Víctor Bettendorf foiled a Galician triumph in the CASAS NOVAS GRAND PRIX

The Gran Premio Casas Novas closed the 2024 edition of the CSI4* A Coruña with the brilliant victory of Victor Bettendorf on "Foxy de la Roque". The Luxembourger won ahead of the young rider from A Coruña, Diego Ramos Maneiro, who is becoming established in the elite of international equestrian sport.

A very hard and difficult course, the Casas Novas Grand Prix, with obstacles of 1'60 meters high. A test endowed with 105,500 euros in prize money, which was rigorously planned by the competition's ringmaster, Javier Trenor. The Longines triple back-to-back-vertical and the final line, with a delicate little board in the double that opened it, added up to a good number of faults.

The course was ridden in two rounds and only six of the 42 riders managed to complete the first round without penalties. And among them, a young rider from A Coruña, Diego Ramos Maneiro, who has been training as a rider in Germany first and in Belgium nowadays, under the guidance of great figures of this sport, such as Ludger Beerbaum and Jos Lansink.

The rider from A Coruña went into the second round with zero points from the first round after a magnificent ride with "Encantado C'SG" and in the second round he went all out, confident in his chances of making a new zero. And he achieved it, in a time of 43'47 seconds that placed him at the top of the provisional classification.

With Olympic riders as competition, aspiring to win was not easy, but Diego Ramos stayed in the lead, while experienced professionals like Twomey, Kevin Staut or Olivier Perreau made mistakes. In the end, the one who did not make them was Victor Bettendorf, who with his promising mare "Foxy de la Roque" managed to lower the time, without committing any faults, to 39'28 seconds, securing the victory.

The Swedish rider Angelica Augustsson Zanotelli made zero, but with a worse time than Ramos Maneiro and the rider from A Coruña consolidated second place, making the dream of every young rider who aspires to stardom come true. A dream come true in the competition of his hometown, in front of his audience.
In fourth position was classified the Irish Billy Twomey with "Chat Botte E.D." and in fifth, the Spanish Armando Trapote with "Cochiloco PS", while his wife, Teresa Blázquez, who also entered the second round, was classified ninth with "Nasa de Toxandria".

With the presentation of the Casas Novas Grand Prix trophy to the winner, which was made by Flora Pérez, the summer edition of the CSI A Coruña 2024 came to an end. A prelude to the European Senior Championships to be held in a year's time, at the Casas Novas facilities. Then, the elite of international equestrian sport will return to A Coruña.