Gran Premio CDMX

Mexico City is the bigger city in Mexico, with 16 million persons living in the great city including some parts from the State of Mexico that has been annexing to the City.  9 million only in Mexico City without the con urban areas.  However most of the Grand Prix are held out of Mexico City, in Balvanera, San Miguel Allende, Guadalajara, Xalapa or Monterrey.  Only one Grand Prix in Mexico City in the year and this was held in the first weekend in November.  Of course not counting the LGCT that was held early in the year at Campo Marte where French rider Roger Yves Bost was the winner.

Manuel Esparza was the course designer.  Originally from Mexico City, Manuel now lives in Canada.  The two main classes was the Grand Prix on Saturday and the Clásico on Sunday.  In both classes there were around 50 riders in each.

© : EMP

The site was the President Adolfo López Mateos ring at the EMP (Presidential Sport Complex) in Mexico City.  A great ring that use to be the site of Pan-American and Olympic trials before the Grand Prix began to move out of Mexico City.  Riders from around Mexico came to participate, from Guanajuato (Leon), Veracruz (Xalapa), Queretaro, Nuevo León (Monterrey), Jalisco (Guadalajara) etc.  The event was organized by EQ Marketing, who will also organized early next year the WC Qualifier in Guadalajara (at the Guadalajara Country Club, site of the Guadalajara Pan-American Games in 2011) and for the second year the Mexico City stop of the Longines Global Champion´s Tour at Campo Marte, site of the Mexico 1968 Olympic Games.

© : Gonzalo Azcárraga got the best time but with a rail down

Gonzalo Azcárraga got the best time but with a rail down.

With a purse of almost half a million Mexican pesos only nine combinations proceed to the Jump Off.  Three were sidelined with one penalty time.  The first rider in the jump off was Swedish rider Mariano Maggi who stopped the clock in 37.24 seconds with a double clear round, setting the pace for the rest of the riders. Andrés Azcárraga finished with a rail down in a good time of 36.78 seconds riding Contendros, later on his brother Gonzalo also had one rail down but with the best time in the Jump Off.  Both young riders are Jaime Azcarraga’ sons, but Jaime was not competing this time.  Alberto Balas from Mexico City also one down, and then Andrés with his second horse, Al Capone, finished fault less in a time of 35.65 seconds that put him in the lead.

© : Patricio Pasquel, third place at the GP and the Clásico
Patricio Pasquel, third place at the GP and the Clásico

Patricio Pasquel, also from Mexico City, went clear with his second horse, Careyes, but could not better Andrés time.  However Luis A. Plascencia from Leon, Guanajuato did go clear riding Salamera de la Nutria, a ten year old mare from Diamant de Semilly did break the beams in 34.98 seconds taking the lead that eventually gave him the first place.  Alejandro Mills, just back from the Masters in Spruce Meadows, rode Bartender to a clean JO ride in 36.56 seconds good for fourth.  The last two riders had a rail down, Gustavo Ramos who also was a member of the Team at the Masters, and Gonzalo Azcárraga with the best time in 34.38 seconds.

Then on Sunday another 50 riders competed at the Clásico at 1.40m.   The winner was Brazilian rider Rodrigo Lambre who rode Chapilot, a nine year old gelding by Chocco Blue.  In second finished Antonio Maurer from Leon, Guanajuato, and in third Patricio Pasquel, now riding Pomerol.  Pasquel finished with third place in the GP with Careyes and also third with Pomerol at the Clásico.

 

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