Cristina Duran Vicens and her 9-year old PRE Manchego ARB set the tone in the small tour at the 2015 CDI Madrid on 22 - 24 May 2015 by winning the Prix St Georges and Intermediate I with 70.500% and 71.079%. The new partnership between Cristina and Machego is already paying off and the rider hopes to spend the rest of 2015 focusing on the training to prepare the horse for Grand Prix next season.
“The first day in Madrid we produced a clean test without mistakes and Manchego was really willing to work, “ Cristina told Eurodressage. “On the second day we showed a bit of tension in some exercises but it was also a good test with some really good things.”
As a youngster Manchego won silver at the 2010 Spanish Championships and competed at the 2011 World Young Horse Championships in Verden, Germany. He won the 2011 Spanish Young Horse Championships. He was then owned by Antonio Rubio Beccerril and sold in 2012 to Barcelona Horses who sold Manchego two years later to Duran Vicens.
According to Cristina Manchego has a strong character but really likes to work.
“He is always concentrated on you," she said. "I saw him competing when he was four but his breeder didn't want to sell him. A couple of years later I was working and I saw in Top Iberian news that the horse had been sold. I couldn't believe it because I really liked him. I went to my bosses to explain that the horse was sold and they started laughing because they were the ones who had bought the horse. Shortly after that I purchased him from Barcelona Horses.”
Training in Mijas Costa with Isidro Maldonado, Cristina is now hoping to begin working for the Grand Prix. She knows that both still have to learn a lot so have decided to take a break from competition to prepare for the next season.
“Horses are my life now,” Cristina added. “I studied international secretarial work but since I started working with horses seven years ago is it the only thing that I do.”
by Sarah Warne - Photo © Top Iberian
Related Links
Scores: 2015 CDI Madrid
Spanish PRE's Manchego and Leviton Sold to Barcelona Horses
Firmamento, Manchego and Alcaide Win 2011 Spanish Young Horse Championships