Spain claims the first victory at Corunha

This was a nice start for Spain: first class and first win. But to be exact, the victory of Leonardo Medal Garcia (45 years-old) is something international as his horse is Argentinean and the trainer of the latter is French!

“When I win a class, I always want to associate my groom, who is also the rider who hacks and trains my horses at home,” said the professional rider living near Gijón, in Asturias. “Cyril is a French guy and his work on my horses is very important. Tres Coronas Mariachi comes also from another country. He was born in Argentina and I bought him from a French horse dealer. He is an 11 years-old gelding also able to perform well in Grand Prix.”

But this first class of the day, the Trofeo Mostoles Industrial (€ 1.500 to the winner), was a speed class and to win it, Fernando had to go quicker than Marco Kutscher, the European Champion himself. Which was quite a challenge as Marco, taking very short turns with his quite big Numero Uno (a Spanish name for a Dutch stallion), finishing the course in 57”14, being the first pair able to go under 60 seconds. Did Fernando have a special strategy to beat the German?: “No, I even didn’t have a look at Marco’s course! I know that Tres Coronas Mariachi is a speedy horse. I have just rode my course following my idea without thinking at the time of Kutscher.”

However, the Spanish was 1”59 quicker than the European Champion and could receive proudly the black blanket, which is the distinctive mark for the winners at Casas Novas.
Bernardo Alves, winner of the Trofeo Azkar
Bernardo Alves was the fastest this afternoon in the second phase of the Trofeo Azkar, an important victory for the Brazilian camp as their “master”, Nelson Pessoa, celebrates today his 70th birthday!

The 31 years-old Bernardo Alves who was member of the Brazilian team at the last Olympic Games of Athens, has been working at Pessoa’s stable in Ligny, in the South of Belgium since 2002. He is the official rider of André Johhannspeter, a formal rider of this Brazilian equestrian team and today owner of the famous Joter Stud in Brazil which is actually the first producer of sporthorses in this country.

The current World # 13 won easily this Trofeo Azka with a 12 years-old French stallion called Fort Neuville Joter. It was a little disappointment for the Spanish spectators of Casas Novas as taking the lead, the Brazilian defeated the Spanish rider Alfonso Salguero, who was the current leader of the class. But for Bernardo, this was not a problem: “I was more wondering about the length of the second phase of this class. Generally we have 5 or 6 obstacles to jump; today there were only 4 jumps which is unusual. But, OK, I do not want to complain: I won! It was especially important to win today, Neco is getting 70 and I dedicate this victory as a birthday present to him.” Happy birthday Mr. Pessoa!

Eugénie Angot, was placed 3rd in this class with a new horse called Illostra Dark, a horse she will have to ride tomorrow for the first time in a Grand Prix because her top mare Cigale du Taillis collapsed after travelling from France: “I guess she will recover in two or three day, but for the Grand Prix I will have to attempt Illostra. At least I will know more about her real potential! She is a very special mare, as I got her, last year, she was not able to jump over 1m20. Every day, she surprises me, so why not?…»