Cathal Daniels won the CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S classes at Barroca d'Alva earlier this year and has now won a 4*
Cathal Daniels’ first trip to Portugal earlier this year was so successful that the Irish rider has headed back for the Portugal Winter Tour and has taken the first leg’s CCI4*-S
Cathal and Barichello won on their dressage score of 29.7 ahead of Ben Hobday riding his British Open Championship winner, Shadow Man (31.5) and Australia’s Sammi Birch riding Hunter Valley II in third (35.6). Sammi also took fifth place on Finduss PFB (39.1)
Cathal had to settle for second place riding Shannondale Mari (35.5) in the CCI3*-S which was won by Thailand’s team gold and individual bronze medallist at the 2019 Asian Games, Korntawat Samran riding Bonero K on their dressage score of 31.5
Sweden’s Ludwig Svennerstal finished third on board Unchained Melody while another Antipodean Sam, New Zealand’s Sam Lissington who is now based in the UK, has also headed south and took sixth place in this class on Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ
Ludwig and Sam also took the top two places in the CCCI2*-S with Ludwig taking the win on Jumble (31.4) and Sam in second place on Ricker Ridge Ricochet. Brazil’s Carlos Parro and the lovely young black mare Watusi, who had a convincing win in the Novice at Oasby (2) at the end of the British season, took third (33.1)
The Portugal Winter Tour consists of three weeks of competition, providing the last opportunity in 2020 for athletes and horses to gain the much-needed qualifications for international events in 2021, including the Olympics.
The next Portugal Winter Tour competition takes place from 26-28 November at Barroca d'Alva with CCI1*/ 2*S / 3*S and National Championship classes on the schedule
