Text © World of Showjumping

The 2024-edition of the Andalucía Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera, Spain, concluded on Sunday with a popular home win for Jesus Garmendía (ESP) and Callias (Companiero x Casco) in the CSI4* 1.60m Invitational Grand Prix. 

Stopping the clock on 41.16 seconds in a jump-off between eight horse-and-rider-combinations, Garmendía took the win ahead of Great Britain's Ellen Whitaker and Korlenski (Cornet Obolensky x Numero Uno) by an incredible 2.21 seconds – besting a starting field of 50 in this Grand Prix counting for the Longines Ranking Group B, which was also a qualifier for both the 2024 Olympics and the 2025 Europeans with a course set by French master mind Gregory Bodó. 

“My horse was incredible. In the first round he jumped very well, right from the warm-up he was giving me a really good feeling," Garmendía commented in a press release from the Sunshine Tour. “Obviously in the jump-off, well, anything can happen, but he is a really fast horse and I knew we had options open to us. For so many years this win has eluded me! Finally winning has been very special and even more so on a day like today.” 

Jesus Garmendía dedicated his win to Fernández Martínez de Albornoz; a great friend who passed away a year ago. “He was like a father to me in the horse world and today he helped me to win,” Garmendía said.

Billy Twomey (IRL) and Diego del Caribe (Kannan x Quidam de Revel) placed third with a time of 44.47 seconds, followed by Joe Fernyhough (GBR) and Calcourt Particle (Spartacus TN x Lasino) in fourth in 44.86. Leonie Böckmann (GER) and Carter 10 (Christian x breeding unknown) finished fifth after crossing the finish line in 45.32 seconds. 

In the CSI4* 1.50m Invitational Medium Tour, counting for the Longines Ranking Group D, Ellen Whitaker and Demi Louvo (Vigo Cece x Starsky de Brix) took the win. With a time of 40.06 seconds in the jump-off, Whitaker left Michael Pender (IRL) and HHS Los Angeles (Le Roi x Cavalier Royale) behind her in second with 0.60 seconds separating the two. Olivier Philippaerts (BEL) and Precious Dwerse Hagen (Cornet Obolensky x Casall) finished third with a time of 42.87, followed by Max Routledge (GBR) and Crystal King (Cornet Obolensky x Cassini I) in fourth in 46.08. Jonathan Smyth (IRL) and Crystal Graf (Lux Z x Graf Magna) completed the top five with a time of 47.33. 

The CSI4* 1.45m Invitational Small Tour, counting for the Longines Ranking Group D, also saw a British rider take the top honours – this time Jude Burgess riding Oilina (Emerald x Orame). Crossing the finish line in 35.63 seconds in a jump-off of eight, Burgess led a British podium with Jake Myers (GBR) and J Superstar (Chaman x No Limit) taking the runner-up spot with a time of 36.54, followed by Red Morgan (GBR) and Golia (Bustique x Doriano) in third in 37.17. Fraser Reed (GBR) and Westbank Rio (Riverland Roi x Douglas) finished fourth after clocking a time of 38.21, while Marco Antonio Peixoto Ferreira Filho (COL) and Collete (breeding unknown) placed fifth with their time of 38.33.