Brazil’s de Arruda Martins wins Longines Grand Prix at Rio Equestrian Festival

Riding Anneline, the 22 year old Brazilian rider was the only competitor to go clear of the 12 who progressed to the second and final round of the weekend show’s highlight 1.45 metre jumping competition.

The Longines Grand Prix was the feature class of the third edition of the Longines Rio Equestrian Festival, which staged between 21 and 25 September is the largest equestrian event in Rio de Janeiro and one of the most important on the sporting calendar in Brazil.

Twenty horse and rider combinations came forward for the Longines Grand Prix class to tackle the first round course. Only 12 of those combinations progressed to the second round, with 11 going through on four faults and de Arruda Martins recording the only clear round.

The second round over the shortened course was equally riddled with mistakes except for de Arruda Martins. Having seen all competitors before him incur faults, the Brazilian was naturally cautious in his tour of the course, crossing the line in a time of 62.07 seconds but crucially going double clear.

José Roberto Reynoso Fernandez (on Maestro St Lois) led the four faulters behind him in a time of 47.31 seconds, with Fernando Pasmanik Schilis (on Landritter II Do Feroleto), taking third in a time of 47.39 seconds.

Marcello Ciavaglia (on Queenie) was fourth with four faults in 47.71 seconds, ahead of Luiz Felipe Pimenta Alves (on VDL Valdez Assolute R G) in fifth and their time of 51.17 seconds.