The PRE Horse Dominates the 5* Weekend in Wellington: 2 American-Bred PREs and one Spanish-bred PRE Are Victorious in Big and Medium Tours

Week 10 of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival 2023 has set a new tone for the P.R.E. in Wellington.

The 5* in Wellington is the most anticipated week of competition of the season, where the top pairs come out for the big prizes. Three PREs came out to be a part of this celebrated show and left an indelible message with three impressive wins!

The week began with the stellar victory of Pablo Gómez with Ulises de Ymas (bred and owned by Yeguada de Ymas) at the CDI5* Grand Prix with a personal record of 71.239%. This impressive bay stallion and his up-and-coming rider proved that they are the pair to beat in international competition and solid contenders for next year’s Olympic team. Days later, this duo continued their top performance and remained in the champions’ circle in the GPS with an average of 71.043%.

The second great moment was the victory of Coves Darden’s gray stallion, Guateque IV at the Intermediate A CDI2*. Formerly competed by Juan Matute, now under the reins of American Georgia Wren-Russ, the American-bred horse that won SICAB in 2019 at Prix St George level returned to the international arena with the best debut you can dream of. His golden score was 68.382% with very positive hopes for the future.

As if two Blue Ribbons for PREs during Week 10 in Wellington weren’t enough, a third glorious moment of the week presented another win for a P.R.E. bred in the United States: Mejorano HGF, son of Olympic team horse Grandioso III and ridden by another young adult competitor Kerrigan Gluch, stunned the audience with a big win in the CDI3* Grand Prix Special. In this class, 15 seasoned combinations battled for the golden position. Gluch and 12-year-old gray gelding Mejorano HGF, bred in Michigan, was the first rider to go and, after some nail-biting moments, topped the class with a final score of 68.872%.

About ULISES DE YMAS
Bred and owned by Yeguada de Ymas, Ulises de Ymas is out of Nirvana Ymas, by Seni Indio. Ulises de Ymas can boast of a family tree. His origins are from the high-born of the P.R.E.: on his father’s side, his grandfather Guapo Seni II is at the same time the son of Macanuo from Yeguada Escalera. The parental lineage is hegemonic and is reinforced by the great Lebrijano III. On the maternal side, Nirvana Ymas enjoys very functional and strong genetics thanks to his great-grandfather, Vinatero III, known for his functional qualities in the history of the P.R.E. Likewise, his mother’s great-great-grandfather, once again Lebrijano III who is related to Agente and Maluso. In summary Lebrijano III, Agente, and Maluso are the perfect bloodlines of the P.R.E sport horse.

ULISES DE YMAS

GUATEQUE IV
The globalization of the breed is a fact and Guateque IV is a clear example. Bred and Owned by the American Stud Farm, Coves Darden in South Carolina. Guateque IV was the World Champion of ANCCE CUP in 2019 (Prix St. George). Son of Layco and Yazmin, the pure bloodlines of “Bocado” runs through his veins by Bilbaino III, grandfather of Gambero II (Guateque IV’s great-great-grandfather). Known as “Señorito de Jerez”, Bilbaino III was one of the stallions that marked the Spanish breed. On the paternal side, Guateque IV has a large military stud base. Among the paternal branches, we find Bizarra IV, the dam of Bizarro XIV, father of the Olympic horse Oleaje. The combination of lineages from Guateque IV by Yeguada Militar, Yeguada del Bocado, and Yeguada Romero Benítez, among others, reveals the functionality of the horse.

GUATEQUE IV

MEJORANO HGF
Mejorano HGF, bred and owned by Hampton Green Farm (American Stud) continues in the footsteps of his sire. Son of Grandioso III—2-time Olympian for Spain— Mejorano HGF carries quality in the veins of big names like Adelante, Remache, or Albero II. Raised in the United States, Mejorano HGF crossed the Atlantic Ocean and began his training under the saddle of José Daniel Martin Dockx. The rider from Malaga was in charge of training the horse from the first levels to the GP. In 2017 this duo won the bronze of the 6-year-old at SICAB. In 2018 he was part of the P.R.E Team at the World Championships of Young Horses (7-year-old) and culminated the year with the silver medal in SICAB-Copa ANCCE).  In 2020, Kerrigan Gluch took over the ride and, show by show, this duo keeps improving and winning more experience at the highest level.

MEJORANO HGF

Without a doubt, this will be a week to remember for the P.R.E. breed. 40 years ago, breaking the 70% barrier was unthinkable. Over time, Evento, Granadero, Oleaje, Flamenco, Distinguido, Invasor, Fuego de Cárdenas, Norte Lovera, and Grandioso rode through the pinnacles of Dressage. Evento was the first who opened the door and made a leap in the continuity of the consideration and promotion of the Spanish breed worldwide. Now Ulises de Ymas, Mejorano HGF, and Guateque IV are part of that selected group of horses that place the breed at the top.

The deep passion of national and international breeders is responsible for the legacy of P.R.E. Dressage is a sport where you can NEVER take anything for granted, but the horizon of P.R.E. at the top levels is presumable. These three victories are a milestone in the history of the P.R.E. in the United States. In one week, not only one victory, but three P.R.E. wins in Wellington! The equation of well-bred, well-trained, and well-ridden Iberian horses has resulted in horses that can compete successfully at any level and in any company.

ULISES DE YMAS

MEJORANO HGF