Madrid prepares arena for Equestrian World Cup
Madrid, Nov 26 (EFE).- The Jumping and Dressage World Cup returns to Madrid at the IFEMA Madrid Horse Week, turning the Spanish capital into the center of the equestrian world until Sunday.
The main competitions, organized by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), are to begin on Saturday afternoon, when the dressage riders take to the arena, and is to continue on Sunday with the Jumping final.
In Dressage, the presence of young riders such as Spaniard Juan Matute Guimón, after overcoming a stroke at the age of 22, and his compatriots Claudio Castilla and Juan Antonio Jiménez Cobo, Morgan Barbançon from France and Rodrigo Torres from Portugal stand out in the absence of the German stars.
Special mention to Beatriz Ferrer-Salat who has chosen the event to say farewell to one of the most important horses of her sporting career, Delgado, with whom she won, among other competitions, the bronze medal in the Kur at the 2015 European Championships in Aachen.
The Jumping program will feature six of the top ten in the world rankings, with riders of the stature of Martin Fuchs, Daniel Deusser, Sergio Alvarez Moya and Jos Verlooy.
IFEMA Madrid Horse Week is the most important equestrian event in Spain, where the top competitions of the Central Arena are combined with shows and activities for all audiences during the fair.
Highlights include the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art with ‘How the Andalusian Horses Dance’ event, in which the number ‘Classic Flamenco for Two’ is to be performed.
The total cost of Madrid Horse Week comes to 3.6 million euros, 60% of which corresponds to donations and sponsors.
Globally, the equestrian industry generates 300 billion dollars annually, with more than 58 million horses and more than 37 million riders. EFE
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