The five-star competitions got underway at Casas Novas on Friday, with a win for Colombia's René López and the 9-year-old mare Twig du Veillon (Diamant de Semilly x Tornado d'Hotot) in the 1.50m Massimo Dutti Trophy. López showed top form at the Spanish event, also taking second place in the 1.45m NH Collection Trophy earlier in the day. 

46 riders competed in the Massimo Dutti Trophy, which also served as a qualifier for Sunday’s World Cup. In the end fifteen went clear over the first round track and moved on to the jump-off.

There it was René López that was the fastest, stopping the clock at 38.21 seconds on the back of Twig du Veillon. The Colombian rider was last out in the jump-off, and made the most out of his position to take the victory. 

Dutch rider Maikel van der Vleuten and VDL Groep Arera C (Indoctro x Voltaire) followed close behind with only 0.16 seconds separating them from López. The third place went to home rider Sergio Álvarez Moya on Unicstar de l'Aumone (Ninio de Rox x Timorrak Des Isles). 

The 1.45m NH Collection Trophy went to French rider Mathieu Billot on Radja des Fontaines (Hurlevent de Breka x Arra d'Auzay) with a time of 54.95 seconds. Lopez followed as runner-up with a time of 56.73 seconds riding Big Brother (Untouchable 27 x Gran Corrado). Third place went to the Portuguese rider Luis Sabino Gonçalves with a time of 57.59 seconds aboard Teck de Riverland (Quick Star x Cincaba Rouge).

Source: Press release from Oxer Sport // Picture © Manuel Queimadelos / Oxer Sport