31/08/2011

The Spanish rider from Asturias, riding on Wisconsin 111, won the jump-off of the Oquendo class, clear round in 39.17 seconds.

Sergio Álvarez Moya, local rider from Avilés and his horse Wisconsin 111 are the winners of the Oquendo Class, last competition of the opening day at the Gijón 2011 International Jumping Show. The winner was clear round in 39.17 seconds. The class was Table A against the clock with jump-off where the British Robert Whitaker riding on Omelli, finished in second place. Third place was for the French Clement Boulanger riding on Winsome Van de Plataan.

Only eleven couples out of 53 progressed to the jump-off, eight of them were clear round and the other three just got one down.

THE HEROE OF THE LOCALS

The winner, Sergio Álvarez Moya, said that “I am very happy. It has been a short course but quite difficult in the end and I am thrilled to have won the class”. The local followers have supported Sergio and were very happy to see him win.

The Spanish rider was one of the last to do the course and he knew the timing of his rivals. He enhances the role of his horse: “I’ve been working with Wisconsin 111 and I know when I have to put pressure on him”.

When the prize-giving ceremony took place, the best riders of this class followed Sergio Álvarez. He then threw the bouquet to the spectators. The riders that followed Sergio in the ranking were the Belgian Eric Lamaze riding on Atlete Van T Hieke (4th place), the Swiss Niklaus Schurtenberger riding on Cantus (5th place).

TWO SPANISH VICTORIES ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE SHOW

Jesús Garmendia, Spanish rider from The Basque Country, has won the first class of the CSIO Horse Show that is taking place in Gijón. He has done a clear round in 65 seconds.

Garmendia, riding his mare Perle Condeenne, was the winner of the class sponsored by Central Lechera Asturiana, which has opened the edition of the Official International Jumping Show of Gijón 2011 with a clear round in 65 seconds. The course, judged by a Table A against the clock, was mostly lead by the Spanish rider Sergio Álvarez Moya and its horse Sirius. However, about the end of the round, he was pushed into a third position, behind Philippe Le Jeune and his mare Ballerine, the current individual world champion.

Jesús Garmendia was pleased by the magnificent course designed for the first class: “I am very pleased. This is a show I like and I think that is great to start the competition by winning a long course.” The rider admitted that he started with the advantage of knowing the timing of his rivals, and recognized the work done by his mare: “She has been very competitive”.

Regarding the Nations Cup to be held on Saturday, Garmendia is part of the Spanish team that will fight to win the competition. “Even though we haven’t trained much for this competition, you have to be optimistic when you compete and we will all try to win”.

Together with Jesús Garmendia, Philippe Le Jeune and Sergio Álvarez Moya, HH Prince Faisal Bin Saud Al Shalan, from Saudi Arabia, and his mare Aprodithe Van Het Arendshoe, and the Dutch Piet Raijmakers Jr with his mare Van Schijndel’s Chanelly were also in the price-giving ceremony. Only 16 pairs out of 65 that participated in this Central Lechera Asturiana Class were able to go clear.