They are perhaps the stars of tomorrow and they are given the unique chance of getting to know one of the most famous courses in the world at the CHIO Aachen. Among others the famous E.T. under the Austrian rider, Hugo Simon, took his first fences in Aachen in the Sparkassen-Youngsters-Cup, a jumping competition exclusively for seven and eight-year-old horses.
Incidentally, at the time the chestnut gelding threw his rider off and left the ring on his own after courageously jumping over the entrance barrier. Later in 1998, the pair went on to win the “Grand Prix of Aachen”.
The Brazilian rider Bernardo Alves didn’t have any such problems today with his eight-year-old Holsteiner mare, Canturada. On the contrary: He left the rest of the field trailing behind.
The 35-year-old won the first qualifier in the Sparkasse-Youngster-Cup after jumping clear in a time of 71.95 seconds. He was 4.03 seconds faster than Marcus Ehning (Borken), who came second with the seven-year-old Hanoverian stallion, Campel, and 5.34 seconds faster than the British rider, John Whitaker, who had saddled the eight-year-old Arko son, Argento.
Canturada is a Holsteiner mare by Canturo, Alves’ former top horse, with whom he won the “Prize of Europe” in Aachen in 2005. The stallion no longer competes on the jumping circuit, instead he is pursuing his stud career in Belgium. Alves, who is competing at the “World Equestrian Festival” for the sixth time, has been living in Lasnes, near Brussels for years.
“My mare is a quality horse and she has a lot of respect for the obstacles,” was how Alves described his horse. “I don’t know how much potential she has yet. But I think the jumping sport is developing in such a way that not only a horse’s ability is decisive, today easily rideable horses with respect for the fences are called for.
Like Canturada.” Alves rides for the Brazilian stud, Haras Joter, which has owned the mare since she was a three-year-old. Alves already won two jumping competitions up to 1.40 metres with the mare in May during the Derby in Hamburg.
The Brazilian rider’s next major goal is to qualify for the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. If Alves achieves his aim he will saddle Vancouver d’ Auvray, who is a full-brother to Toulon, the former top horse of the French rider, Hubert Bourdy.
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