Wellington based Spaniard Pablo Gomez Molina made a winning show debut on his new, Aurelius Ymas, at the 2024 CDI-W Ocala on 12 - 13 December 2024.
Gómez Molina and Aurelius Ymas scored 68.824% to win the Prix St. Georges 1* class and went on to top the board in the Intermediaire I with 69.461%.
European Start
This was the CDI debut for Aurelius Ymas, a 9-year-old KWPN stallion by Apache x Sir Sinclair, bred by G.J. Zwoferink in The Netherlands.
Aurelius was originally named Kasper and is out of Wilexa (by Sir Sinclair x Hemmingway), who also produced Grand Prix horse Douglas (by Spielberg, ridden by Alizee Wauthier, Paula Matute). Aurelius has been approved for the Westfalian studbook at the licensing in 2017, where he was presented as owned by Dutch horse investor Jan Pieter Dalsem
Yeguada de Ymas purchased the horse as a yearling (sic), but Gómez Molina did not take over the ride until a year ago.
“We know him, and he was ridden in Spain and did young horse classes in Spain,” he explained. “I was helping his rider to train the horse. Last year we took him over and started working on the Prix St. Georges. It was nice that he did a good job. He was focused on me. We have a lot of things we need to work on, especially on the canter part, but it was really good.”
PSG Debut
Their CDI debut at small tour level was a winning one. They were followed closely by Kevin Kohmann (USA) riding Scala, a 9-year-old Hanoverian mare by St. Schufro x Belissimo M owned by Diamante Farms and Bernhard Schaerffer, who scored 68.647%. Fellow Yeguada de Ymas rider Natalia Bacariza Danguillecourt (ESP) placed third with Dhannie Ymas, a 17-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Don Crusador x Weltmeyer. They scored 67.588%.
Gómez Molina described Aurelius as a “really sweet horse” and a “little bit shy” but knew that the talent for dressage was there from the start with three strong gaits.
“You can trust him all the time,” he said. “He always behaves really well. He also has the ability to collect, so for the grand prix he is going to be a good horse. Now we are focusing on getting the training and solid on the basics. Next year we will try to maybe do a few CDI small tour classes and then the jump to Inter-2 and grand prix. He’s still young, so we don’t want to rush with him.”
Making it a Double
The next day, Friday 13 December, Pablo, who is better know as "Pau", won their second small tour class in a row in the horse’s first CDI competition. They won the Intermediate I with a score of 69.461%.
With a score of 68.775%, Gómez Molina also placed second on a horse he owns with Cristina Danguillecourt, Farinel Di Fonteabeti, an 8-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Grand Galaxy Win T x Fidertanz.
Kevin Kohmann (USA) and Scala were third with 67.010%.
Photos © Andrew Ryback (only press photos available of Aurelius. No other options alas)
Related Links
Scores: 2024 CDI-W Ocala
Fashion in Black Named Champion of the 2017 Westfalian Stallion Licensing
Gomez Molina Books Major International Grand Prix Win at 2023 CDIO Wellington