Spanish leading dressage rider Jose Daniel Martin Dockx has withdrawn Malagueno LCXXXIII from competing at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The horse was not presented for re-inspection on Tuesday morning 30 July 2024.
This means that first reserve Claudio Castilla Ruiz will be stepping in with his Lusitano Hi Rico do Sobral.
Malagueno LXXXIII
The 14-year old PRE stallion Malagueno LXXXIII (by Joyero XXIV) is owned by the breeder Francisco Santiago Ruiz and was sole PRE entry on the 2024 Olympic list.
Malagueno made his international show debut at small tour level in 2019 under Pablo Jimenez Cruz. He debuted at GP level under Dockx and had his first international season in 2021 coming close to Tokyo Olympic selection. He represented Spain at the 2022 World Championships in Herning, where he was 23rd in the Special with 72.720%. At the 2023 European Championships in Riesenbeck they were 31st in the Grand Prix with 71.196%.
The pair won the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix Championships and at their last Olympic team selection trial in Kronberg, they only did the Grand Prix and scored 71.457%. They withdrew him from the Kur.
The PRE failed the horse inspection on Sunday morning and the team behind the horse decided not represent him for re-inspection on Tuesday morning 30 July as final try before the Grand Prix begins at 11h00.
Allergic Reaction
The dark bay stallion did not appear fit at the first inspection and despite the best efforts of his team, they could not get him back into shape in a two-day time period.
"In agreement with the RFHE we have decided not to present Malagueño to the re-inspection," said Jose "Dani" Martin Dockx. "Twenty-four hours before the (first) vet check he didn't want to eat or drink and woke up with his neck on his left side very swollen and sore. Why, we don't know. We were working very hard to try to get the inflammation down and all the discomfort it was causing but we didn't succeed. With 48 hours. further ahead we didn't waver in our effort with the motivation and the dream that we would succeed but unfortunately it hasn't been so."
Dockx is a two-time Olympian, having competed his career-starting and career-making Grand Prix horse Grandioso (owned by American Kimberly van Kampen of Hampton Green Farms) at the London and Rio Olympics. He was going for his third with Malagueno.
"It's a very tough moment for us as we came in full form and had worked very well in the training camp in Jardy and so we proved it. I think after the year we had it's something we didn't deserve but that's how capricious life is sometimes. A dream based on years of work is over!"
He concluded, "now to lift our spirit I only have to think about the great moments that made us get here and all that Malagueno has given me."
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Link
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2024 Olympic Games