Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida & Imposant van de Renger Cruise to Win €51,900 Diputación de Cadiz Grand Prix CSI 3*

By Jumper News on 24 24America/Sao_Paulo October 24America/Sao_Paulo 2022

Vejer de La Frontera, Spain – Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida (POR) and Imposant van de Renger imposed their will on the course, overcoming all the obstacles on their way to victory in the €51,900 Diputación de Cadiz Grand Prix CSI 3* last Sunday during the second week of the Andalucía Sunshine Tour‘s October Tour Series.

The jump-off course designed by Cédric Longis (FRA) was demanding and the competition was fast, the run to the last fence was long, and it was gong to take a very balanced horse to gallop all the way and fly over the last upright to win the class and that is exactly what Imposant Van de Renger is extremely good at! We interviewed his very talented Portuguese rider, Rodrigo Almeida Geisteira (POR) after the class and he told us:

“Last week on the 14th, he was second in Rabat in the World Cup CSIO4*-W. So we were well prepared for today. He jumped really well in the first round ’. Rodrigo went on to tell us that; he felt he could really ride him to win in the jump off.”

**Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida** (POR) & **Imposant Van de Renger**

He clearly thinks very highly of this beautiful grey, nine year-old-stallion (Comme Il Faut 5 x Corland). He is bred for the job, his sire being Comme il Faut 5, who is himself by the legendary, ‘Cornet Obolensky’ and whose stunning good looks ‘Imposant Van de Renger’ has inherited, as well as his superb talent, add in Cor de La Bryere in his dam sire line, and the quality just shines through. Their jump-off round was textbook, his balanced turns were immaculate, and the smooth forward pace this pair kept up, made the round look deceptively easy and slow!In the end, they stopped the clock in 42.49 seconds, way ahead of the Swedish rider Erica Swartz (SWE), who came second, with just under three seconds in hand! Rodrigo told us that the horse is very young and he intends to give him all the time he needs to develop his craft, as the horse has amazing potential.

Erica Swartz (SWE) was riding the very athletic mare, Madonna (Flamenco de Semilly x Carabas vd Wateringhoeve) today and they were the leaders for a good while with a fl 45.64s, in the class. Their impressive round looked like it was not going to be beaten. The mare is owned by Cecilia Swartz and by ‘Verelst Flamenco de Semilly’.

In the end they were placed second, just beating the world renown Irish rider, Billy Twomey (IRL) with the lovely Chat Botte E.D. (Casall x Darco), who finished in third place after a penalty-free performance in 45.76 seconds.

Right on Billy’s heels, it was Luiz Felipe de Azevedo (BRA) with Sierra du Piedroux Z who stopped the timers in 45.78 second!

Fifth place was claimed by Paris Sellon (USA) with the lovely chestnut mare Attoucha, who is well known here at Montenmedio and a regular in the rosettes.