Competition in the Triple Copa Scappino CSI4*-W at the gorgeous Guadalajara Country Club kicked off with ideal weather and 100 entries in the Grand Opening Cup, 1.30m. FEI Course Designer Olaf Petersen, Jr. built a power-and-speed track with a tight time allowed, causing quite a few riders to incur time faults. Of the thirty-four who went clean in both phases, Francisco Lomelin aboard the grey stallion Campoduna emerged as the fastest to secure the win. Twenty-seven entries competed in the Welcome Cup, 1.45m, in which Mexico’s Juan Carlos Alvarez and Paul Schockemöhle’s bay mare Premiere edged out Brazil’s Rodrigo Lambre on Gestuet Lewitz’s gelding Chapilot by just over half a second for the win. The final event of the day, the first qualifying round of the FEI Children’s International Classics Final, had the crowd rooting and cheering. Show jumpers between the ages of 12 and 14 have traveled from near and far to go for the gold here in Guadalajara. All aboard horses provided by the Mexican competitors, thirty-two children representing thirteen countries competed in the speed round. Team Mexico secured both the first and third placings with ribbons going to Jose Maria Quintana and Patricio Pasquel, respectively. New Zealand’s Sophie Townsend finished in second. Riders will compete in a second qualifying round tomorrow, and the scores will be combined with those from today to determine the order of go for Saturday’s Final.
