January 20, 2017 
Guatemala’s Alvaro Tejada biggest win is also his most sentimental.
Tejada bested 119 entries to jump to the top of the $35,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 2 CSI2* on Thursday at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, Florida. The 33-year-old rider was aboard his 2015 Pan American Games mount, Voltaral Palo Blanco.
“For me this is very exciting. This is probably one of the biggest wins in my riding career. I am very proud of it because Voltaral Palo Blanco is a homebred mare,” Tejada said.
“My grandfather bred her in Guatemala five years ago, before he passed away, so she is a special horse for me. She tries so hard for me, and she would do anything for me.”
Last to go in the 25-horse jump-off, Tejada squeaked through the timers just a few hundredths of a second faster than Ireland’s Daniel Coyle. Voltaral Palo Blanco was Tejada’s 2015 Pan American Games mount, but was off for all of 2016 with an injury. Last to go in the 25-horse jump-off, According to Google translate, “Voltaral Palo Blanco” is Spanish for “Back to top.” #Prophetic
“I thought it was going to be impossible to catch [Daniel], but the mare was feeling great,” said Tejada.
“You have to take the opportunity and go for it when the horse is feeling good. I think the difference in time was a millisecond everywhere. I took a risk to the double; I did eight strides because I saw Daniel do that. It was really risky, but I had to do it in order to win.”
Coyle and Cita finished in 40.86 seconds to win Section B of the California Split. It’s his second victory with the new mount. Coyle and the 13-year-old Holsteiner mare won week one’s $75,000 Rosenbaum Mollengarden PLLC Grand Prix.
“I think I understand her now and understand the way she likes to go,” he explained. “She does not like to be told off too much. If you can just let her jump the jumps, and steer her to the right place, she is brilliant.”
McLain Ward (USA) riding Contessina Della Caccia (40.94s) and Beat Mandli (SUI) aboard Zander (41.44s) finished second and third in Section A, respectively. While Emily Moffitt (GBR) and It’s Real Love vd Smis Z (41.01s) and Laura Chapot (USA) and ISHD Dual Star (41.47s) rounded out the top three of Section B.
