Asturian talent competes on home soil this weekend

Sariego, June 30, 2026 –

The CSI Maeza once again becomes the premier showcase for show jumping in Asturias. Competing on home soil, in front of their local supporters and at an international-level event, represents a unique opportunity for many of the Principality's riders, who have eagerly entered one of the most important competitions on the calendar in their own region.

Among the competitors is Julio Arias, one of Asturias' most experienced international riders. In 2024, he was crowned Spanish Senior Champion after winning the gold medal in the 1.55m category aboard Filou du Manoir.

Also competing is Jairo Junquera, who has been a member of the Yeguada Finca Maeza team since 2018, where he is responsible for the training and competition of some of the stud's most promising young horses. In 2026, he claimed the Asturias 5-Year-Old Championship title with Leroi de Maeza and topped the qualifying competitions for the Asturias Championships after securing a double victory with Lillyfee de Maeza and Kaiser de Maeza. He has also demonstrated remarkable consistency on the international circuit, recording numerous clear rounds with young horses.

Another experienced Asturian rider set to compete is Miguel Álvarez Buylla, who arrives in strong form following impressive performances at events including the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) Madrid, the CSI3 Valencia*, and the Grand Prix of the CSN5 Moura Tours Valencia*.

Also among the standout names is Santiago Núñez Riva, a regular member of the Spanish national teams. His recent achievements include producing double clear rounds in the Nations Cup at Martofte (Denmark) in 2025, as well as contributing to Spain's team victories at the CSIO3 Andalucía* and CSIO3 Madrid* in 2022.

Asturias' next generation of riders will also be strongly represented at CSI Maeza. Olivia Álvarez García, daughter of Julio Arias and niece of Olympic rider Sergio Álvarez Moya, was crowned Individual Junior European Champion in 2024 and also won the team silver medal, confirming her status as one of Europe's brightest young show jumping talents.

She will be joined by Micaela Álvarez Gutiérrez, a regular member of the Spanish Equestrian Federation's youth squads. In 2025, she was selected to represent Spain at the prestigious Future Champions event in Hagen, Germany.

Another promising young rider is Pablo Santiago Artime, who helped Spain win the team silver medal at the European Youth Championships in Kronenberg riding Chiquita D'Aiguilly. In 2026, he once again represented Spain in the Nations Cup at the CSIO Hagen and has been selected by the Royal Spanish Equestrian Federation (RFHE) to compete at the Young Riders European Championships. He is also very familiar with the Maeza arena, having finished fifth in the 2025 Grand Prix.

Also taking part are Daniel Ocaña and Isabella González Xie, two young riders widely regarded as future stars of Asturian show jumping. At just 15 years of age, Isabella already boasts an outstanding record, including the title of Spanish Children's Champion in 2024 with Cobalt Coco and the Asturias Junior Championship, which she won the following year.

The strong representation of Asturian riders highlights the excellent momentum currently enjoyed by show jumping in the Principality. This weekend, CSI Maeza will provide them with a unique opportunity to compete before their home crowd and showcase the quality of Asturian talent against some of the finest national and international horse-and-rider combinations.