Spanish Grand Prix rider Borja Carrascosa Martinez has obtained the ride on the Hanoverian mare Wonder as a Rio Olympic hopeful. The pair made its national show debut at the CDN Redefin on 30 April - 1 May 2016 and won the Grand Prix.
Wonder is a 14-year old Hanoverian mare by Waterford out of Rose (by Regazzoni x Watzmann x Akzent II), bred by Cord and Elke Haase and owned by Spanish Joan Planas Gifra.
She was first competed as a 4-year old by breeder Elke Haase and in 2007 Stefan Sandbrink showed her once at L-level. Spanish Jordi Domingo Coll trained the mare to FEI level and the pair made its international Grand Prix debut at the CDI Barcelona in MArch 2014. They showed at the CDI's in Verden, Madrid, Mallorca and Hagen from 2014 till 2015. Their last CDI show together was in Verden in August 2015.
In agreement with Jordi Domingo, the owner has relocated the horse to Germany with Spanish 2014 WEG team rider Borja Carrascosa Martinez. The mare arrived at the beginning of March and the pair made an impressive show debut on Wonder in Redefin last weekend. They won the national Grand Prix class with 71.367% ahead of German born Finnish Kristina Bockmann on Der Kleine Lord (71.200%). In the Grand Prix Special, they were second with 71.961% behind Bockmann, who aced the test with 72.092%.
"Redefin was our first show after only a few weeks together," Borja told Eurodressage. "It turned out very well and we're all super happy with such good results at the very first show."
Borja praised the chestnut mare for her qualities. "She's definitely an amazing horse and Jordi has done a great job with her. The passage and piaffe and most trot exercises," he cited as the mare's strengths. "Also her freshness and willingness to always give it all. There are not many weaknesses, but maybe in canter the mare could still relax a little bit more."
Borja's scores on Wonder immediately caught the eye of the Spanish selectors who will be picking the team for the 2016 Rio Olympics. For Carrascosa, the Olympic dream is certainly there but he will take it one show at a time.
"For the moment the target is to continue competing Wonder and, if everything goes well and the results are good, of course the goal would be to qualify for the Spanish team," said Borja. "If this happens, I will keep the ride on the mare until after Rio. More detailed future plans have not been discussed yet, but I am, for sure, very grateful for Joan trusting us and giving me this opportunity with the mare."
Based at Gut Auric in Krefeld, Germany, Borja runs a private training facility with his life partner Alexander Brenninkmeijer and gets coached by former Spanish team trainer Jan Bemelmans.
Next show on their schedule is the CDI Hamburg.
Photos © Alexander Brenninkmeijer
Related Links
Eurodressage Photo Database: Wonder
Steffen Frahm to Replace Borja Carrascosa as Assistant Trainer at Hof Kasselmann
A Fun Filled Weekend for Borja Carrascosa at the 2014 CDI-W Neumunster
Spanish Team Selected for 2014 World Equestrian Games
