Mariano Martinez Bastida and Belano vd Wijnhoeve Z won Sunday’s CSI2* 1.45m Grand Prix presented by Oliva Nova Beach & Golf Resort in Oliva Nova. Photo © Hervé Bonnaud/www.1clicphoto.com.
Press release from Mediterranean Equestrian Tour
The fourth and final part of Spring MET 2025 kicked off this week at Centro Ecuestre Oliva Nova in Oliva Nova, Spain, and it was the host nation's Mariano Martinez Bastida and Belano vd Wijnhoeve Z (Berlin x Darco) that took the win in Sunday’s concluding CSI2* 1.45m Grand Prix presented by Oliva Nova Beach & Golf Resort.
Fifteen horse-and-rider combinations from the 61 at start cleared the first-round track and joined the deciding jump-off, where Spain’s Bastida and Belano Vd Wijnhoeve Z clocked the winning time of 37.45 seconds. Matthew Sampson (GBR) and Pretty Pi’Que de’Luxe (Party Dance x Viegaard’s Come Back II) took the runner-up spot in 38.12, while Jessica Burke (IRL) and Express Trend (Future Trend x Condios) completed the podium in third in 38.60.
"I knew I had to take a lot of risk," Bastida said about his winning strategy. Photo © Hervé Bonnaud/www.1clicphoto.com.
The hosts were showing great form, with Teresa Blazquez-Abascal (ESP) on Nasa de Toxandria (Vertigo Saint-Benoit x Chopin van het Moleneind) finishing fourth in 40.36, followed by Thomas Whitaker (GBR) aboard Klaudius (Labor’s VDL Indorado x VDL Empire) in fifth in 40.47.
“There were many horses in the jump-off, so I knew I had to take a lot of risk and go really fast to win,” Bastida said about his winning strategy. “Oliva is like home to me,” he added. “Whenever I can compete at the MET, I try to be here.”
Spring MET IV 2025 – which runs until April 27th – continues next week with competitions up to CSI3* level.
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