Kraków, Poland – February 20, 2025 – The Big Tour competition on the first day of Cavaliada Kraków ended with a victory for Romanian representative Andrea Herck (ROM). The €30,000 Big Tour Speed Challenge CSI 4*–W – 1.45m, for the prize of Arka, under the patronage of the Polish Equestrian Federation, gathered 46 pairs at the starting list. A competition counting for the world ranking, but also for the final of the FEI World Cup Central European League. In accordance with the World Cup regulations, it was a speed competition in which knockdowns were converted into penalty seconds.

In the end, victory belonged to Romania’s Andrea Herck, riding the 11-year-old mare Epsilon de Roulard, closely followed by the Czech Republic’s Ales Opatrny (CZE) aboard 14-year-old Forewer. Thus, these two riders strengthened their positions as leader and vice-leader respectively of the Central European League overall standings, moving one step closer to the coveted promotion to the final in Basel.

Thanks to a dynamic round, despite one knockdown, Colombian Santiago Diaz Ortega (COL) riding Tuuls topped off the podium.

Winner’s Circle: Andrea Herck (ROM)

‘My horse jumped great and I am very glad. We still have two more Central European League classes to go, we will fight until the very end because nothing is certain yet. Epsilon de Roulard is an amazing and fast horse and we are keeping our fingers crossed for the next days’ – said the winner.

The best of the home athletes was Jarosław Skrzyczyński (POL), riding Inturido towards eighth place.

Final Results – €30,000 Big Tour Speed Challenge CSI 4*–W – 1.45m for the Arka Prize

1) Andrea Herck (ROM) & Epsilon de Roulard – 0 – 57.51

2) Ales Opatrny (CZE) & Forewer – 0 / 0 – 59.06

3) Santiago Diaz Ortega (COL) & Tuuls – 0 / 0 – 59.41

Source: Press Release by Agata Plewa / MTP Grupa for Cavaliada Tour

Photos: © Cavaliada Tour / Dava Palej / M. Flatow

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