Spanish Maria Albinana Sanz is making her mark on the international show scene with an armada of young dressage horses. Taking out the 5-year old final on Lario at the 2016 CDI Valencia on 17 - 20 March 2016, Albinana Sanz also competed her second youngster Duero in the brand new 7-year old classes, winning the preliminary test and finishing second in the final behind her coach Raul Pereda Ortega.
“It was the first show of the season and it didn’t help that I was feeling really sick throughout the competition," Maria admitted. “However, the feeling on both my horses was very good, and while we had some mistakes and things to improve, I got some very good sensations.”
Scoring 77% in the 5-year old Preliminary final on the talented Hanoverian stallion Lario de Adama de Susa (by Lockley II x Rotspon), Maria lifted their score to 81.200% in the final, taking full advantage of their home ground advantage.
“Lario is a super horse, with a very good trot, canter and super walk,” Maria told Eurodressage. “And Duero is just beginning the 7-year old tests and is already doing very well.He is a very funny and artistic horse.”
In the 7-year olds Preliminary Test Duero (by Don Frederico x Amantus) took the top place with 68.310% and finished second in the final with a score of 64.449% behind Raul Pereda Ortega and Sardon de Adama de Susa on 67.418%
At 26 years of age, Maria is the chosen rider for the horses of Adama de Susa and she is excited about the future of her talented youngsters. With Lario she also stepped into spotlight last year, when she won the Spanish Young Horse Championships with him in the 4-year old division.
“We are going to the CDI in Oliva (Valencia) next month, where I hope to perform even better. I enjoy riding both horses, but they are very different. Lario is a stallion, who is very secure in himself and always does a good job. Duero on the other hand is more naughty," she explained.
Maria has a double function at stud farm Adama de Susa in Sierra de Guadarrama, Spain, where she works many hours working in the office as well as spends time everyday in the saddle riding her alloted horses. She trains with Raul Pereda, who is also her life partner and colleague at Adama de Susa.
by Sarah Warne - Photos © Rui Pedro Godinho
Related Links
Scores: 2016 CDI Valencia
Lario, Sarotti, Summernight Win 2015 Spanish Young Horse Championships