13 July '26
Pica Pica Z secures a podium place in the CSI4* Grand Prix at A Coruña
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Studbook
© Pilar Lucrecia Cordón
At five-star level, the Falsterbo Horse Show in Sweden last weekend was the only highlight on the calendar, but at four-star level there was plenty of top-class sport and action to enjoy. One such event was the CSI at Casas Novas in A Coruña, Spain, where a Z-class horse managed to secure a place on the Grand Prix podium after a particularly thrilling finish.
Just before 5.00 pm on Sunday afternoon, the starting signal was given for the CSI4* Grand Prix at the beautiful Casas Novas venue – the highlight and, at the same time, the finale of three days of international show jumping. A total of thirty-three pairs took part in this 1.60m class, and no fewer than fifteen of them progressed to the decisive jump-off. Among them were local rider Pilar Lucrecia Cordon and the 13-year-old mare Pica Pica Z, a daughter of Pilgrim II and Abeltus Z, bred in Argentina by Haras Rio Bravo. Cordon and Pica Pica Z, who had already started their competition on Friday with a6th place in the 1.40m class, returned to the arena as the thirteenth pair in the jump-off and once again managed to deliver a flawless performance. They crossed the finish line in 44.69 seconds, which ultimately secured them a finethird place in the final standings.
Also in this CSI4* Grand Prix, Irish rider Mark McAuley made a name for himself with the 9-year-old stallion Clooney van Spalbeek Z, a son of our chestnut stallion Comilfo Plus Z and Diamant de Semilly, bred by Frans Liefsoens. McAuley and Clooney van Spalbeek Z picked up four penalty points in the jump-off, which ultimately saw them finish in10th place.
Before the start of this Grand Prix, a 1.45m Speed & Handiness class was also held for the riders competing in the four-star competition, and there too, success was recorded for our blue and yellow studbook colours. It was the Colombian rider Santiago Diaz Ortega who jumped his way to a podium place with the 11-year-old grey gelding Chasspleen Flamingo Z, a breeding product of Alexandra Rantet combining the bloodlines of Cardento VDL with those of Dollar du Murier. Diaz Ortega and Chasspleen Flamingo Z, who had already secured4th place the previous day in the 1.45m Speed class, raced to the finish line in 57.54 seconds, securing2nd place.
Also on Saturday, Dutch rider Maikel van der Vleuten once again made his mark with his 16-year-old star Beauville Z N.O.P., the son of Bustique and Jumpy des Fontaines, bred by Pascal and Monique Habets. The successful pair competed in the 1.50m main class, where, after two clear rounds, they tookthird place in the standings.
Finally, on Friday, the opening day, Swedish rider Angelica Augustsson Zanotelli also secured a podium finish with the 12-year-old stallion Iron Dames Calvino II de Nyze Z (Calvaro Z x Heartbreaker), a horse bred by Danny Nijs. During the 1.50m Grand Prix Qualifier, they remained faultless in both the first round and the jump-off, which ultimately secured themthird place.