Las Marismas Celebrates Success on European Tour

Yvonne Losos de Muñiz riding Rittersport, an 11-year-old Westphalian gelding

Las Marismas' owner, Yvonne Losos de Muñiz, the 2003 Pan American Games Individual Bronze Medallist, is based in Europe in 2004 to gain international experience at Advanced and Grand Prix level. Her schedule included competing on the three-week CDI*** Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera, Spain, the CDI*** Olfen, Germany, from April 16-18, and the CDIO** Saumur, France, from April 30-May 2. The Dominican Republic-based dressage athlete has also been invited to compete in the CDI*** Achleiten, Austria, from June 10-13, and the CDI-W Ksiaz, Poland, from July 2-4.

Losos de Muñiz's impressive results on Spain's CDI*** Sunshine Tour earned her the 2004 Leading Rider Title over 42 other participants. She emerged victorious in the Prix St. Georges test during the final week of competition, held March 18-21. Riding Inatana Las Marismas, a 14-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood mare by Latano and out of a Carneval dam, Losos de Muñiz earned a score of 70.14% to edge out Olympians Arlette Holsters of Belgium and Carl Hester of Great Britain, currently 31st in the world rankings. The following day, Losos de Muñiz again came out on top with a score of 70.33%, this time holding off Holsters and 2001 World Cup Finalist, Nathalie zu Sayn Wittgenstein of Denmark, currently ranked 41st in the world.

In the Intermediaire Freestyle, the panel of five international judges rewarded Losos de Muñiz with a mark of 72.23% that allowed her to finish as the runner-up when less than half a percentage point separated her from Holsters, the eventual winner.

During the opening weekend on March 4-7, Losos de Muñiz won the Intermediaire I with a score of 67.92% riding Inatana Las Marismas and also placed second in the Prix St. Georges with 68.91%. During the second week of competition, held March 11-14, Losos de Muñiz was third in the Prix St. Georges with 67.66% and sixth in the Intermediaire I with 67.83%.

Losos de Muñiz also made her international debut contesting the Olympic level of Grand Prix during the CDI*** Sunshine Tour. Riding Rittersport, an 11-year-old Westphalian gelding by Royal Angelo, Losos de Muñiz received a score of 62.54% in the Grand Prix to place 13th from a large field of 32 riders. In the Grand Prix Special, she moved up to 12th position with a score of 62.44%. Based on her scores throughout the three-week Sunshine Tour circuit, Losos de Muñiz was among the top 12 riders qualified to contest the Grand Prix Freestyle to Music.

"I am very pleased with my performance during the Sunshine Tour," noted Losos de Muñiz who had placed ninth with a score of 65.83% in the Grand Prix from a huge field of 39 competitors during opening weekend. "My trainer, Diederik Wigmans, is impressed with the results we've been able to achieve so soon at the Grand Prix level. To be qualified among the top twelve riders for the Grand Prix Freestyle came as a total surprise. The judges, many of them holding their 'O' judging status, were very complimentary of Rittersport, especially his piaffe for which we received eights, and the overall quality of his gaits."