GRAN PREMIO ESPAÑA 2011
GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR,
CITY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
6 - 8 MAY 2011
The Global Champions Tour (GCT), returning to Valencia for the third year running, brings together the top forty riders in the Rolex rankings competing in ten cities around the world, including Monte Carlo, Rio de Janeiro and Cannes. With a total of 115 contestants worldwide (45 in the top league) it began in Qatar in March and will end in Abu Dhabi in November.
This unique event, organized here by Carles Vilarrubí’s ‘Oxer Sport’, along with Valencia’s Government and City Council, was founded in 2006 by the Olympic gold medalist Jan Tops and in 2010 received 300,000€ making it the biggest single prize in any of the three Olympic equestrian disciplines (dressage, eventing and show jumping). Marcus Ehning, won over 500,000€ in total prize money over the nine shows. Impressive. Amazingly, this prominent and hugely popular event is still run exclusively by Tops.
So what happened here in Valencia this weekend?
Friday, May 6
The wonderfully named Lauley Squibb got off to a brilliant start by winning the Trofeo Inaugural with her Lupicor bred mare Lara Joy II. "This was a good start to the show. It is one of my favourite GCT shows to come to. The setting is really lovely, the arena surface is excellent and the horses jump off the ground well." Lauley commented. See full results below.
Trofeo RTVV
first three places to Spain with the Brits coming in 5th, 17th and 20th.
Trofeo Valencia 2011 Capital Europea De Deporte.
First to Spain, USA and Spain.
Trofeo El Corte Ingles.
Brazil, France and Australia.
Trofeo Nh Hoteles.
Spain, Germany, Holland.
Saturday, May 7
Blustery, cold and grey, the day began at 09.00 with the Trofeo Precval. Dominated by the Italians, with Russia in 3rd place, the Brits got decent 5th and 11th places. Then came the Trofeo Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias in which we got a 2nd, 19th and 24th.
The Trofeo Coca-Cola, by which time we were frozen to our marble seats, hungry and thirsty (the Press Office gannets having eaten all the food, drunk all the water and Coca-Cola – although to be fair, for such a prestigious event the organizers could have replenished stocks – but didn’t, we stuck it out trapped by a freezing wind to be warmed by Lauley Squibb taking another first on Lara Joy II. Second and third places to Spain’s Marc Boncompte on his stunning grey, Jovely Z de Champion, and Luis Cabanas respectively.
Time for lunch and with still nothing edible in the Press Office we wandered past the exclusive stalls selling eye-wateringly expensive fripperies that only the well-heeled could afford, reminding me of Holly Golightly in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s, asking the polite and patient assistant if Tiffany’s had anything for $10. With limited time before the next event we joined the queue at Valencia’s Paradis Gourmet stall (see picture). Two, two-bite rolls (lettuce mixed with a vinegary substance topped by one slice of tomato) accompanied by the smallest glasses of wine I’ve ever seen, served by a surly waitress, cost a startling11€. We were not impressed.
Back to the show, Canada’s Olympian, Eric Lamaze, took the first in the Trofeo Iberia Líneas Aéreas de España, with Guy Williams (ranked 26th) in 9th place and the patroness of this grand event, Athina Onassis de Miranda, coming a respectable 22nd on her bay stallion Ad Welcome du Petit Vivier.
Sunday, 8 May
Sunny and glorious, this is Valencia at its best. The City of Arts and Sciences looked magnificent. The Trofeo Revista Ecuestre gave first place to Spain with Squibb, Dawes and Carmichael coming in 9th, 17th and 21st.
Trofeo Mercedes-Benz Comercial Valencia had Squibb back on form with a 1st. Second Torregrosa of Spain, 3rd Beechcroft and, finally, Carmichael in 16th place.
Trofeo Repsol saw Lamaze back in 1st, followed by Delestre of France and Diniz for Portugal. Guy Williams came in a well-placed 5th.
Gran Premio De Valencia Trofeo Nespresso. The first two places to Spain, a third to USA with Dawes at 13th place.
Trofeo Massimo Dutti. Italy took first place followed by Portugal with Ireland’s Billy Twomey riding well and earning him a deserved 3rd.
Finally, The Gran Premio de España, Trofeo Banco Sabadell. First place to Billy Twomey, finally in his stride, followed by Germany and The Netherlands.
All in all an excellent three-day equestrian event that brought the best on the international circuit together for yet another year. Valencia is an excellent venue for high-profile sport (Formula 1, The America’s Cup) and rises to the occasion with great weather, great restaurants and eclectic nightlife. What more can you ask?
RESULTS
FRIDAY 6 MAY 2011 - TROFEO INAUGURAL
(8 CONTESTANTS)
1 Lauley Squibb GBR Lara Joy II 47.02
2 Luis Cabanas Godino ESP Irresistible 56.58
3 Pedro Pons Morente ESP Romeo du rouet 57.29
5 Tess Carmichael GBR Zariba 51.54 (4 points)
8 Eileen McDonald ESP Bonanza 76.47 (15 points)
TROFEO RTVV
(46 CONTESTANTS) 4 OUT
1 Leonardo Medal Garcia ESP Unico 46.65
2 José Bono Rodriguez ESP Navaros 46.68
3 Gonzalo Añon Suarez ESP Andor 48.38
4 Tess Carmichael GBR Sally 50.58
5 Lauley Squibb GBR Rusty 50.69
17 Joanne Tarne GBR Caspar z 58.43
20 Martin Dawes GBR Daedelus van T&D 61.41 (4 points)
TROFEO VALENCIA 2011 CAPITAL EUROPEA DE DEPORTE
(38 CONTESTANTS) 3 OUT
1 Leonardo Medal Garcia ESP Capella de Manzaenda 47.96
2 Caitlin Ziegler USA Butragenia 50.17
2 Gonzalo Añón Suarez ESP Leasing 50.17
TROFEO EL CORTE INGLES
(55 CONTESTANTS)
1 Rodrigo Pessoa BRA Paluchin de ligny 49.03
2 Philippe Rozier FRA Ideal de Roy 50.32
3 Edwina Alexander AUS Mel d’agenees 50.46
TROFEO NH HOTELES
(53 CONTESTANTS (1 out)
1 Manuel Añán Suarez ESP Baldo DS 43.64
2 Daniel Deusser GER Cabreado S:E: 44.29
3 Maikel van der Vleuten HOL VDR Groep Sapphire B 44.50
48 Guy Williams GBR Depardieu van’t Kiezelhof 68.11
SATURDAY 7 MAY 2011 - TROFEO PRECVAL
(49 contestants) 6 out
1 Matteo Giunti ITA Bacardi Orange de Muze 59.75
2 Matteo Giunti ITA Nadiro di Capocontro 59.98
3 Olga Chechina RUS Amsterdam 60.02
5 Claire Beecroft GBR Sally 65.67
11 Martin Dawes GBR Deese vd Donkhoeve 72.28 (2 points)
TROFEO CIUDAD DE LAS ARTES Y LAS CIENCIAS
(32 contestants) 6 out
1 C Vilarrubí Jordá ESP Meggy du Mont 45.13
2 Joanna Tarne GBR Casper z 48.31 (65 points)
3 L Cabanas Godino ESP Zelly 49.39
19 Martin Dawes GBR Daedelus 56.19 (25 points)
24 Tess Carmichael GBR Unique III 54.99 (19 points)
TROFEO COCA COLA
(8 contestants ) 1 out
1 Lauley Squibb GBR Lara Joy II 53.39
2 Marc B Campabadal ESP Jovely z de champion 56.93
3 Luis Cabanas Godino ESP Irresisitble 61.35
4 Tess Carmichael GBR Zariba 65.54 (4 points)
TROFEO IBERIA LINEAS AEREAS DE ESPAÑA
(52 contestants) 7 out
1 Eric Lamaze CAN Coriana van Klapscheut 53.25
2 Rodrigo Pessoa BRA Palouchin de Ligny 54.30
3 Edwina Alexander AUS Mel d’Argences 54.67
9 Guy Williams GBR Torinto .. 56.47
SUNDAY 8 MAY 2011 - TROFEO REVISTA ECUESTRE
(37 contestants) 2 out
1 G Añón Suarez ESP Andor 45.52
2 José Bono ESP Ramona 47.22
3 C Vilarrubi Jordá ESP Meggy du Mont 48.51
9 Lauley Squibb GBR Rusty 52.20
17 Martin Dawes GBR Daedelus 65.70
21 Tess Carmichael GBR Unique III 55.48
TROFEO MERCEDES-BENZ COMERCIAL VALENCIA
(19 contestants) 3 out
1 Lauley Squibb GBR Lara Joy II 32.29
2 C O Torregrosa ESP Ideal de Prissey 33.04
3 Claire Beecroft GBR Melton 33.84
16 Tess Carmichael GRB Zariba 67.88 (12 points)
TROFEO REPSOL
(29 contestants) 6 out
1 Eric Lamaze CAN Coriana van Klapscheut 47.76
2 Simon Delestre FRA Ciana Z 48.45
3 Luciana Diniz POR Licapo 49.16
5 Guy Williams GBR Torinto … 49.78
GRAN PREMIO DE VALENCIA TROFEO NESPRESSO
(35 contestants) 3 out
1 Diana Marsa Lafarge ESP Crusells 30.60
2 Angel Bailo Alonso De La Florida ESP Lavalette Leamax 31.26
3 Caitlin Ziegler USA Herald 3 35.82
13 Martin Dawes GBR Deesse vd Donkhoeve 66.10 (4 points)
TROFEO MASSIMO DUTTI
(34 contestants) 5 out
1 Giulia Martinengo Marquet ITA Chiclana 4 34.72 (4 points)
2 Luciana Diniz POR Lennox 35.53 (4 points)
3 Billy Twomey IRL Tackeray 36.66 (4)
GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA TROFEO BANCO SABADELL
1 Billy Twomey IRL je’t’aime Flamenco 39.18
2 Ludger Beerbaum GER Gotha frh 40.04
3 Maikel van der Vluten NED VDL Groep Verdi 45.99
© Barbara O’Neill 2011
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