It was a home triumph for Mexico on Saturday as Jose Alberto Martinez Vazquez took the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ qualifier at Puebla. Partnered with Quinley, a 15-year-old Holsteiner gelding, Martinez was the fastest in a three-person jump off that went to the wire to determine the winner.
Fans were delighted to see Martinez’s countryman Simon Salame Farca and So Nice join the victors at the prize giving ceremony. Like Martinez, Salame picked up 4 penalty points for a fence down in the jump off, but crossed the Longines beam a few seconds slower.
American athlete Misti Cassar took third place aboard Mylord Cornet. The two suffered an elimination in the finale, but their clear in the first round earned them a spot on the podium, as well as some valuable points in the race to secure a berth to the World Cup Final at Riyadh in April.
Several Challenges
It was not an easy course designed by Marina Azevedo of Brazil in the stunning outdoor venue ringed by mountains and offering a view of Popocatépetl, one of Mexico’s most active volcanoes.
The arena itself poses several challenges, including a unique shape and stone walls at the corners that must be considered when setting jumps nearby.
With three 1.60-metre obstacles and many questions to be answered in 83 seconds, five competitors elected to retire, as rail after rail hit the ground.
Would it be another event like 2023, where winner Jose Saavedra Garcia — not competing this year — was the only clear? Or might there be a rare jump off of 4-faulters tied for first place?
Electrifying final round
Fortunately, three combos managed to ride clear to produce a jump off, and the spectators in the stands and VIP areas were treated to an electrifying final round that went to the last seconds before a winner was chosen.
Up first, Misti Cassar was excited to finally get a chance to jump in this leg, number 7 of 8 for the North American League. Last year, a stall accident with her horse kept the Mexico-based athlete off the start list.
Their jump off round began well, but following a wide turn into the Banorte vertical — the third obstacle — Mylord Cornet slid to a halt, the refusal causing Cassar to part company with the Oldenburg gelding for an elimination.
Hoping to post a clear round with a quick time, Simon Salame also had his share of disappointment. Taking down the B element on the double combination with So Nice, another Oldenburg, saddled him with 4 points to add to his time of 53.26 seconds.
That still left room for Jose Alberto Martinez as the final athlete to go clear and just fast enough in case a rail came down.
Martinez takes the honours
It was looking fantastic for Martinez and Quinley, a naturally fast horse with excellent ground cover, until the obstacle at the finish. A stride miscommunication at the Longines oxer caused Quinley to dislodge the upper poles and snag 4 points too. However, with a faster time of 48.44 seconds, the win went to Martinez and his longtime equine partner.
“I’m very happy,” said Martinez of his victory. “I think two years ago I was second. Quinley gave it all, and we came out first, thank God.”
The Mexican’s plan was to do enough to go clear and beat Salame’s time, knowing they’d have a few seconds in hand should they pick up a penalty, and it worked well.
Martinez was thrilled to at long last take a World Cup qualifier with Quinley, having won so many other prizes together. “I never had a horse like this,” he said before heading to the awards ceremony to hear his national anthem and accept a gorgeous Longines timepiece.
Great Britain’s Jessica Mendoza (I-Cap Cl Z) was the fastest of the 4-faulters in Round 1 and went home with fourth place. She was followed by Manuel Gonzalez Dufrane of Mexico (Hortensia van de Leeuwerk), who won the event in 2022, Arturo Parada Vallejo of Mexico (Bordeaux), Luis Gerardo Castañeda Mercado of Mexico (Untakable), Antonio Mauer of Mexico (Chogui LS), Jeronimo Gimenez Herrera of Argentina (Chalawino PS), and Nicolas Gamboa of Colombia (NKH Mr. Darcy) in the top 10.
Mendoza’s finish bumped her up to fourth place in the overall North American League standings behind Daniel Bluman of Israel, Daniel Coyle of Ireland, and Shane Sweetnam of Ireland. All top four athletes should have enough points to qualify as extra athletes in the league to attend the Final in a few months’ time.
One leg to go
Martinez is the highest ranked of the Mexican athletes, in 18th place, where limited berths are available for Mexico and Canada, and just a handful more are open to equestrians from the USA. Currently, Vannessa Mannix has the most points of the Canadian athletes, whilst Jill Humphrey leads the Americans.
Source: FEI (Patricia Salem)
F. ©: FEI/ Rodrigo Ceceña