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Bertram Allen (IRL) competes in the already-concluded Western European League, but that didn't stop him from journeying to Live Oak Stud in central Florida (USA) for the final North American League qualifier of the 2021-2022 season. He rode Harley vd Bisschop straight to the top of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Ocala, besting an 11-horse jump-off.
"He's 14 and an experienced horse," Allen said of his mount. "He loves the grass, and the ground here is fantastic."
A star-studded cast of athletes lined up for one last opportunity to earn NAL points toward qualification for the 2022 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Leipzig (GER). The field included points leader Conor Swail (IRL), defending event champion Daniel Coyle (IRL) and Hunter Holloway (USA), who took an NAL win in Las Vegas (USA).
Eleven advanced to Olaf Peterson's (GER) jump-off, which featured tight turns, long gallop lanes, and eye-catching fences, including one uniquely constructed 1.60m plank, designed to resemble a post and rail wood fence.
Each combination seemed to outpace the next. Defending European Champions Andre Thieme (GER) and DSP Chakaria took an early lead (39.01 seconds), until Coyle set a stiff standard with his mount, Legacy (38.03).
"I saw that Daniel was maybe over a second quicker than [Andre], which I didn't think was possible," Allen said. "So, I knew I had to give it everything, and it all came off and everything was actually very fast and well, and he really tried hard."
Allen saved best for last, setting himself apart with an early expedient turn and a furious gallop to the last. His winning time was 37.67 seconds.
"I think the main thing was to just stay [on the pace]," he said. "I maybe added one more [stride] to the double, and then we were very fast. I hoped we'd won it at the last."
Swail (IRL) finished fourth Sunday, but he ended the NAL season as points leader with 74 points, having won three World Cup events at Vancouver (CAN), Sacramento (USA) and Fort Worth (USA). Tiffany Foster (CAN) finished second with 59 points, with Natalie Dean (USA) third on 41 points.
Ocala competitors Coyle, Holloway, Rowan Willis (AUS), Kristen Vanderveen (USA), Margie Engle (USA) and Schuyler Riley (USA) also punched their tickets to Leipzig. The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final is set for 6-10 April 2022.
Due to the ongoing EHV-1 outbreak in the California region, the Organising Committee together with the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) together have decided to cancel the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2022 USA qualifier in San Juan Capistrano from 10-15 May 2022.
This is the third qualifier in the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ series 2022, and is one of three North/Central America & Caribbean Division events in the series alongside Coapexpan (MEX) and Vancouver (CAN).
The FEI fully understands the difficult decision taken by the USEF and the Organising Committee in response to the ongoing biosecurity threat and is a reflection of the community’s firm commitment to equine health and welfare.
“For several weeks, the FEI has closely monitored the development of the EHV-1 outbreak in California and supports the decision to close down competition. Stopping movement of horses is key to prevent further spread of the virus”, FEI Veterinary Director Göran Akerström said.
A letter issued on 3 March by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) also calls on all participants and Equestrian Event Coordinators to exercise extreme caution for the next 28 days.
Information on the FEI’s Horse Health Requirements and Biosecurity protocols can be viewed on the FEI website.
Following the decision to remove all international equestrian events in Russia and Belarus from the FEI Calendar, the FEI Board today announced an Emergency Board Resolution to prohibit the participation of all Russian and Belarusian Athletes, Horses and Officials in international events.
Further to the recommendation of the IOC Executive Board on 28 February 2022, and in accordance with Article 20.3 of the FEI Statutes, the FEI Board agreed to:
The prohibition comes into effect as of midnight CET on Sunday, 6 March 2022 so that FEI Events already in progress, or about to start, are not unduly disrupted.
The resolution also prohibits, with immediate effect, the display of Russian and Belarusian flags, or their anthems played at, or in connection with, any FEI Events.
The FEI Board also condemned the invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces and the support provided by the government of Belarus.
“It is regrettable that the FEI has needed to take such severe measures, but we need to ensure the safety, integrity and fairness of FEI Competitions during these difficult times,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.
“We sincerely hope that a peaceful solution can be found as soon as possible.”
Notes to Editors
Rules and Regulations
Article 20.3. of the FEI Statutes states:
In an Emergency Situation the Board may, by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of votes cast, pass Resolutions which are normally the prerogatives of the General Assembly. In such cases, the National Federations shall be notified promptly of these measures. If a majority of the National Federations eligible to vote, responding within thirty (30) days of the date of the notice, signifies its disapproval, the measure shall be rescinded if possible.
All FEI Rules & Regulations can be found here.
The FEI Executive Board met today to unanimously condemn the invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces and agree on the ramifications to equestrian sport in Russia and Belarus.
In line with the IOC statement of 25 February 2022 urging International Sports Federations to relocate or cancel their sports events, the FEI Executive Board called on the FEI Secretary General to remove all international equestrian events in Russia and Belarus in the 2022 FEI Calendar in accordance with Articles 112.3 of the FEI General Regulations and 28.2 vi of the FEI Statutes.
In addition to removing all the Events from Russia and Belarus, the FEI Executive Board also unanimously agreed to freeze all FEI Solidarity and development activities and to cancel or relocate, where possible, FEI Courses for Officials scheduled to be held in Russia and Belarus in 2022.
The Executive Board requested that the FEI Board consider an Emergency Board Resolution addressing today’s recommendation by the International Olympic Committee Executive Board to prohibit the participation of all Russian and Belarusian Athletes and Officials. The FEI will continue to monitor the situation and decisions taken by the FEI Board will be communicated in the coming days.
During the meeting, the Executive Board also approved the allocation of a CHF 1 Million FEI Solidarity Relief Fund for the equestrian community in Ukraine. The FEI is liaising closely with the Ukrainian Federation and neighbouring countries to facilitate and coordinate logistical support as well as the financial aid.
FEI President and Chair of the FEI Solidarity Committee Ingmar De Vos (BEL) is currently in close contact with the National Federation of Ukraine and the equestrian community.
“We are deeply concerned for the welfare of all Ukrainians and the entire equestrian community in Ukraine,” the FEI President said. ”Their safety is very much our priority, and we are liaising closely with our key contacts in Ukraine and neighbouring countries to seek solutions to their most pressing needs.”
“Sport is a network which relies and thrives on team spirit and camaraderie and it is through these important friendships that we can offer support and make a difference to the people of Ukraine in these challenging times.”
The FEI has published the first section of a three-part Report following its investigation into the outbreak of the neurological form of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) in Spain in February 2021. The outbreak resulted in the deaths of 18 horses in mainland Europe and confirmed related cases in 10 countries: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Qatar, Spain, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland.
The FEI pledged to have a comprehensive and fully transparent investigation into every aspect of the outbreak and to make the full findings public. The investigation, which focused on venues where there were related cases, has shown that there were systemic failures in a number of areas and the published Report details those.
In order to make the Report as complete as possible, it has been broken down into three parts. The section of the Report published today, Part 1, provides a comprehensive and factual picture of the outbreak, including the series of events, causes, roles and responsibilities, and analysis. It evaluates what was done correctly and identifies where there were failings, and lessons learned.
Additionally, Part 1 covers accountability, lack of preparedness and measures that have already been taken to rectify that, including enhanced jurisdiction for the FEI and reinforced Rules. Blocking of sick and in-contact horses in the FEI Database to prevent further transmission, the importance of risk assessment, both pre- and post-outbreak, pre-event onsite regulatory checks and the creation of Emergency Response Units are also covered. Multiple external reports are included as Annexes.
The 39-page Report, plus 96 pages of Annexes, has been produced by FEI Veterinary Director Dr Göran Åkerström and Grania Willis, former FEI Communications Director and now Executive Consultant to the FEI. There has also been input from the FEI Veterinary Epidemiology Working Group and other veterinary experts, FEI President Ingmar De Vos and Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez and the FEI Veterinary and Legal Departments.
Part 2 of the Report, which will be published in advance of the FEI Sports Forum 2022 (25-26 April), covers the stringent measures implemented to allow Return to Competition following the six-week FEI-imposed lockdown on international sport in mainland Europe. This section of the Report will focus on the EHV-1 By-Laws and sanctioning system, and evaluate their effectiveness, plus the elements of these that were subsequently incorporated into the FEI Veterinary Regulations 2022 approved at the FEI Hybrid General Assembly in November 2021.
Part 3 of the Report, which will be presented at the FEI Sports Forum, will look at the way forward, including potential global vaccination protocols. Professor Lutz Goehring, a world-renowned specialist in equine infectious diseases and particularly EHV at the Gluck Equine Research Center, will present his findings on the benefits and drawbacks of vaccination, focusing on the scientific evidence of whether mandatory vaccination against EHV-1 is protective against outbreaks at FEI Events. This presentation will be included in Session 8: FEI Veterinary Regulations on Day 2 of the FEI Sports Forum (26 April).
“The Report into last year’s EHV-1 outbreak in Spain is a significant body of work which offers a forensic examination of all elements of the outbreak”, FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “The first part of the Report looks at what went wrong and what the FEI and our community did or could have done to minimise the impact and spread of the virus. It is clear that mistakes were made and we all need to learn from them so we ensure that we never have an outbreak of such devastating impact again.
“There has to be accountability and everyone – including the FEI – has to take their share of responsibility. As you can see in the text published today, individual accountabilities will need to be established by the FEI based on the contents of this Report prior to any further potential actions. The FEI Legal Department will make a thorough analysis and the findings of any resulting legal processes will be made public in due course.
“The significance of the investigation findings and the Report itself have been brought into sharper focus by the current outbreak in the United States, once again highlighting the fact that there will never be zero risk with EHV. What we must do at every Event and in every home barn is to ensure that correct biosecurity measures are in place for the safety of our horses. And we now have the tools to do that, provided we work together as a community to ensure enforcement and compliance.”
The FEI thoroughly assessed whether the investigation and resulting report should be outsourced or conducted internally. FEI Veterinary Director Dr Göran Åkerström explained the rationale: “Outsourcing to a third party would have required identifying and putting together a group of individuals with top-level expertise in veterinary epidemiology, and comprehensive knowledge of European Union and national legislation. The group would then have had to be fully briefed on every aspect of the outbreak before they could even begin their work.
“As the international governing body, the FEI was right at the centre of events and was already in possession of communications between all parties throughout the outbreak. Any third party would have been dependent on FEI Headquarters to get that information, which would have further delayed the investigation, production and eventual publication of the Report. So a decision was made internally that the investigation, collation of evidence and production of the Report would be done by FEI Headquarters.”
Part 1 of the Report into the outbreak of the neurological form of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) in Spain in March 2021 is available here.
The International Horse Sports Confederation (IHSC) General Assembly has unanimously elected Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges as Vice-President of the organisation.
Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges, who previously served as the standing representative of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) in the IHSC General Assembly, is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), a position he has held since 2007. He also serves as the Chair of the IFHA, the global leader for the international sport of Thoroughbred racing, and the Chairman of the Asian Racing Federation (ARF), which comprises 28 national racing authorities and racing-related organisations from across Asia, Oceania, Africa and the Middle East.
“Winfried’s expertise in the horse racing industry has been of great value to the work of the IHSC, as is his commitment to protecting the welfare of equine and human athletes,” IHSC President Ingmar De Vos said.
“The IHSC was created to strengthen and formalise the cooperation between horse racing and equestrian sport in fields where we share common interest, and specifically to establish a partnership between horse sport and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
“We have many ongoing projects in different fields and I look forward to continuing this close working relationship with Winfried and the IFHA, and I would like to extend my warm congratulations to him on his election. I also would like to convey my warmhearted thanks to his predecessor Louis Romanet for his great contribution to our organisation.”
Following his election as IHSC Vice-President, Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges said:
“I’m extremely honoured to be elected Vice-President of the IHSC. I would like to thank our President Ingmar De Vos and the General Assembly for their trust and support. I would also like to thank our past President and IFHA Chairman Emeritus Louis Romanet who was instrumental in the establishment of the IHSC as the first vehicle for cooperation between the world’s leading peak horse sports bodies.
“I look forward to furthering the collective objectives of the IFHA and the FEI, as well as advocating for the horse industry with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and other international bodies.”
Manuel Gonzalez Dufrane (MEX) has been a part of winning Nations Cup teams for his home nation of Mexico. He's been to the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Finals, and last summer he competed in his first Olympic Games. Saturday in front of a home crowd at Quintas Ecuestres in east-central Mexico, the 27-year-old notched another first in topping the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Puebla with his longtime partner, Hortensia van de Leeuwerk.
Marina Azevedo (BRA) set a stiff track for a compact yet accomplished field. Halfway through the class, only Miguel Angel Torres Hernandez (MEX) aboard Chacendra had produced a clear effort. Just two would replicate their feat: Jose Alberto Martinez Vazquez (MEX) and Gonzalez Dufrane.
First to return for the shortened course, Torres Hernandez put the pressure on his competitors with another clear effort, but Martinez Vazquez quickly upped the ante, shaving nearly four seconds off of his time with Quinley, a horse he has produced for nine years. That left Gonzalez Dufrane no option but to take some risks in order to take home a victory. A tight left turn back to the double set him apart as he continued to gallop across the venue's breathtaking grass field.
"First, I saw Miguel enter the ring, and he was really fast," Gonzalez Dufrane said. "I didn't see [Martinez Vazquez], but he was even faster, so I thought I had to do everything I could to win."
Gonzalez Dufrane and the 15-year-old Hortensia van de Leeuwerk have been partnered for nearly seven years, breaking onto the scene when clinching a win for Mexico as team anchors in the 2019 Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ USA. In the years since, they have repeatedly performed for their country, which earned them a place in the Tokyo Olympic Games (JPN). Saturday's win, however, marked their biggest career individual victory.
"We have achieved a lot of things like going to the Olympic Games. That was my mission, my main goal and a dream come true," Gonzalez Dufrane said. "[My horse] is so clever and brave, and she doesn't look that fast, but she is. She's just everything."
One leg remains in the 2021-2022 North American League season as the NAL heads to Ocala (USA). Two riders from Mexico will qualify for the Final in Leipzig (GER). Nicolas Pizarro (MEX), who finished fifth in both Puebla and Fort Worth (USA), is the highest-ranked Mexican rider, with Gonzalez Dufrane the second-highest.
Conor Swail (IRL) leads the standings with 63 points. Tiffany Foster (CAN) sits second with 59 points, and Natalie Dean (USA) is third with 41 points.
The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) has confirmed the appointment of Pierre Le Goupil (FRA) as Course Designer for Eventing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
A master in his field and highly respected by his peers in a role that requires enormous skill, Pierre Le Goupil (59) knows the sport from both sides of the fence. Born in a family entirely dedicated to horse sport and breeding, his father Andre Le Goupil had been a member of the French Eventing squad at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City – a memory that Le Goupil still has clear in his mind.
“Taking part in the Olympic Games, somehow or other and whatever your role, can be seen as an absolute dream or the pinnacle in a career. I feel honoured to be appointed for the Paris Olympic Games as the Eventing Course Designer of a cross-country course held in the park of Versailles palace,” Pierre Le Goupil said.
“It is truly something like getting the "job of a life"! But it is also and above all a huge challenge that I am totally aware of. The fabulous opportunity of running the Olympic Equestrian Sports in such an iconic venue also commits all those who will be in charge of the event, to the highest level of responsibility.
“I am extremely thankful to those who trust and support me and I am excited to start racking my brains in that inspirational playground,” Le Goupil concluded.
A former top-level Eventing athlete, he competed up to five star level at international events from 1975 to 2002. He has been involved in organising events since 1995, and with his family created « Le Grand Complet », the biggest equestrian event in Normandy (FRA) and one of the most important in France and Europe. The event moved in 2010 to the Haras National du Pin.
His skill and proficiency in course designing has taken him to many parts of the world, working in ten different countries including Brazil, Bulgaria, Belarus, China, Hungary, India, Japan, Russia and Chile. His appointment for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is an endorsement of his accomplishments and a true reflection of his wealth of experience which has also recently led him to being appointed as Course Designer for the upcoming Pan American Games to be held in Santiago (CHI) in 2023 and the FEI European Championships 2023 which will take place in Haras du Pin (FRA).
Le Goupil continues designing and building courses for international events in France. His expertise in consulting, cross country building and designing for all levels will make equestrian sport shine, not only in his home country, one of the world’s greatest equestrian nations, but to a global audience during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, in the most exhilarating and prestigious setting at the Château de Versailles, an iconic symbol recognised worldwide.
“I am very happy that a French representative has been chosen to build the Olympic Cross Country course, in his home country, on a site with such historic value”, David O’Connor Chair of the FEI Eventing Committee said.
“Le Goupil has travelled the world designing courses at top international shows and the Olympics is the pinnacle of any sporting achievement. There is enormous pride in representing your country in a sport and profession you have dedicated your life to, and to be recognised on the greatest sporting international stage.
O’Connor continues, “as a former Olympian myself, I can only reiterate the feeling of pride when competing for your country – it exudes from within. It’s a unique experience for athletes, for fans and everyone involved in the Games. There is nothing that compares to the nostalgia you get when you walk onto the Olympic site knowing all that you have worked for to get there. Your roots, your heritage, your culture, and your place of living all on display to the world, the expectations are high but such an honour is irreplaceable.
“Working alongside the Paris 2024 Organising Committee and supported by an exceptional team, there is no doubt Le Goupil will pay homage to his great nation through the creation of the cross country course - demanding, technical and spectacular, but always with the horse welfare at the fore, showcasing key features of Versailles as the centre stage of the equestrian competitions”.
Le Goupil was elected a member of the FEI Eventing Committee in 2020 for a four year term.
A total of 30 nations across six continents have been announced to participate in the FEI Youth Equestrian Games 2022 to be held in Aachen (GER) from 28 June - 3 July 2022.
This historic event for the youth equestrian community will showcase 30 athletes, aged between 15 and 18 years, who will compete in both Individual and Continental Team Jumping competitions. To fulfil the Youth Equestrian Games qualification criteria, athletes are required to complete two rounds of competition over the same pre-determined course, with identical distance and height specifications.
Following the postponement of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Dakar (SEN) to 2026, the FEI requested the IOC to organise an alternative event to be held in 2022. In agreement with the IOC, the Youth Equestrian Games, built around the same principles as YOG, will be organised to avoid young athletes being negatively impacted by the absence of the Youth Olympic Games. The event will also host a Culture and Education Programme established in cooperation with the IOC.
Participants will compete under the same format used in previous editions of the YOG. Athletes will ride unfamiliar horses -assigned by a random draw and supplied by the organising committee- and will have three training days and a welcome competition -outside of the official programme- to strengthen their bond and forge a solid partnership.
The city chosen to host the Youth Equestrian Games has been the iconic Aachen, in Germany, where fans have seen many of the best equestrians in history crowned. The perfect stage to enjoy the stars of the future.
Six countries will make their first appearance in the competition: Costa Rica, France, Germany, Palestine, Russia and Tunisia.
“It was important for the FEI to find a replacement to the Youth Olympic Games to ensure we did not deprive a whole youth generation of the Olympic dream,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos explained.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime event that will inspire young equestrians from all over the world, making this not only a rewarding, exciting and impactful experience for them, but with an educational dimension, fundamental to instilling the philosophy of the Olympic Games. Exposing the youth to the integral values built around Olympism that will ultimately encourage further skills development to achieving high levels of performance, whilst understanding friendship and respect in the sporting arena.
"To foster these Olympic values is key to ensuring the future of our sport in the Olympic movement. The Youth Equestrian Games are a unique opportunity to develop our young athletes at the highest level while keeping them motivated towards the Olympic dream".
The final list of qualified athletes will be published here on 1 June.
All the information you need to know about the Youth Equestrian Games 2022 can be viewed here
Qualified Nations: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, Guatemala, Honduras, Iran, Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Palestine, Paraguay, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe.
Nations competing for the first time: Costa Rica, France, Germany, Palestine, Russia and Tunisia.
With the only double-clear performance in the final competition, Juan José Salinas Rodriguez clinched an emphatic victory for the host nation yesterday at the FEI Jumping Children’s Classic Final 2021 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Riding the brilliant little nine-year-old grey mare Gabbana M, the 14-year-old rider threw down a strong target in the nine-horse jump-off against the clock and couldn’t be caught. But it wasn’t for lack of trying by the remainder contenders, with runner-up, Guatemala’s José Daniel Montenegro Ortíz, posting a quicker time but denied the win when the very last fence hit the floor in the thrilling final showdown.
Brazil’s Giullia Atrasas Bolson finished third ahead of Mexico’s Alessandro Neumann Priess while Iran’s Bardia Fereidonian slotted into fifth and South Africa’s Ana van Coller claimed sixth place.
10 countries
A total of 30 competitors from 10 countries - Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador,
Guatemala, Iran, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and Zimbabwe - lined out in the First Qualifier staged last Thursday in which Guatemala’s José Daniel Montenegro Ortíz came out on top with the 16-year-old mare Squeakie.
This Final presents a real challenge to all competitors who have qualified through competitions staged all around the world because they ride borrowed horses. The ability of the young athletes to quickly adapt to a completely unfamiliar mount plays a significant role in their success, and José Daniel quickly established an excellent rapport with his horse who galloped home clear in 55.06 seconds to take the first honours of the week.
Under the watchful eye of Technical Delegate Ramin Shafiee from Iran, Mexican course designer, Benjamin Fernandez, presented excellent tracks over the three days of competition. Home runners Maria José Salazar Moreno (Saltillo de la Nutria) and Jorge Maurer Buch (Porteña) filled second and third places on the opening day when the eventual champions Salinas Rodriguez and Gabbana M slotted into sixth.
However a first-round mistake in Saturday’s Second Qualifier saw the pair miss out on the jump-off in which Mexico’s Michelle Llamas Valadez (Casarah), Paulina Reguero Cortina (Mike) and Jorge Maurer Buch clinched the top three spots.
Finale
The top 16, consisting of nine girls and seven boys, made the cut into yesterday’s finale which was a thriller from start to finish. The 11-fence first-round track included a triple combination just one from home, and two horse-and-rider combinations were eliminated when parting company - Maria José Salazar Moreno when her 16-year-old gelding slammed on the brakes at the oxer at fence five, and Michelle Llamas Valdez who came adrift at the first element of that triple combination.
Colombia’s Mariana Torres Gaviria was first of the nine to go against the clock and picked up 12 faults with Habibi de la Reine before South Africa’s Ana Van Coller (Claudia) and Mexico’s Alessandro Neumann Priess (Corlinus) each put four faults on the board. But Juan José Salinas Rodriguez and Gabbana M would make no mistake.
The little grey just flew around the track, getting just enough height over the new course of fences and scorching through the finish to put it up to the rest when the clock stopped on 35.34 seconds.
Iran’s Bardia Fereidonian and Ciruelo Mendocinas presented a lovely picture all week, and the big, honest grey mare looked set to post the second clear of the jump-off until lowering the first element of the former triple combination which was now reduced to just two jumping efforts.
The final three
When Mexico’s Luciana Leal Diaz (Marrakech) returned with eight faults it was now down the final three, and it was a nail-biter. Giullia Atrasas Bolson meant business from the outset, cutting tight on the rollback to the vertical at fence five only to meet the same fate as Fereidonian at the penultimate double. When she broke the beam in 38.68 seconds she was guaranteed a top-three placing however, and she said afterwards that she loved riding the 15-year-old chestnut mare Romina LS.
“My first round was not so good, but the jump-off was much better and I’m happy to be on the podium”, said the Brazilian girl who was offered very sound advice before going into the arena for the final time. “My trainer told me before the jump-off, just calm down. You don’t know the horse that well. What happens, happens. If you don’t win, that is no problem!”
There was a buzz of excitement from the spectators as Jorge Maurer Buch set off, second-last to go, and he certainly kept them on the edges of their seats. After hitting the second fence he galloped on for a fast four-fault result, but a tricky moment at fence five saw him almost unshipped from the saddle before making a spectacular recovery to finish the course with just eight faults on the board.
Top step
Now only José Daniel Montenegro Ortiz stood between Juan José Salinas Rodriguez and that top step of the podium, and when he raced through the finish it seemed the Guatemalan had done it. The clock showed the quickest time, 34.88 seconds, but to the disbelief of the crowd and the disappointment of the young athlete the late-falling pole at the very last fence would see him having to settle for silver medal position. He was very philosophical about it.
“Having the last fence down in the jump-off is something that could happen. I wanted to risk everything and it went how it went. I wanted to win, but I knew that it could happen”, he said. And he expressed his appreciation for everything his gallant mare Squeakie had given him over the previous few days. “I’ve been really happy with her, she is very fast and I like her a lot!”, he said.
The newly-crowned gold medallist admitted that there was plenty of pressure at the Final but said it was “a nice kind of pressure”, and that he was very proud to represent Mexico at the event. And he paid tribute to the diminutive Gabbana M who carried him so earnestly and courageously throughout the tournament.
“I am really happy with her, she is very tiny but she is great!”, he said. And he also paid tribute to his opponents who, in the tradition that goes with success at junior level, unceremoniously threw him into the water jump after the prizegiving.
“It’s awesome being with kids from all around the world. It is a very nice experience to meet new people from other countries and see how they ride. All of them are very good and you learn a lot”, said the gracious new FEI Jumping Children’s Classic Final champion.
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