2002 World Equestrian Games

Grand Prix - Nation's Competition

Ignacio Rambla Algarin

Ignacio Rambla Algarin on Granadero, a 15-year-old PRE (Purebred Spanish) stallion from the Royal School of Equestrian Art, was the 17th of 65 competitors in the Grand Prix and the first from the Spanish team to experience the roar of the home crowd as he entered Chapin Stadium. Granadero is a small gray with a huge neck and conformation that is rarely seen in international Grand Prix competition, but his presence was undeniable.

Granadero's dramatic high knee action appeared to bend even more and even high er in the extended trot; he straightens his leg to extend, but not at the same angle the sport has come to expect from the warmbloods. In fact, there is so much knee action in every movement this horse performed that it is more than noticeably different from the other horses. The pirouettes looked easy for Granadero. Throughout, the action in the hocks was not as dramatic as the knee action up front.

All the judges but one were very close in their scoring – at E, Ernst Hotz (RSA) gave the high score at 354; at H, Jan W.M. Peeters (NED) gave the low score at 336; at C, Mariette Withages (BEL) scored 336; at M, Volker Moritz (GER) gave 338; and at B, Elizabeth McMullen (CAN) scored them at 339 for a total of 1,711 points and 68.440%. The pair placed 20th overall in the Grand Prix.

Algarin said that he was "happy" with his test.