Calgary, AB, Canada – July 5, 2010 – G&C Farm kept the winning streak alive through two weeks of competition in the Skyliner and Canada One Tournaments at Spruce Meadows on June 23-27 and July 1-4, 2010. G&C Farm, owned by Gustavo and Carolina Mirabal of Venezuela, is based in Wellington, FL.
One of the strongest performers over the past two weeks was Luis Larrazabal, who rode various horses to top finishes in the Junior/Amateur classes. In this past week’s Canada One Tournament, he and Sil McCarthy, owned by Anabel Simon, won the $2,500 CN Junior/Amateur Barrage – 1.30m class and were second in the $1,000 AKITA Drilling Junior/Amateur Welcome – 1.30m.
Luis Larrazabal and Sil McCarthy
“Luis Fernando has been with us since the first day of G&C Farm,” said Gustavo Mirabal. “He was busy getting his high school degree, but now he is with G&C Farm full-time. He has been helping us and learning a lot. He will travel with us around the world to keep learning, and we plan to send him to some shows in the U.S. with horses that won’t be in Europe. He’s a great rider and I think he has a great future.”
Larrazabal, who is also from Venezuela and lives in Weston, FL, placed well during the Skyliner Tournament. He rode G&C Lepanto, an 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Miraflores Landino, to eighth place in the $5,000 CN Junior/Amateur Welcome 1.30m and eighth place in the $7,000 Atco I-Tek Junior/Amateur 1.30m Grand Prix.
During the Skyliner Tournament, junior/amateur riders formed teams for the Prix des Nations competition. Larrazabal contributed double clear rounds on G&C Lepanto to help the Spruce Almighty team win the Paramount Resources Prix des Nations 1.30m. In the 1.10m Prix des Nations, Larrazabal rode G&C Continus to four faults and a clear round for another team win with GCPB.
Also on the GCPB team was Maria Emilia Mirabal, who rode G&C Orlana, an 11-year-old Holsteiner mare by Carolus I. They were clear in the first round. Earlier in the week, they placed third in the $2,000 Canadian Utilities Junior/Amateur Welcome.
Maria Emilia and G&C Orlana moved up to the 1.20m classes in the Canada One Tournament and placed 12th in the $1,000 Coril Holdings Junior Jumper and 10th in the $1,000 Coril Holdings Junior Welcome.
Professional rider Pablo Barrios had another solid week of competition with various horses from G&C Farm. On the opening day, he and G&C Sinatra, owned by Carolina and Gustavo Mirabal and Barrios, were fourth in the $31,000 Cargill Cup 1.50m. G&C Flash, also owned by the Mirabals and Barrios, was fifth in the $15,000 Birchcliff Energy Cup.
Barrios and G&C Napoleon, a 9-year-old Selle Francais gelding by Flipper d’Elle, were fourth in the $31,000 WestJet Cup – 1.45m. Barrios rode G&C LaGran, owned by the Mirabals and Barrios, to fifth place in the $31,000 Duncan Ross Jumper Cup – 1.45m. Barrios and G&C Con Air, a 7-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Contendro x Lancer III, finished 10th in the $2,000 AKITA Drilling Jumper – 1.35m.
In the $50,000 RBC Cup – 1.50m, Barrios and G&C LaGran were eighth, while Barrios also rode G&C Leroy to 12th place in the $20,000 West Canadian Cup – 1.40m.
G&C Farm and Pablo Barrios will finish their competition at Spruce Meadows this week at the North American Tournament on July 7-11, 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: Luis Larrazabal and Sil McCarthy won the $2,500 CN Junior/Amateur Barrage – 1.30m competition during the Spruce Meadows Canada One Tournament. Photo © Cansport Photo Ltd. These photos may only be used in relation to this press release and with full photo credit.