Within the framework of V Andulucía October tour The different Spanish Salto Championships. The first week is dedicated to Spanish Children’s Championship And the second, to the Absolute, young riders, young and classic horses. The latter, established in 2018, have meant a revolution in the Spanish equestrian. It is a championship inspired by the Mexican model that offers riders of different profiles the possibility of maintaining the illusion of competing without being a professional rider
Classic Salto championships are aimed at those who, by age, lack of experience or absence of a top -level horse, cannot participate in higher categories. They are disputed on heights of 1.10, 1.20, 1.30 and 1.40. Your driver, Armando ragsummarize it with a simple question: “Why are you not going to be champion of Spain of 1.10?”
Its origin dates back to 2012 when Trapote detects a problem: in Spain there were only the championships of minors and adults, young riders were added later, but the absolute barely attracted participants and was very expensive to organize. “I saw an abandoned niche: riders who, when leaving young riders or adults, had no goal. They competed to compete and that is bored. They had to return the illusion,” he reminds of reason. The solution came from Mexico, where he knew a model that responded just to that need. “I transferred everything to the Federation: name, regulations, categories and heights adapted to Spain. I was fighting for more than two or three years. Some said there could be no more champions of Spain and I replied that instead of calling him champion of Spain, he was called Classic Champion.” With the support of Javier Revuelta the idea went ahead. Since the first edition at the Campo Club, the championship has not stopped growing.
The regulations establish that riders must be at least 19 years old. Binomials that have not jumped more than 1.25 in the season can participate in the classic of 1.10; in the 1.20, who have not exceeded 1.35; in 1.30, those that have not gone from 1.45; and the 1.40 admits two horses, although only one scores. All participants must prove previous results, unless they have already competed in previous editions. The champions in 2024 were Luis Ortiz Agüera (1.40), Ibone Ibáñez Aldecoa (1.30), Irene Zuazua de la Torre (1,20) and Sol Daurella Comadrán (1,10).
For rag, the effect has been immediate: “The classics have become a real goal for many riders, an illusion and a reason to ride. Assembly is fine, but not always motivated enough. People need goals.” This impulse is reflected throughout the industry: “Licenses, competitions have risen, people have illusion, buy new horses and with it the entire sector moves.”
Today, classic Spanish championships are a consolidated appointment in the calendar. An idea imported from Mexico that found in Spain the perfect land to grow and has returned the illusion to hundreds of riders. “I feel very proud to have promoted all this. I’m glad that every year the classics continue to grow, giving goals and fulfilling dreams,” Ceagote concludes.
