French victory in Spanish long distance ride
French couple Paulette and Daniel Maldera won the fifth edition of the Spanish Kaliber Andalucia 472 kilometer endurance ride between Seville and Cazorla, riding their part-bred Arabians Louna-De-Rivoiron LOUNA-DE- and Otello-De-Drivoiron.
The Kaliber Andalucia endurance ride is a unique event in the world as it combines an equestrian endurance competition with the discovery of the outstanding scenery of the Spanish region of Andalusia. With 472 kilometers done in eight days, it’s probably also the longest ride in the world. This year Kaliber Andalucia took place between the 9th and 18th of April and went from east to west, from Seville to Cazorla, and crossed the National Parks of Doñana, Sierra de Grazalema, Sierra Nevada, Sierra de Baza and Sierra de Cazorla, as well as the cities of Seville, Ronda, Antequera and Granada.
Andalusian popular singer Jose Manuel Soto is the promoter of this ride since its first edition in 2006, and he takes special pride in finding every year some new trails through the very best parts of the Andalusian countryside. The competition is twofold; solo riders with one horse and one rider, and team competitions with two horses and one or two riders.
Thirty eight horses from five nations lined up at the start for the two competitions, coming from France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain. Fourteen horses and their riders entered the solo rider’s competitions and twenty four horses competed in the team’s category. The competition rules state that if a horse is pulled at any vet-gate, then it gets a time penalty, but can still compete during the following days if the vets state that the horse is again fit to go, a better option for teams than for solo riders. If a horse needs a rest day, it may be allowed not to start but gets also a time penalty. The final standings show that all of the teams did officially finish the ride, some of them with lots of penalty time, while only seven of the fourteen solo riders managed to reach the finish line in Cazorla.
French riders came to the Kaliber Andalucia ride since the second edition in 2007, but this year they really came to win, with five teams good enough to win the final standings, and so it happened at the end, although only two of the French teams managed to finish without a time penalty.
After a four kilometer official opening prologue at the Seville racetrack in Dos Hermanas on Friday 9th of April, the ride started on Saturday morning with the first of three flat stages around the Coto de Doñana National Park. The first two stages were dominated by the French, while Spanish Eduardo Vazquez won the solo competition, but on the third day local rider Eduardo Sanchez used his knowledge of the trail to build up a serious advantage and win the stage arriving at his hometown in Sanlucar de Barrameda. Basque rider Jose Gundin went with him and did the same in the team’s competition.
The fourth stage and first mountain trail brought the French back to the top positions and from then on the teams competition was a French contest, with only the Basque team challenging them. The fifth and sixth stages, semi-mountainous, did not bring much change. After a rest in Granada on Friday 16th, the Basque team rider Jose Gundin challenged once more the French during the seventh stage on the mountain trail through the Sierra de Baza, and he arrived first with a nice advantage but then his mount SOPENILLA failed the trot and he was penalized.
The last day, through the Sierra de Cazorla mountains, three French teams were still in the winning positions. They rode in front in company of Basque team member Imanol Boveda who went for the stage win, while the French got the final victory for team’s competition.
On top the outstanding scenery of Andalusia, from the seashore to the mountains, all riders and their crews prized the organization and the great hospitality that makes everyone feel home even when so far from home.
For detailed results and pictures, email Kristian Fenaux, kfenaux@yahoo.es
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