Tag Archives: Marlon Modolo Zanotelli

Competitions, Show Jumping

Marlon Modolo Zanotelli and VDL Edgar M Win Trophée de Genève

(Photo: Rolex Grand Slam / Peggy Schröder)

Staged in the Palexpo’s iconic Geneva Arena, 50 riders, representing 15 nations, contested Friday’s feature class – the Trophée de Genève – on the second day of 2022’s edition of CHI Geneva. The stellar line-up starred no fewer than 17 of the world’s current top 20-ranked riders, including world number one, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann, and fellow Swede Peder Fredricson, Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Live Contender Daniel Deusser, local favourite Martin Fuchs, and previous Major winner Max Kühner, all of whom would be hoping for a spectacular finish in this 1.60m, 13-combination class in order to qualify for Sunday’s Rolex Grand Prix.

With no obviously tricky fences standing out, at the halfway point, 12 riders out of 25 starters graduated to the jump-off after navigating the Gérard Lachat-designed course fault-free, including current Individual Olympic champion Ben Maher, the in-form American McLain Ward, and last year’s winner of the Coupe de Genève, Harry Charles with his mount Borsato. After the break, the crowd was treated to another six clear rounds and some exceptional levels of horsemanship from riders including the up-and-coming 24-year-old Gilles Thomas, a key member of Belgium’s 2022 Nations Cup Final-winning team. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be for CHI Geneva debutant, 23-year-old Briton Joseph Stockdale, who, after a super smooth round, picked up an agonising time fault.

Into the jump-off and it was evident early on that the shortened course was proving more of a test than the first round, with the British duo of Maher and Charles, Swedish duo of von Eckermann and Fredricson, and America duo of Kraut and Ward all accruing faults. Last year’s Rolex Grand Prix champion, Martin Fuchs and Shane Sweetnam bucked this trend, both jumping fault-free, but with the Irishman eclipsing the Swiss maestro’s time by an impressive 12.06 seconds, which appeared to be unassailable. However, the sole representative from Luxembourg, Victor Bettendorf, soon went one better than Sweetnam, beating him into second place by 0.28 seconds. With just a handful of riders left to go, Bettendorf looked to have things sewn up, but a determined Marlon Modolo Zanotelli from Brazil flew around the seven-combination jump-off over a second quicker than Bettendorf, thereby taking the victory with his superstar partner VDL Edgar M.

Thrilled with his 13-year-old chestnut gelding’s performance in both rounds, Modolo Zanotelli commented: “He was amazing – he has had such an incredible season, and this is his last show of the year. To have a victory this early in the show is definitely something incredibly special.

“I was lucky to go towards the end of the class so I could watch the rest of the riders and know what I had to do. I know my horse incredibly well now and know his strengths, which meant I could take some risks at the beginning of the course – luckily today that was enough to win.”

Looking ahead to Sunday’s Rolex Grand Prix and when asked if he will be partnered by Edgar, Modolo Zanotelli said: “That is the plan, but I am jumping Like a Diamond in the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final tomorrow so we will see how she goes and then make a final decision.”

Read more here.

© 2022 Rolex – Rolex Grand Slam

Competitions, Show Jumping

Marlon Modolo Zanotelli at Full Throttle in the Masters One Hubside

Leave a comment

Photo ©Sportfot / EEM.

The riders got their bearings and found their feet at the Longines Masters of Paris. Among the 74 pairs who started in the Masters One Hubside, opening class at 1,45m of the CSI 5* at the Longines Masters of Paris, Brazil’s Marlon Modolo Zanotelli scored the best performance.

Aboard his 10-year-old KWPN mare Sweet Tricia, he was the only rider to manage a clear round under the symbolic 30 seconds mark in 29’’84. A first win for this relatively new partnership as he only took over the ride a few weeks ago. “This is obviously a very good start to the show. I’m very happy and proud of Sweet Tricia who had already won a lot with her previous rider Darragh Kenny (Ireland). It’s a pleasure for me to be able to ride such a horse,” said double Gold medalist at the 2019 Pan-American Games. The rider who is based in Belgium will be able to take home a very special yellow and black ride, the Ducati Scrambler presented to the winner.

45th to go, Marlon Modolo Zanotelli remained unchallenged until the end of the class. A clear round in 30’’09 enabled the USA’s Jessica Springsteen to take the runner-up spot with Tiger Lily. Young Italian rider and member of the Riders Lab, Filippo Marco Bologni, was clear in 30’18 with Diplomat, for 3rd. A total of 19 combinations managed to keep a clean slate. Best of the French contingent are Max Thirouin and his chestnut mare Utopie Villelongue who started for the first time among the World’s elite at the Longines Masters of Paris.

Find the complete results HERE.

Daniel Koroloff – +33 (0)6 11 02 18 12 –  daniel@blizko-communication.com

Competitions, Pan American Games, Show Jumping

Brazil’s Hot Streak Continues as Modolo Zanotelli Claims Gold in Individual Jumping

Leave a comment

Marlon Modolo Zanotelli (BRA) celebrates after winning individual gold at the Pan American Games 2019 (FEI/Raul Sifuentes, Getty Images)

Silver for Larocca, Jr. means individual Olympic quota place for Argentina, while USA’s Madden claims bronze in thrilling four-horse jump-off

Brazil was atop the podium yet again, as Marlon Modolo Zanotelli jumped to gold in the Individual Jumping Final at the Pan American Games 2019, taking place at the Army Equitation School at La Molina in Lima, Peru.

Modolo Zanotelli and the brilliant 13-year-old Selle Francais mare Sirene de la Motte, part of Brazil’s gold medal winning squad in Friday’s team final, produced the only double-clear performance on the day, finishing on a perfect 0 score. The duo navigated course designer Guilherme Jorge’s (BRA) tracks with ease despite their apparent difficultly, with only five total clear rounds recorded over the course of the two rounds.

“[Going into] the second round, I just tried to keep myself calm, because I knew if I gave my mare a good chance, she was going to jump a clear round,” Modolo Zanotelli said. “I had to keep my nerves in place. For me, I was in a good position. I was first to go of the clears, and I knew if I was clear, it would put the pressure on the others.”

Out of the 32 riders to make it to the final day of the competition and the 22 to advance to the final round of jumping, Argentina’s José María Larocca, Jr. (Finn Lente) came closest to matching the victor. A single time fault in the second round aboard the 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding left him on a score of 1. The result also clinched an individual quota place for Argentina at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

“I wanted a medal. That was the objective, and incredibly, it happened!” Larocca, Jr. said. “Miracles do happen. I have 20 to 25 family members here. I’m very lucky to have the support!”

Larocca, Jr. is an amateur rider who works in commodities trading. He juggles his time between his work, his family, and his horses.

“It was the dream, and this dream started four years ago, when [Argentina] took the silver medal as a team [at the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada],” he said. “This time, unfortunately, we couldn’t make it to the podium as a team, but I had the opportunity to make it as an individual. I’m very happy. I’m proud of my horse and my team. I’m living my dream today.”

With three other quota places available to nations without teams already qualified, Colombia, Dominican Republic, and Chile also kept dreams alive by securing representation in Tokyo, thanks to the performances of Juan Manuel Gallego (Fee des Sequoias Z, 10th), Hector Florentino Roca (Carnaval, 11th), and Ignacio Montesinos (Cornetboy, 14th), respectively.

It was also a thrilling finish for the bronze medal, as four riders finished on 4 faults, leading to a jump-off. The USA’s Beezie Madden (Breitling LS), already bringing home a bronze medal from Friday’s team competition, earned a second, crossing the timers of the shortened course with a clear round in 42.47 seconds. Canadian Nicole Walker (Falco van Spieveld) was next-best to finish fourth (4/44.18), followed by American Eve Jobs (Venue d’Fees des Hazalles, 8/46.06) and Eugenio Garza Perez (Armani Sl Z) of Mexico, who elected to retire following a refusal.

“It’s always a little tough going first, but it was winner-take all — medal or no medal,” Madden said. “I had to lay it out there and do it as fast as I could and still leave the jumps up. I have to give credit to my horse. He’s a naturally fast horse, and I’ve done quite a few jump-offs with him. It felt good to have that experience going into that pressure round.”

Modolo Zanotelli also has a well-established partnership with Sirene de la Motte, having ridden the mare for more than two years. He described his relationship with the chestnut as one that “matched straight away” and identified the Pan American Games as a goal for which he’d been aiming her since sitting out the last Olympic Games (BRA) in 2016. His two golds mark his first medals of any kind in a major championship.

“She’s a fantastic horse. She gives everything she can in the ring,” he said. “We like to say, ‘When you have a chestnut mare on your side, they are amazing. They really fight for you.’ She’s one of [those]. She really believes in me, and I believe so much in her.

“What I really wanted here was a medal — [whether] it was silver, gold, or bronze,” he added. “Luckily, it was the gold one today — another gold one!”

Results here.

by Catie Staszak