With 96 entries competing in the Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.45m competition, Gonzalo Azcarraga Riviera Torrez (MEX) finished on top with an exceptionally fast round of 60.63 seconds aboard his 11 year-old Mare Quite Nice 5 (Quality x Landor S).
 
With a challenging course set by Leopoldo Palacios (VEN) to start the ‘Continental’ Tournament at Spruce Meadows, the 26 year-old was able to mark his first major FEI win at Spruce Meadows, arriving to the finish nearly a full second ahead of the second place finisher. When commenting about his horse, Azcarraga stated, “We’ve been together since she was 6, she’s a very careful mare and we’ve won a lot together – which is not always so easy at the International level because she is so careful.” With a tight time allowed and many rounds in the 1.45m competition, Azcarraga was asked where he found his edge on course. Ecstatic with his round, Gonzalo said, “I think I stuck to an efficient track, I did similar strides to the other top placed riders but was able to stay on a straight approach, I was then really able to open up in the last line to get the 6 strides - and that was it!”
 
Finishing second was the lone athlete representing Uruguay in the event, Juan Manuel Luzardo. Luzardo (URU), aboard the 9 year-old Hanoverian gelding Quidandro (Quality x Quidams Rubio), was an early contender in the competition. As second in the starting order, Luzardo was able to maintain his impressive lead with the time to beat of 61.51 seconds over more than 80 entries that followed him in the order.