The Spanish team has won the CSIO3* Madrid Nations Cup, scoring for the Longines EEF Series European league. The quartet, made up of Manuel Fernández-Saro with “Acoufina PS”, Mariano Martínez Bastida with “Belano vd Wijnhoeve Z”, Santiago Núñez Riva with “Valentino de Hus Z” and Eduardo Álvarez Aznar with “Full Option Van’t Zand”, won the two-lap test with zero points, that is, without demolitions, while the Belgian team, second, added 4 points. This result guarantees the Spanish team’s passage to the semi-final of the European league, which will be played at the end of the month in Deauville.
The test had a final outcome full of tension and emotion, since for Spain to win without the need for a tiebreaker, it was necessary for Eduardo Álvarez Aznar will make the last round, with his sorrel “Full Option van’t Zand”, without any penalty.
On the track of the Villa de Madrid Country Club, the large audience that followed the test live fell into absolute silence. while Alvarez Aznar overcame the 12 obstacles and 15 efforts of the course. When the rider from Madrid crossed the finish line, he received a thunderous ovation from the public, celebrating the Spanish triumph.
The triumph was based on the two faultless runs of Manuel Fernández Saro with the Alda Stables mare, “Acoufina PS”, the two zeros of Santiago Núñez Riva with “Valentino de Hus Z” and the decisive double faultless run of Eduardo Álvarez Aznar with “Full Option Van’t Zand”. The fourth member of the team was Mariano Martínez Bastida, who did not score points in either of the two laps, with a “Belano vd Wijnhoeve Z” that did not have its day. Second place, with 4 points, went to the Belgian team, while the Irish team was third, after a great comeback in the second round, with 8 points.
With this victory, Spain ensures its qualification for the semi-final of the Longines EEF Series, which will take place at the end of this month in the French town of Deauville and in this way, continue fighting to get a place in the final to be held in Warsaw.