Henrik von Eckermann and Maikel van der Vleuten shine at Casas Novas
The Swedish and Dutch riders claimed victory in the first two CSI5*W classes of the weekend in A Coruña.
Casas Novas opened its doors this Friday, December 5, for a new edition of the CSI5*W, one of the most important events on the international equestrian circuit. After the CSI1* classes, the indoor arena of Casas Novas were ready to the start of the Checkpoint Trophy.
Checkpoint Trophy
A 1.45m class contested by 54 binomies, in which Maikel van der Vleuten, dutch rider, shone above the rest. The rider from Geldrop guided Dywis HH masterfully, securing victory in an arena he knows perfectly well, demonstrating his experiencein this type of competition, with a time of just 59.72 seconds.
Second place in this first CSI5*W class went to Pieter Devos. The Belgian rider entered the arena with Jarina J and finished with a clean round in 61.26 seconds. Just 0.51 seconds behind, with a time of 61.77 seconds, was Victor Bettendorf, who secured third place riding Milky Way 111.
Regarding Spanish representation, the standout performance was Imma Roquet Autonell, who achieved fourth place with a time of 61.80 seconds, riding Icenta del Maset.
Caixabank Trophy
At 9:00 p.m., the final competition of the first day at Casas Novas began: the Caixabank Trophy, a 1.50m class with a prize fund of €105,500.
Of the 49 riders who entered the arena, 16 completed a clear round. After a very closely contested class that offered many exciting moments, Henrik von Eckermann emerged as the winner.
The experienced Swedish rider achieved the best time of the night with Glamour Girl (64.34 seconds), adding yet another triumph to his extensive record of victories in 5-star competitions.
The second-fastest was Armando Trapote. Riding Tornado VS, the Spanish rider thrilled the audience with a high-level performance, finishing very close to the top spot, stopping the clock at 66.85 seconds.
Third place went to the duo of British rider Matthew Sampson and Latte Macchiato, with a time of 67.11 seconds.
Saturday program
Throughout Saturday, equestrian fans will enjoy another full day of competition. This second day of the CSI A Coruña will begin at 1:30 p.m. with the Porsche Trophy (CSI1*), followed by the Malard Trophy at 4:00 p.m., also in the 1-star category.
At 6:00 p.m., the first 5-star class of the FEI Jumping World Cup category will take place: the Grupo Eulen Trophy, which precedes the highlight of the day, the Longines Grand Prix—a 1.55m class with a jump-off—starting at 8:30 p.m.
Additionally, spectators at Casas Novas can enjoy, as throughout the weekend, a wide gastronomic offer from renowned local restaurants, as well as the incomparable surroundings of this equestrian complex, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
The entire competition can be followed live on ClipMyHorse.TV and on the official website www.csicasasnovas.com.