Wellington, FL – July 12, 2014 – Venezuela’s Gustavo Mirabal has had an incredible few months competing in Europe with the talented horses and exceptional team of G&C Farm this summer. Mirabal and G&C Leroy 136 won classes in Antwerp, Madrid, and La Baule in the first half of their summer show tour and went on to several more wins in June, competing in Saint Tropez, Cannes, Monaco, and Paris. In total, Mirabal and Leroy have had six international wins this summer along with four second place finishes. Newer mount, G&C Lucy, also stepped into the winner’s circle for two exciting wins in Paris. G&C Farm is owned by Gustavo and Carolina Mirabal of Venezuela and based in Wellington, Florida.
Showing with G&C Leroy 136, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Looping x Grannus), G&C Lucy, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare (Lambada van Berkenbroeck x Darco), and G&C Sicilia, an 11-year-old Selle Francais mare (Calvaro x Tenor de la Cour), Gustavo Mirabal traveled to some of Europe’s most exciting equestrian destinations.
Since getting back in the show ring with renewed determination over the last several years, Gustavo Mirabal acknowledged that this summer has been one of his happiest since the start of G&C Farm. Mirabal is extremely passionate about the sport and excited to be in the winner’s circle with such great horses.
Competition in June kicked off at the Athina Onassis Horse Show in Saint-Tropez, followed by three legs of the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) in Cannes, Monaco and Paris. The tour began well in Saint-Tropez, where Mirabal and G&C Lucy placed third in the 1.25m.
Showing in Cannes, Mirabal and G&C Leroy 136 began with a second place finish in the CSI 1* 1.10m competition. Mirabal followed that up with a very exciting day, finishing first with Leroy and second with Lucy in the CSI 1* 1.15m.
Mirabal and the team from G&C Farm then showed on the sixth leg of the Global Champions Tour in Monaco with two wins for G&C Leroy. Mirabal and Leroy won the CSI 3* 1.15m to kick things off, along with a seventh place finish for G&C Sicilia in the 1.25m.
Gustavo Mirabal and G&C Leroy 136 on their way to a win in Monaco. Photo copyright Sportfot.
Sicilia then moved up to fourth place in her next 1.25m competition, and Leroy finished second in the 1.15m. Wrapping up a fantastic weekend in Monaco, Mirabal and Leroy jumped to victory once again, winning the 1.15m/1.20m class on their final morning of competition.
Concluding a summer of great success, Mirabal most recently won two CSI 1* 1.15m classes with G&C Lucy, showing at the Paris Eiffel Jumping competition in France. Superstar G&C Leroy was also second and seventh in the same classes jumping with the beautiful backdrop of the famous Eiffel Tower.
Although all of Mirabal’s wins and top finishes are special to the rider, his victory with G&C Lucy in the final class in Paris is a moment that he will never forget.
“I had already won the speed class with Lucy, and I was having a tough weekend with Leroy,” Mirabal admitted. “In the classic, I did jump clear in the first round with both horses, but then I went first with Leroy in the jump-off and he stopped and I almost fell off. I was the last one in the jump-off with Lucy, so I felt the pressure because the one before me was fast and I knew I had to be very fast to win. Lucy was super fast, and I was very happy that she stepped up and helped me out to keep me on my winning streak!”
Recapping the final four competitions of his summer tour, Mirabal noted, “The Athina Onassis show was spectacular. They took care of every detail, and it was very elegant and glamorous. It was just a few feet away from the ocean, and it felt like we were spending a day at the beach. I want to thank Athina and Doda for the invitation. Then we went to Cannes, where the horse show is beside the Boulevard de La Croisette. Walking the horses from the barn to the show in the streets of Cannes made it very special. It is like being part of the city, and the residents enjoy it and treat you very good. Monaco is a very special horse show as well. Jumping beside the boats and in front of the royal family made it a special environment. It is also a social event, so you see a lot of famous people, and at the end you have the chance to meet and share some time with them. Just when I thought it was impossible for things to get better, we went to Paris, and the feeling is indescribable! Just jumping beside the Eiffel Tower is such a unique venue. It was unbeatable; Paris is Paris!”
Other special moments for Mirabal were in the classic in Cannes and the speed class in Paris when he finished both first and second. In Cannes, he was already in the lead and went last in the jump-off with his second horse. “I already won the class with the first one and trying to beat your own time is great,” Mirabal smiled.
Gustavo in his winning presentation with G&C Lucy in Paris. Photo copyright Sportfot.
Mirabal could not be happier with his horses this summer with Leroy’s consistency, Sicilia’s great performances, and Lucy’s jump to the top. He also has an exciting new young horse in G&C Carmella, an eight-year-old Selle Francais mare (C Indoctro x Voltaire), who he looks forward to showing later in the summer.
“Leroy is a super competitive horse” Mirabal stated. “In this part of the tour I showed him in 11 classes and he won three classes and got three seconds, which is incredible. Lucy, I showed her in eight classes and she won two, and got one second and one third. She was very consistent too. I have learned how to ride her better and I think she will have a lot of success. Sicilia jumped really well in Monaco in the medium tour. We have made some changes with her, and I think we are on the right track. I haven’t jumped Carmella in shows, but I feel super with her at home and very soon I will start showing her.”
As always, Mirabal has the fantastic team of trainers, riders and grooms at G&C Farm to thank for helping in his success.
“I have been training with Gustavo Arroyo and we have made a great match,” Mirabal acknowledged. “Luis Miguel Martinez is always with me helping me out too. He is my right hand in G&C. Manuel Machillanda was also helping out in that part of the tour and doing a great job, and of course Karine Dalle, my super top groom. I can’t ask for a better one. All of these people focus their attention on me and it doesn’t matter at what height I jump, low tour or medium tour, they do the job like I was jumping at the Grand Prix. They are very competitive, and they want me to win in every horse show. Iveth Landa also does a great job in the office making all the arrangement and solving all the problems that you sometimes find when you are on tour with horses.”
After a wonderful few months, Mirabal now heads back to the farm in Wellington, FL. He looks forward to spending time with his wife, Carolina, as they are expecting a new member of the family. Mirabal will then return to Europe in August for the LGCT stops in London, Lausanne, and Vienna. Then it is off to Jumping Parma in Italy, La Coruña in Spain, and the Gucci Paris Masters.
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G&C Farm brings exceptional horses and top 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 at all high level tournaments and top competitions.