José María Larocca Claims 4* Grand Prix Victory at Sunshine Tour
Argentinian Olympic rider José María Larocca delivered an outstanding performance on Sunday, securing victory in the prestigious4*Grand Prix at the Andalucia Sunshine Tour. The win marked a particularly meaningful achievement for Larocca, who praised both his horse Chris, a fairly new mount for Jose Maria Larocca, and the event organisers after a challenging week of weather conditions.
“I’m very happy and very proud of my horse,” Larocca said following his victory. “It’s relatively new, and it’s been probably a difficult week for most of us here at the Sunshine Tour because there was plenty of rain and wind.”
Despite the challenging conditions, Larocca commended the dedication of the organisers in ensuring the competition could continue at the highest level. “The organisers have made a big, big effort to make this event possible,” he said. “So thank you to them. I’m sorry for the bad weather that you had, but hopefully the coming weeks will be nicer. For me, as you can imagine, it was a beautiful week anyway.”
Larocca is planning an extended stay at the Sunshine Tour, with a clear focus on preparation and development for the upcoming international season. He has brought two additional top horses to Spain and intends to use the tour as a key stepping stone toward potential selection for the World Championships in Aachen, which will be held on grass.
“The intention was to come here to prepare, maybe if we’re lucky, to get selected for the World Games that will take place on grass in Aachen,” Larocca explained. “I think it’s perfect preparation. You have plenty of grass arenas, water jumps, and everything you need. That’s one of the main reasons why we are here.”
Beyond championship preparation, Larocca also emphasised the value of the Sunshine Tour as a training ground for developing equine experience and confidence. The variety of arenas and technical challenges offers riders and horses the opportunity to gain vital exposure at the highest level of competition.
“It’s great for the horses to gain experience,” he said. “You have so many arenas. The plan is to stay here for another two weeks and jump as much as possible on grass, including the open water and all the technical elements available here.”
Larocca’s Grand Prix triumph not only highlights his strong partnership with his emerging horse but also reinforces his ambitions as he builds toward major international championships later in the season.
Valentina Sozzi
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