Press Release - FONTAINEBLEAU - PRINTEMPS DES SPORTS ÉQUESTRES
Friday morning saw the start of the CDI3* competition in the Carrière des Princes arena at the Printemps des Sports Équestres. The Spanish rider José Antonio Garcia Mena won the Grand Prix Cheval TV with a score of 69.304%, on his bay mare Quatre-quarts à l'Orange.
"It's so exciting for me to be here, in this superb setting at Fontainebleau! It's the first time we have competed together outside Spain, so I'm delighted with the great result. My mare is still young but she keeps showing she has a lot of talent and that's really encouraging. Tomorrow, we will be taking part in the Grand Prix Spécial and I hope we will have as much success!" said the smiling rider as he left the arena.
CDI3 GP winner José Antonio Garcia Mena & Quatre-Quarts a l’Orange - photo:©PSV-J.Morel
Second and third place on the podium went to the German rider Evelyn Eger with Global Power OLD (69.210%) and Pierre Volla and Malcom X de Massa (69.195%), the top-ranked French pairing. "I didn't have the chance to ride at the Olympic Games in the gardens of Versailles, so I'm really happy to be here in this almost identical setting! Malcom has shown that he has some great attributes. He's a very rounded horse, but he still needs to get a bit stronger. He felt at home in the arena this morning, so I'm really pleased and I'd like to thank the organisers for providing us with such a beautiful setting." said the French rider.
Earlier in the day, Belgium's Larissa Pauluis and her seven-year-old gelding scored 75.529% to finish first in the Prix Toubin & Clément, which is reserved for that age-group of horses. In the class reserved for five-year-olds, sponsored by the Grand Parquet, the French pairing of Le Noir 51 and Justine Ludot (85.800%) dominated proceedings yet again. In the Junior category, Denmark's Sofia Rosenkilde and Tiger G were the only couple to exceed the symbolic barrier of 70% to win the opening class of the day, the Prix de la Ville de Fontainebleau, with a score of 70,808%.