The equestrian atmosphere is starting to be felt around the city of A Coruña, Spain, where a large number of Casas Novas CSI 5* participants have already arrived and the invitations to attend the event are almost finished.
The best riders in the world, along with their support crew and about 180 horses, are already preparing their participation in the contest. The competition is one of the last opportunities of the year for the pairs to score points in the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping and in the ranking of the International Equestrian Federation thanks to the celebration of the Longines Grand Prix and the seventh stage of the World Cup on this modality.
The best riders on the national and international scene will take part in the five scheduled events of the CSI5 World Cup. In the national scene, eight riders will take part in the competition. Among them are the members of the Spanish team that attended the Rio Olympic Games: Sergio Álvarez Moya, Eduardo Álvarez Aznar, Manuel Añón, Pilar Cordón and Gerardo Menéndez.
Sergio Álvarez Moya can boast of having already won the Casas Novas Grand Prix in 2012. The reigning Spanish Champion and #43 of the world, will compete in the big tests with Arrayán, with which he is playing a great role in the last World Cups where they have participated. Gonzalo Añón made his debut in the Madrid World Cup with AD Amigo B, being better ranked Spaniard. Julio Arias, who is now based in Belgium, and Paola Amilibia complete the list of Spaniards in the CSI 5 *.
Many of the 5 * riders come from competing recently at Madrid Horse Week. That is the case of Ludger Beerbaum and Denis Lynch, fourth and fifth respectively in the World Cup. Maikel van der Vleuten comes in top form after winning two tests in Madrid and being second in another. Luca Maria Moneta, Yuri Mansur and Matthieu Billot were the main protagonists on Saturday night, winning the six-bar test and jumping clear 1.90m.
Two Grand Prix winners of previous editions will represent France, Patrice Delaveau and Julien Epaillard, who come with the same horses with which they raised the cup in the summer editions of 2016 and 2015 respectively.
Belgium also has an important representation, headed by Nicola Philippaerts, the European Champion five years ago; And followed by Peter Devos, in ninth place in the European league standings, Jos Verlooy and Karel Cox. The British squad will consist of the Olympic gold medal in London, Ben Maher, and Guy Williams.
Lauren Hough, Alberto Zorzi, Henrik with Eckerman, Leopold van Asten or Pius Schwizer are also some of the most outstanding participants of this XXXIII edition.
Of the 48 riders in the 5*, 27 are already pre-qualified for Sunday's World Cup and only thirteen of the remaining 21 will qualify for Sunday in the Massimo Dutti Trophy on Friday. At the same time, two tests of a CSI2 * will be held daily, with a large Spanish representation.
SPORT AND ENTERTAINMENT IN CASAS NOVAS
The equestrian center located in Larín has the purpose to have a full-booked stage for the competition so it has planned interesting incentives for every day. On Friday, in addition to four trophies, the equestrian artist Lorenzo de la Camarga will offer an impressive spectacle; on Saturday, the main event will be the Longines Grand Prix, with the best pairs competing for victory at Casas Novas; and on Sunday, A Coruña will debut as stage in the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping.
All these attractions have created that tickets are running out at the usual points of collection, such as the Tourist Information Office of A Coruña in Plaza de María Pita or the Municipal Office of Tourism of Arteixo.