Calgary, AB, Canada – June 13, 2010 – G&C Farm posted another week of strong performances at the Continental Tournament at Spruce Meadows. G&C Farm, owned by Gustavo and Carolina Mirabal, is based in Wellington, FL. This week, it was junior rider Maria Emilia Mirabal who was in the winner’s circle.
Maria Emilia rode G&C Orlana, an 11-year-old Holsteiner mare by Carolus I, to the win in Sunday’s $2,000 Encana Junior/Amateur Welcome competition. In the $2,000 Canadian Utilities Junior/Amateur Barrage class, they finished fourth, just out of the jump-off with one time fault.
They continued this winning streak from last week, when they were victorious in the $1,000 CN Junior/Amateur 1.10m Jumper class. In last week’s National Tournament, they were also third in the $1,000 Ensign Junior/Amateur 1.10m Welcome and sixth in the $2,000 Coril Holdings Junior/Amateur 1.10m Barrage class.
Maria Emilia Mirabal and G&C Orlana
Gustavo Mirabal said, “This is the first time that Maria Emilia has shown at Spruce Meadows. It is amazing how she is doing in the big grass field and against adults. Orlana is a great mare, and I think they will be able to compete at the highest level.”
Pablo Barrios had another strong week of showing with various horses. He and G&C Quick Star 11 were fifth in the $100,000 CN Performance Grand Prix, CSI-W, which added to their points to qualify for the 2011 FEI World Cup Finals in Leipzig, Germany. Barrios is already qualified for this year’s world championships, held in Kentucky in October as the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
Pablo Barrios and G&C Con Air were sixth in the $2,000 Friends of the Meadows Jumper Welcome 1.35m. On G&C Flash, he was fifth in the $7,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.40m. G&C Napoleon was sixth in the $31,000 Scotiabank Cup 1.45m.
An important announcement was also made this past week that G&C Farm sponsored the 10 FEI events that were in danger of losing their FEI ROLEX ranking points due to a change in the exchange rate that the FEI uses. G&C Farm stepped in and raised the prize money from $25,000 to $31,000 to ensure that all international jumping riders at Spruce Meadows would have the chance to gain valuable ranking points at the competitions.
G&C Farm also created the $50,000 G&C Farm Rider Cup, which will give points to riders who place in the 29 of the eligible FEI events this summer through the North American Tournament, which ends July 11. The top rider will receive $25,000, the second place rider wins $15,000, and the third place rider gets $10,000.
In the United States Equestrian Federation standings, G&C Farm is second in the Leading Jumper Owners rankings, just behind McLain Ward.
G&C Farm and Pablo Barrios will compete next week at the Skyliner Tournament at Spruce Meadows, on June 23-27, 2010.
Please visit www.farmgc.com for more information on G&C Farm, their riders, and their horses. You can also find out more by visiting the G&C Farm page on Facebook or follow G&C Farm on Twitter.
G&C Farm brings exceptional horses and top Venezuelan jumper riders to the highest levels of competition. Their state-of-the-art, full-service facility is located in Wellington, FL.
The vision of G&C Farm is to improve the instruction and training of their top jumper riders and horses in order to seek a place on the Venezuelan team for all high level tournaments and top competitions, including the World Equestrian Games and Olympic Games. G&C Farm sponsors top grand prix rider Pablo Barrios of Venezuela, as well as other up and coming riders. The technical advisor at G&C Farm is Olympic Games course designer Leopoldo Palacios.
For more information on G&C Farm, please visit www.farmgc.com.
Photo Credit: Maria Emilia Mirabal and G&C Orlana won the $2,000 Encana Junior/Amateur Welcome competition during the Spruce Meadows Continental Tournament. Photo © Cansport Photo Ltd. These photos may only be used in relation to this press release and with full photo credit.