Last Sunday concluded the first of the four stages that make up the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour (MET). Over the past three weeks, the Equestrian Center Olive nova It hosted the Spring MET I competitions with a very high participation and with the presence of great riders from the world scene.
The results of the first MET tour
- 245 riders from 36 countries and around 850 horses each week disputed the tests of the Spring MET I.
- The best riders in the world ranking went through the MET facilities.
- Double of Frenchman Julien Epaillard with two of the three great prizes.
As a novelty, a special prize for the best of each category was included in the program of young horses throughout MET I. Thus, in the 5 year category, the winner was the Turk Derin Demirsoy riding Faline des Chaines. The 6 year category it was for the Frenchman Guillaume Foutrier with Elena Hope, while the 7 year category the victory was taken by the young Polish rider Adam Grzegorzewski with Stakata.
El Bronze Tour held 3 grand prizes at a height of 1,40m. The first week was the German Laureen Budde who took the victory. The Spanish Nilay Girginer achieved a good fourth position. During the second week the triumph went to France through the young promise Eden Leprevost, while the Spanish and habitual participant of the MET, Susana Epaillard placed sixth. Last week the final of the Bronze Tour closed with a clear female dominance, being the first 10 places occupied by women. The victory was for the Swiss Stéphanie Gass and the Spanish Susana Epaillard was again among the best in eighth place.
The tests of Silver Tour, had a high participation and the presence of several riders of the top 50 worldwide. The great prizes of 1,40m height went to the Irish Sophie Dalm during the first week, the Italian Lorenzo de Luca, number
30 of the world ranking and winner of one of the Ranking tests, during the second week and the Belgian Jérôme Guery during the third.
MET I, celebrated three Grand Prizes belonging to the Gold tour. The first week the victory of the 2 * Grand Prix at a height of 1,45m went to Frenchman Julien Epaillard, who, after a quick tiebreaker managed to close the stopwatch with more than a second advantage over the British Laura Renwick. The third position was occupied by the Italian Alberto Zorzi, while the Spanish Eduardo Álvarez Aznar occupied the fourth place. During the second week, 28 binomials achieved a tour without fail to access the very fast tiebreaker, whose victory was finally for the Belgian Constant Van Paesschen, who was also the winner of two Ranking tests. The French Margaux Rocuet and the British Matthew Sampson were placed second and third respectively. The third and final Grand Prix of the Gold Tour put the finishing touch to MET I again with a great performance by the Frenchman Jullien Epaillard. The tour designed by the Spanish track chief Javier Trenor, was brilliant as well as demanding. Of the 12 binomials that concluded without fail, Julien Epaillard was again the fastest, beating the Italians Alberto Zorzi and Lorenzo de Luca who set the bar very high and took second and third place respectively.
Spring MET II begins
The Mediterranean Equestrian Tour will start again on February 11 with the SPRING MET II, which will run until March 1. In the MET II sports program we see again 9 scoring tests for the Longines Ranking and a total of € 429.100 that will be distributed in prizes. The entire sports program can be seen here: http://metoliva.com/en/riders/
