Double spring successes for Luis Fernando Larrazabal

Venezuela’s Luis Fernando Larrazabal put faith in his horses during ESP Spring 3 at Wellington International, taking victory two days in a row.

Luis and his Olympian horse Condara, taking home the blue ribbons in the spring. Photo: Sarah Eakin

“When I have a horse like this or the one that I jumped yesterday,” Luis said of Condara and Belle de Muze, “I know they’re fast and they have the experience to go for the class. I always try to go for the win.”

No stranger to two things at once! Luis with his wife, Alexia and twins Alexandros and Athina in the WEF leadline class. Photo: Sierra Buerkley Photography

Belle de Muze and Luis topped a field of 54 in the $32,000 FEI 1m45 speed class claiming the fastest time by just under a second yesterday. On Condara this afternoon as action continued on the Derby Field, fears of a lapse in concentration slowing him down in the $62,500 FEI Grand Prix Qualifier jump off proved unfounded. “I was a little bit surprised,” he said of the win. “Because I touched the double coming in and I thought I had it down. So I turned and I thought I lost a little bit of time there.”

Once again the field was thick with ‘names’ among the 53 entries. Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam, currently ranked 20th worldwide, took second aboard Coriaan van Klapscheut Z in a time of 41.76, followed in third by Olympian Laura Kraut and Emeraldo 4, who led briefly on a time of 41.76 seconds.

Luis and Condara leading the Derby field in the ESP Spring series. Photo: Cassidy Klein/Wellington International

“There are so many competitive riders and horses during WEF [the Winter Equestrian Festival] and these two weeks I think a lot of people are still staying here waiting to go up north or to Europe,” said Luis of the stiff competition that has proved a factor in the post-WEF spring show series in Wellington. “I was surprised a little bit. Normally there’s not that many people. But I am happy. In Wellington you’re always expecting top riders, top competition so you cannot get surprised by having a lot of riders in the field.”

Like many of his peers – including Shane and Laura – Luis leaves Florida soon for the Kentucky Invitational culminating in the $400,00 CSI 5* International Grand Prix on Saturday April 26th. Ireland’s Conor Swail – also in Wellington this week – will be there defending his 2024 title with Casturano.

The show jumping extravaganza is played out alongside the longstanding Kentucky Three-Day Event, which sees, among others, Paris Olympic eventing gold medalist Michael Jung competing. With the presence of Michael’s fellow German, Christian Kukuk in the show jumping ring, Kentucky plays host to two Paris Olympic gold medalists in two separate disciplines in the same week.

This could be interesting:

Christian Kukuk’s baby daughter arrives in time for his $750,000 win