenlohe. As a climax,
the rider Clémence Faivre and her Romanian horse offered a special performance.
Just like on Friday, the Non Stop Track hosted
one show after another: Deporcan’s dogs demonstrated their agility, there was
natural dressage and cowboy dressage exhibitions. Meanwhile, men on stilts,
donkeys and other pets were strolling around the Horse Hall to entertain the
hundreds of fans.
The final of the III Copa de la Vaquera was also
held on Saturday, which premiered last year at IFEMA Madrid Horse Week. The
winner, to the sound of flamenco, was José Ramón Pérez García with Donaire, who
obtained the highest average score after two days of competition. Jonatan Peña
and Talavante, the winners in the last edition, were in second place, although
they were in the first qualifying round on Friday. Almost the same score as
Amador Martín and Santano II JB, in third position.
So an exciting day ends leaving the spectators
with a good feeling before the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Grand Prix IFEMA
Trophy that will be held tomorrow at 1.00pm.
