The International Show Jumping of La Coruña has been chosen by the federation responsibles as preparatory meeting of the national team who will represent us from the12nd to the 19th of August in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Sergio Álvarez Moya, Eduardo Álvarez Aznar y Gerardo Menéndez (Spanish reserve) will compete in Casas Novas with other horses, as their first ones will be preparing for the long trip to Rio. In addition to the Spanish several international riders that will also be in Rio will compete in La Coruna, as Maikel van der Vleuten(HOL), Eric Lamaze (CAN), Pedro Veniss (BRA) or Tiffany Foster (CAN).
Spain could not be classified in any Olympics from the Sydney Olympics in 2000. In August last year, the Spanish navy had a major challenge: be among the top three teams (not previously classified in the Olympics) in the Europe Championship. The team formed by Manuel Fernandez Saro, Pilar Cordon, Sergio Alvarez Moya and Eduardo Alvarez Aznar was firm and forceful, achieving its goal with authority and brilliance. That same Spanish expedition that won the Olympic passport in Aachen will compete in three weeks in Rio.
The Spanish fleet offers significant hope to the fans, seen the good moment of our riders, who are getting very good results in major international commitments. Alvarez Moya was just one takedown from the medal in the European Championship in 2015. In the last months his horse Carlo 273 has taken a short break and seems to be 100% fit, achieving third place last weekend weekend in the Grand Prix of Aachen. Alvarez Aznar, however, has remained active last season with Rokfeller de Pleville Bois Margot. So far this year, he has shown that he and his horse are in top form. Earlier this season he won the Grand Prix CSI3 * Oliva, was third in the Grand Prix of the LGCT Madrid, fifth in the Grand Prix CSIO5* Rotterdam and has more than 25 entries without knockdowns. Pilar Cordon is also being very regular with Gribouille de Lys, participating in almost all major GP of the Longines Global Champions Tour circuit. For its part, the Sevillian Manuel Fernandez Saro, who no longer has Enriques of the Lowlands, will compete with U Watch, a horse that arrive to his stables 11 months ago and that has shown great projection last season, being third in the Grand Prix the CSI3 * Montenmedio, fifth in the 4 * Hagen and that has competed in several Nations Cups, including the victory of Lisbon. Gerardo Menendez, reserve rider, has also remained very consistent throughout the season.
Eric van der Vleuten, coach of the Spanish team, has high hopes in the Olympic Games of Rio “ I think it’s very important to be a team that will fight for it and our riders work together very well. They have a great team spirit. We not it won’t be easy but we’ll try”
Marco Fuste, jumping director of RFHE, is proud of the performance of the Spanish team throughout the last seasons “I see a very motivated team with high preparation and in a spirit of fight. I think the contribution of Eric van der Vleuten as National Coach has been decisive to reach this point in the season.”