Basque dominance in the second show of the National Show Jumping League, held in Valladolid

Basque riders dominate the second leg of the 2026 National Show Jumping League in Valladolid

The 2026 National Show Jumping League reached its second stop this weekend with the CSN5* Ciudad de Valladolid, held at the Real Sociedad Hípica in the Castilian city. Both League-ranking Grand Prix classes were won by Basque riders.

With nearly 250 horses entered, the CSN5* Ciudad de Valladolid featured an intense three-day schedule, culminating on Sunday afternoon with the two classes counting towards the Spanish Equestrian Federation’s National Show Jumping League standings.

The first of these was the Silver League Grand Prix, the Verisure Trophy, run over 1.40m fences. Victory went to the rider who best managed the decisive jump-off phase through experience and composure: Iván Serrano. The Biscayan rider, who is based in Cantabria, approached the final round calmly. Twenty-one horse-and-rider combinations qualified for the jump-off, and Serrano needed only to make the most of the turns and maintain a smooth natural rhythm aboard the grey mare Guyane de Talma to secure the win.

Behind the Basque rider, second and third places went to competitors riding very young horses. Belén Conde finished second, just 0.35 seconds behind, with the eight-year-old mare KMS Berlina, while veteran rider Asís Arango took third place aboard another promising young mare, the seven-year-old Chaccaría Blue PS.

The Gold League qualifier, class over 1.50m fences, was the Valladolid City Council Grand Prix–Caja Rural Zamora Trophy. Thirty-six combinations took part, but only six managed faultless rounds to qualify for the jump-off. Once again, experience prevailed in the decisive phase, this time thanks to Basque rider Pello Elorduy and Emir de Burgo. Elorduy repeated his clear round and clocked a faster time than the only other double-clear combination, Kevin González de Zárate and Djoural de Lizet, who finished second.

Third place went to local young rider Inés Hernández Yanguas, who incurred a single rail down in the jump-off aboard Nemo de Porceyo.

Following the CSN5* in Valladolid, Carlota Olaizola leads the Silver League standings, while Alfons Roquet remains at the top of the Gold League table, holding a one-point advantage over second-placed Pello Elorduy.

Beyond the two Grand Prix classes, Sunday’s programme also produced notable winners in the remaining competitions. Uxue Arruza and RYO HT claimed victory in the Madrid Horse Week Trophy (1.30m), while Ana López Peixoto and Macao topped the Valladolid Equestrian Federation Trophy (1.20m). The event concluded with the Grupo Casas Arias Trophy, where Inés Hernández Yanguas added another win to her tally aboard the six-year-old Gadgaards Coppi, bringing a highly successful weekend of competition in Valladolid to a close.