The seventh edition of the "Festival de Doma Clasica" was a huge success! The Spanish dressage world was exited with this amazing “horse fiesta” in Madrid, in the heart of Spain. There were almost 280 combinations that competed in three arenas, with seven international judges and nineteen national judges on the scene. The event not only hosted a CDI3* but also several national competitions on 23 - 26 May 2013. The competition ran as smoothly as silk from 9 am to 9 pm at this wonderful venue.
Almost everybody showed up at the 2013 CDI Madrid. There he was José Antonio García Mena back on the scene and leaving no room for doubt. Aboard Norte Lovera (by Cortesano VII x Aquiles III), the PRE stallion he competed in the national team for the last time at WEG Kentucky, won the Grand Prix Special Real Federacion Hipica Prize with a 72.217. The couple placed ahead of María Moura Caetano and her number one Grand Prix mount Xiripiti (a Lusitano by Qualificado). The Portuguese suo were the winners of the Grand Prix and placed second in the Special. María also took second place in the Kür with“Zingaro de Lyw (by Guizo), owned by Yeguada La Lira y La W. Portuguese Filipe Canelas won the kur aboard Der Clou.
José Antonio García Mena exceded his results at this third show this year with the PRE stallion and also with the two Lusitano horses he was showing at Prix St. George level and in the 5-year old class. Lusitano horses, this was undoubtedly their show and the Festival gathered many of them! But this time not only quantity but quality was the main characteristic that the breed showed in the ring in Madrid.
International French judge Alain Francqueville who was part of the ground jury had only compliments for the show. He praised the great facilities, the quality of the combinations and stressed that the "characteristics of the Iberian horses in the big tour are ideal, we enjoyed very much seeing this quality that is at the level of any top warmblood combination!"
The young horse classes contested the Yeguada Finca Tineo Prize. This year’s newcomer Jordi Domingo earned much credit with his 6-year old Mango Statesman (by Sandro Hit x Brentano). The elegant black mount with the amazing canter is an absolute eye catcher. Dhannie (by Don Crusador) and Juan Francisco Fernández represented Spain at the 2012 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses and in Madrid the two were on form. Sandronnerhall (by Sandro Hit) and Antonio José Díaz Porras also made an impression. The surprise horse in this class was an amazing Iberian breathing up the necks of those combinations: María Caetano's Coroado. He scored 84,600% to take second place in the 6-year old Finals test. Coroado is a grey elegant Lusitano owned by Yeguada Finca Tineo. The young stallion is by Gonçalo Carvalho's Olympic stallion Rubi. We might see this interesting combination at the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses in Verden this year. Dragao Figeiras, a 5-year old grey stallion presented by José Antonio García Mena was the winner of his age division with over 80% two days in a row.
Young Dressage horses were a class of their own, especially the 6-year old division. Holland’s International 5* judge Francis Verbeek was on the scene and stated “"these horses were absolute top quality, nothing to envy to the ones we usually judge at home.” Not only she but also Spanish international judge Juan Carlos Campos, president of the ground jury, agreed that "it was top quality what we saw in this class."
José Antonio Garcia Mena pulled a checkmate out of his sleeve with the amazing Lusitano mare Batuta (by Quixotes). In the Prix St. Georges, Spanish dressage queen Beatriz Ferrer-Salat was victorious with her wonderful bay Sir Radjah (by Sir Donnerhall x Sandro Hit) on 69,342%. José Antonio and Batuta got ahead of them in the Intermediaire I winning the test with 70,175%. On Sunday they topped it off with another victory in the Kur with 74,469%. Juan Antonio Jiménez and his brand new Sunny Boy (by Stedinger) showed us that the horse lives up to his name. The couple claimed second place in the Kur with 70,5%.
And as this was a Festival we saw all kinds of riders in different classes: The wonderful PRE Curioso XXV (by Dominante XVI) and Victor Alvárez from Gerona won the national Grand Prix, sharing their podium with Ignacio Lopez Porras on the PRE Faraon XXXVII, a son by his former Championship horse Nevado Santa Clara (team bronze medal at the 2003 European Championships in Hickstead). On his new prospect Lopez Porras went in the lead of the national Prix St. Georges class and won the Inter I Freestyle on Sunday.
The "Festival de Doma Clásica" is actually it-show on the Spanish dressage scene. Its success stands proof for the successful development of the discipline over the past 10 years. It has been growing and getting better and the level of riders and horses is wonderful. Step by step everybody has improved their own skills and capabilities. The Festival is a show format that embraces everyone and it is the reflection of riders’ evolution; an enthusiastic, numerous wide base of riders mingles with shining professionals.
Now we are working towards the future, next year "the international section of the show wants to be the top of the top bringing the stars closer to their dearest fans: the amateur riders," said show director Dalia Saliamonas who is thrilled with the outcome of the event.
Text and Photos © Katharina Braren - Top Iberian
Related Links
Scores 2013 CDI Madrid
The Dressage Festival R.A.C.E. in Madrid Writes History with Record Entries
Historic Entry Record at 2012 CDN Festival de Doma Clasica RACE