Eterno, Vivamos, Elvis, Van Gogh, Loriot Win 2025 Spanish Young Horse Championships

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2025 Spanish Young Horse Championships

The 4-year old Eterno, the 5-year old Vivamos, the 6-year old Elvis, and the 7-year old Van Gogh, and the Developing Prix St. Georges horse Loriot became the winners of the 2025 Spanish Young Horse Championships held at Castilla y León Equestrian Center on 4 - 7 September 2025.

Scheduled one month earlier than last year's Young Horse Nationals, the 2025 edition brought together large fields of competitors who battled it out for the title in five age categories. The four-year old division included two rounds, while the other age divisions had to contest three rounds. The first qualifier had a coefficient of 1, the second of 1.5, and the final of 2 to make it complicated when easy is also an option.

4-YO: Eterno

Thirty-six 4-year olds gathered in Leon to compete for the title and former Spanish Grand Prix team rider Alejandro Sanchez del Barco topped the leader board with Mattias Fernandez Rodriguez' Oldenburg stallion Eterno (by Escolar x ??). The pair placed second in the first round with 80.000 and aced the finals with 81.100% for the overall title.

Victor Lopez Perez and the CDE registered Quatersand JR del Pinar (by Quaterhit x Sandro Marq) was the runner-up after winning the first round with 81.200% and placing third in the final with 77.200%. This horse is the one year younger, full brother to Quater Sand del Pinar who competed for Spain at the 2025 WCYH in Verden.

Cristina Torrent Mol and Beatriz Ferrer-Salat's Hanoverian gelding Dumas (by Donier x ??) got bronze after two fourth places with 78.200% and 77.000%

5-YO: Vivamos

Thirty-five 5-year olds competed in the first two rounds and 19 made it to the third and final round. The winner was Roberto Carlos Cruz Rodriguez aboard his own Oldenburg stallion Vivamos (by Vivino x Don Frederic x Sir Donnerhall). The pair was a league of his own, winning all three rounds with a distinct lead. They scored 86.400%, 88.000% and 86.00%. The pair placed fourth at last year's nationals in the 4-year old division.

Last year's silver medal winner in the 4-year old division was back on silver in the 5-year old class. Juan De Dios Ramírez García and his own Hanoverian licensed stallion Vital (by Vitalis x Spörcken). The pair was second in all three rounds, scoring 80.800%, 82.000% and 79.200%. Vital sold at the 2022 Hanoverian stallion licensing for 120,000 euro to Yeguada Cuevas Bajas.

The bronze was for Adan Esterlich Arasa on Agusti Elias and Annabelle Collins' talented KWPN bred Princeton BCN (by Jameson x Tuschinski). The horse stood out with his flashy gaits, but the bridle contact was far from ideal with the right rein always pulling. He finished third (80.600%), fourth (80.400%) and seventh (74.600%) to land third place overall.

6-YO: Elvis

Only fifteen 6-year olds competed and fourteen of them did three rounds. Strikingly absent from the show scene this year are the winners of the 5-year old division last year, Alba Abollo Fontela and the CDE bred Secret CS (by Secret x Delinger).

The new 6-year old champion is Bernat Barrachina Vaquer aboard the Hanoverian stallion Elvis (by Escolar x ??), owned by Maria Culsan Perez. The pair was on strong form, winning the first round with 83.000, placing second in the second round with 80.800%, and winning the final with 82.200%.

Veray Baz del Prado and the Oldenburg mare Lady de Baz (by Secret out of Dana) was one of just three mares on the podium at the Spanish Young Horse Championships ! They were second in the first round (82.200%), won the second round (81.000%) but caved in to the pressure in the final and landed fourth place (76.00%), still good for silver.

The bronze went to Danish warmblood mare Theresa-DN (by Springbank II x Londonderry), presented by David de Castro Gomez-Serranillos for Yeguada La Selecta. They were twice third (77.800%, 80.400%) and placed fifth in the final (75.600%) to end up third overall. The mare sold in Helgstrand's clearance sale in September 2023 for 12,500 euro.

7-YO: Van Gogh

The 2025 Spanish Young Horse Championships became the weekend of Olympian Jose Antonio Garcia Mena, who scored three medals across the level, of which two are gold. This was already his ninth gold medal at these Championships in his career.

Aboard his brand new ride Van Gogh, an Oldenburg stallion by Vitalis x Furstenball x Furst Romancier), bred by Paul Schockemöhle and owned by Dressage Top, he won all three rounds with 77.840%, 80.439% and 79.377%. Mena took over the ride from German based Portuguese Nuno Palma e Santos, who on his turn took over the reins from Elias Marinho. The latter showed the horse at the 2023 WCYH in Ermelo. Van Gogh was licensed at the 2020 Mecklenburger stallion licensing.

Javier Higuera Carmona and Antonio Carillo Baeza's Hanoverian stallion Bombastic (by Bon Coeur x Wilawander xx) stayed in pursuit as they were third in the first round (74.986%), fifth in the second (73.429%) and second in the finals (74.848%). They scored the silver medal. Baeza bought Bombastic at the 2021 Hanoverian Autumn elite auction for 126,000 euro.

Alejandro Sanchez del Barco presented the Hanoverian mare Dark Pearl (by Donatus x Riverside) and piloted her to bronze. The duo scored 74.311% (4th), 73.155% (6th), and 73.762% (3rd). The mare was first competed in Germany by Janine Stehling in 2022.

Developing PSG: Loriot

Mena and Loriot at the 2025 Spanish Championships

In the Developing Prix St Georges horse division for 8 and 9-year olds, 22 pairs competed in the first two rounds, the Young Riders team Test and Prix St Georges, and 15 moved on to the Intermediaire I Kur to Music.

Seasoned Spanish team rider José Antonio García Mena recaptured the title with last year's developing PSH champion horse Loriot, Carlos Ruzafa's KWPN stallion (by Trafalgar x Johnson). The pair interestingly placed second three times, but won the title. They scored 70.125%, 70.971% and 75.030.

Mena's medal sweep continued as he also got silver aboard Russian-Azerbaijani Irina Zahkrabekova's 8-year old Lusitano stallion Nobre de Saramuneiro (by Dragao x Silveiro Rubeiro). He placed third in the first two rounds with 67.688% and 69.059% and won the Kur with 75.330% to placed second overall.

Juan Carlos Alanis Camera and the 8-year old Hanoverian stallion Dafo (by Dancier x Carpaccio), bred by Belen Ibanez, earned the bronze. They were fourth in the first two rounds (67.219% and 68.470% and moved to third place in the Kur with 71.805%).

Results - 2025 Spanish Young Horse Championships - Leon

4-year olds

1) Alejandro Sánchez Del Barco, an – Eterno - 282.200
2) Víctor López Pérez, Cl – Quatersand Jr Del Pinar - 276.200
3) Cristina Torrent Moll, Ba – Dumas - 271.300
4) Mª Valvanera Palacios Ortuño, Ri – Rita De Csv - 268.600
5) Cristian Tudela Ruiz, Ma – Raphael G&m - 265.600
5) Júlia Álvarez Abad, Ct – Francesca Bridgerton - 265.600
7) Raúl Martí Pérez, Va – Labuan - 265.400
8) Alba Abollo Fontela, Cl – Soñado Jb - 264.100
9) Ainhoa González Flores, Va – Princess - Rozerlia Js - 263.800
10) David Quilez Onrubia, Mu – Ruichang - 263.700
11) Alfonso Gormaz Torcal, Ar – Disneyland - 261.500
12) Alfonso Gormaz Torcal, Ar – Quality Total Mcb - 258.700
13) Adrián Ruiz Sánchez, Ma – Rohan - 258.000
14) Pedro José Nieto López, Mu – Fantic - 256.800
15) Juan Francisco Fernandez Muñoz, Cl – Ma Belle Gs - 256.300
16) Antonio Marqués Carreras, Ba – Valentino Ms - 255.400
17) Manuel Cabrera Silva, an – Teglovnens Kar Wind - 251.100
18) Anahi Redondo Gil, Cn – Rebel - 244.200
19) Karin Huskova Huskova, Ma – Freuden Tanz - 109.200
20) Juan Francisco Fernandez Muñoz, Cl – Dancing Girl - 108.600
21) David De Castro Gomez-serranillos, Cm – Rexton - 108.300
21) Noemí Baró Arroyo, Ba – Royal Ruben H - 108.300
23) Pedro José Nieto López, Mu – Faceto Ghi - 107.700
24) Alejandro Díaz Boza, Ma – Lder König - 107.550
24) Laura Lagos Bello, Ma – Qatar De Punta De Lanza - 107.550
26) Laura Lagos Bello, Ma – Benetton Dream - 105.600
27) Íñigo Ansorena Martínez, vs – Bouranii - 105.450
28) José Carlos González Guerrero, an – Tiago - 104.700
29) Alberto Muñoz Carrero, vs – Tarantino - 102.900
30) Diego Alvarez Clemente, Ma – Gorrion Ss - 102.300
30) Silvia Segarra Bazaco, Mu – Fantasie B - 102.300
32) Alejandro Azores Marcos, Ma – Glamour Cruz - 101.700
33) Judith Ramon Bonet, Ba – Caramelo Torreflorida - 100.800
34) Alba Blasco Moreno, Va – Fogonera Pi - 100.500
35) Miquel Amengual Abrines, Ba – Reflex T - 95.400
Fernando Guerrero Salvador, an – Falcon - ELI

5-year olds

1) Roberto Carlos Cruz Rodríguez, an – Vivamos - 390.400
2) Juan De Dios Ramírez García, an – Vital - 362.200
3) Adan Esterlich Arasa, Ct – Princeton Bcn - 350.400
4) José Antonio García Mena, an – Mac Cacique - 349.900
5) Albert Rigo Caldentey, Ba – Saraswati - 348.200
6) Juan Pablo Matute Guimon, Ma – Fabulous - 344.100
7) Marta Peña Montaner, Ma – Supernova Ps - 341.200
8) José Antonio García Mena, an – Queluz Rc - 339.500
9) David Garcia Vega, Ex – Musica De Aristrain - 337.500
10) Adrián Albarrán Martín, Ma – Fantastic - 337.200
11) Diego Martínez Del Moral, Na – Platini C-two - 336.800
12) Pablo García Cobos, Ma – Zorba - 336.600
13) Juan Francisco Fernandez Muñoz, Cl – Darlington - 331.000
14) Mariano Cano Tudela, Va – Photogenique - 330.900
15) José Luis González Caamaño, Ma – Sanja - 329.000
16) Mariano Cano Tudela, Va – Dance for Me - 327.900
17) Alberto Muñoz Carrero, vs – Poldark - 324.700
18) Alejandro Oliva Lázaro, Ma – Valiente - 323.700
19) Pedro Álvarez Medero, an – Pallas - 319.200
20) Raúl Martí Pérez, Va – Magic in Black - 183.200
21) Sandra Melantuche Maurain, Ar – Vechta - 182.300
22) Joaquín Sabater Almela, Va – Pavaroti - 181.500
23) Diego Alvarez Clemente, Ma – Kiamo Darley Angel - 181.300
24) Judith Saques Spahni, Ma – Bossanova - 180.300
25) Nerea Estebanez Ferrero, Na – Dream Boy - 179.500
25) Alejandro Díaz Boza, Ma – Justiciero De Ferri - 179.500
27) David Sancho Gramaje, Va – Dedalo - 179.400
28) Laura Mangado Salvatierra, Cm – Joop - 179.300
29) Sara Lewin Ohlenschläger, Ar – Fanfarron De Vida - 178.900
30) Íñigo Ansorena Martínez, vs – Vivaldo - 178.800
31) Pedro José Nieto López, Mu – Tejana De Ga - 176.800
32) Pablo García Cobos, Ma – Quatrocento Mor Plus - 174.300
33) Mario Gómez Morcuende, Cl – Queteden - Phm - 173.500
34) Marta Villaescusa Bueno, Mu – Frida - 171.400
35) Cristina Robledo Bonilla, Ar – Indara Sd 46,16% - 171.050

6-year olds

1) Bernat Barrachina Vaquer, an – Elvis - 368.600
2) Veray Baz Del Prado, Ma – Lady De Baz - 355.700
3) David De Castro Gomez-serranillos, Cm – Theresa-dn - 349.600
4) Anna Peiró Policarpio, Cl – Oogappel - 345.200
5) Alfonso Gormaz Torcal, Ar – Dawson's Creek - 342.400
6) Manuel Cabrera Silva, an – Sama Jumeirah Kar - 339.300
7) Ferran Serra Simón, Ct – Batchelor Wl - 337.000
8) Marta Bada Gonzalez, Ct – Testarossa Bcn - 331.300
9) Sara Lewin Ohlenschläger, Ar – Frangelico - 326.700
10) Ana Martínez López, Cm – Orion - 324.100
11) David De Castro Gomez-serranillos, Cm – Escalomillo - 322.300
12) Raul Diaz Real, Ma – Alfa Del Ponton - 311.850
13) Luis Quilis Galán, Va – Uleña De Tacon - 309.400
14) Javier Gil Díaz, Cl – Jamayo L - 300.600
15) Alejandro Azores Marcos, Ma – Divine Cruz - 182.500

7-year olds

1) José Antonio García Mena, an – Van Gogh 357.252
2) Javier Higuera Carmona, an – Bombastic 334.826
3) Alejandro Sánchez Del Barco, an – Dark Pearl 331.568
4) Javier Higuera Carmona, an – Director´s Cut 326.430
5) Borja Agullo Llorens, Va – Normaal 326.022
6) Sergio Morón Basoco, Ri – Fiona 323.802
7) Juan Carlos Díaz Amor, Ex – O Rei 320.424
8) Adan Esterlich Arasa, Ct – Newport Bcn 314.083
9) Cristian Tudela Ruiz, Ma – Bonanza Hfv 301.461
10) Alfonso Gormaz Torcal, Ar – Manguara Jc 300.600
11) Ana Alcaraz González, Mu – Secret One 299.714
12) Francisco Marqués Pascual, Ba – Kion Mt 296.420
13) Alejandro Azores Marcos, Ma – Asterix Ii 292.258
14) Rafael Reguera Florido, an – Osaka Del Ponton 291.197
15) Rocío Garrido Pérez, Ma – Iruño Vp 289.798
16) Manuel García González, Ar – Nougatti J2l 288.757
17) Sergio Morón Basoco, Ri – Quatro 188.686
18) Juan Pablo Matute Guimon, Ma – Zuriel 178.480
19) Andrea Gaya Campos, Ct – Ibero Sinia 162.282
20) Naiara Fortea Ortega, Mu – Da Vinci Sun 95.574

8-9-year olds

1) José Antonio García Mena, an – Loriot - 326.642
2) José Antonio García Mena, an – Nobre De Saramuneiro - 321.936
3) Juan Carlos Alanis Camero, an – Dafo - 313.534
4) Diego González López, Ga – Don Donato - 307.412
5) José Manuel Lucena Estrada, Ct – Latino Jav Ii - 307.290
6) Júlia Álvarez Abad, Ct – Vincenzo Bcn - 307.070
7) Carlos Bayo Calvo, Ma – Me Too! - 303.978
8) Mónica Blázquez Lopez-muñiz, Ma – Lexington - 302.884
9) Marta Villaescusa Bueno, Mu – Indian Girl - 301.656
10) Rubén Soto González, Cm – Degas De Ymas - 299.918
11) Anna Peiró Policarpio, Cl – Dalai Lama - 297.154
12) Manuel García González, Ar – Neron - 293.436
13) Adrián Díaz Llorca, Cn – Nuit - 287.664
14) Sara Lewin Ohlenschläger, Ar – Finn Comfort - 285.780
15) Adrián Díaz Llorca, Cn – Merlot Tarpania - 281.803
16) Alejandro Oliva Lázaro, Ma – Quarzo - 166.708
17) Alfonso Expósito Santiso, an – Drago - 163.134
18) Abel Salguero Toro, an – Mallorquin La Pasion - 161.177
19) Abel Salguero Toro, an – Esbelto La Pasion - 159.786
20) Maria Velasco Cano, Ma – Nirvana Del Ponton - 155.096
21) Diego Jesus Lopez Caballero, an – Dali De Ymas - 143.800
22) Alfonso Gormaz Torcal, Ar – Frederick - 60.782

Complete results here.