Iberian Power Play with Global Flair in Big Tour at 2022 CDI Jerez de la Frontera

An Iberian power play with global flair took place in the international big tour at the 2022 CDI Jerez de la Frontera on 19 - 21 March 2022. 

Real Escuela Grandeur

The legendary Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre, one of the big four institutions dedicated to the preservation of the equestrian arts, hosted its first CDI in front of its impressive main building in 2015 and saw rider return in 2016. A five-year break then happened and the CDI was relisted on the FEI calendar in 2021.

This year the venue hosts two CDI's back to back from 19 March till 27 March, attracting a predominantly Spanish-Portuguese field of competitors, but the competition also proved a magnet for French, British 

Iberian Power in the Big Tour

The international Grand Prix class drew a field of 34 strong and turned into an Iberian powerful with PRE's and Lusitano's making their mark, as well as riders who close ties to the peninsula. 

Portuguese based Brazilian Joao Victor Marcari Oliva steered the Portuguese owned 13-year old Lusitano breeding stallion Escorial Horsecampline (by Spartacus CSM x Edo) to victory with a 72.696% score. They pipped the Spanish born French rider Morgan Barbançon on her long-time number one, the 16-year old Oldenburg stallion Sir Donnerhall II (by Sandro Hit x Donnerhall), who finished by just a hair's breadth behind the winners with 72.674%.

"Escorial is an amazing horse," said Joao. "He took me to the podium twice at CDI 3* in Jerez. A thank you goes out to my team. Without them the results would not be the same."

Portuguese Vasco Mira Godinho continued his success story started at the 2022 CDI Cascais on 25-27 February aboard Christine Jacoberger's Lusitano licensed stallion Garrett (by Unico x Go Go). After bagging a double victory in Cascais, Godinho and Garrett landed third place in the Grand Prix with a personal best score of 72.674% and went on to win the Grand Prix Special with  71.830%. After a four-year absence from the Portuguese team when he last rode Bariloche at the 2018 World Equestrian Games, Godinho has now put himself back in the race for team consideration.

The Kur to Music was won by Morgan Barbançon and Sir Donnerhall II with 77.185%, edging out Spanish Olympic team rider José Antonio Garcia Mena on Sorento (by Sandro Bedo x Florestan) with 76.185 (Spain) and Marcari Oliva on Escorial with 75.095%.

"I couldn’t be happier," Morgan said after winning the freestyle. "It's a great preparation for the World Cup finals."

Up and Down

The ground jury for the Grand Prix consisted of Mariano Santos Redondo (ESP), Jean-Michel Roudier (FRA), Evi Eisenhardt (GER), Sharon Rhode (RSA), and Eddy De Wolff Van Westerrode (NED). Throughout the day, they were quite divided on the scores.

Barbançon's test, which was quite affected by strong winds, produced scores between 71.739% and 75.109%. Garcia Mena and Sorento scored between 69.022 and 75.978. Sanchez del Barco and Quincallo de Indalo had marks from 65.6522% to 69.348%. Agusti Elias had to be content with marks frol 66.304% to 71.848%. Angel Rodriguez Peinado even received 64.674% to 71.739%.

Most surprisingly Olympian Claudia Castilla Ruiz and Lario got 62.174% from Roudier and 68.152% from Eisenahrdt. 

New Kids on the Block

The CDI Jerez de la Frontera also saw the rise of new Spanish horse power at the highest level. 

Teia Hernandez Vila made a whopping international Grand Prix debut with the 11-year old PRE stallion Romero de Trujillo (by Enganoso VI x Cantaor). They posted no less than 71.565% on the leader board after their first CDI Grand Prix test, though the judges were divided (69.130 - 74.674%). Bred by José Franco Sánchez, the grey Romero became the PRE world champion at its annual breed show, SICAB, in 2019. He made his national Grand Prix debut in May 2021.

French Corentin Pottier is not a freshman to international dressage sport, having worked his way up through the youth divisions. However he is now a senior and making a clear push for power aboard the KWPN stallion Gotilas (by Totilas x Ferro) in an attempt to ride himself into the eye line of the French team selectors. The pair made its international Grand Prix debut in the summer of 2021 and Jerez was their first international of the year. They placed 6th in the Grand Prix (69.478% and third in the Special (68.979%). Gotilas was bred by Unlimited stables” in Lunteren, The Netherlands, and sold as foal named Gotitas de Amour US at the Midden-Nederland auction. He briefly went to Tim Coomans yard, before moving to his new owner in France, Haras du Feuillard. 

"Old" Kids on the Block

The 2022 CDI Jerez de la Frontera also saw some old, familiar faces back on the block: the original Jerez duo that for years competed on the Spanish teal at all major Championships. 

The 64-year old Rafael Soto de Andrade was a fixture on the Spanish team between 1995 and 2006, and last competed internationally in 2011 after which a long break from competition sport followed. In 2019 he returned to the CDI ring once on Grand Prix horse Avalancha (by Invasor), and last weekend on home turf, he rode Bellerofonte GLR (by Invasor III) in the medium tour and Especialista (by Bolero LXVII) in the Grand Prix. With the latter horse he scored 63.674%

After a 10-year old break from international competition sport, the 58-year old former Spanish team rider Ignacio Rambla went back down the centerline in Jerez. He piloted the 9-year old PRE bred Eclipse XCVIII (by Bolero LXVII) to a 63.348%

Photos © Azahara Falcon

Related Link
Scores: 2022 CDI Jerez de la Frontera