The international competition at the Oliva Nova Equestrian Center has been celebrating its autumn event with riders from 36 nations participating
Last October, a new Mediterranean Equestrian Tour began. This competition is held every year in two tours, spring and autumn, at the Equestrian Center located in the Oliva Nova Beach & Golf Resort’s facilities. The contest has been held over nine weeks of competition, attracting riders from 36 countries. The first tour of the Autumn MET competition ran until 20 October, followed by a second tour in November and a third in December.
Belgian rider Jérôme Guéry was one of the winners in the first week of competition. Guéry, one of the regular competitors in the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour, had words of praise for both the sporting event itself and the resort hosting it: “Oliva Nova and the Equestrian Center were already a great place, and following the improvements made in different areas such as the stables, one’s sensations are even better.” In each Mediterranean Equestrian Tour, Guéry appreciates not only the characteristics of the competition, but also the conditions Oliva Nova provides for the riders: “I love coming to Oliva because I can compete together with my son Mathieu and my wife Patricia. I think this is a perfect place for both horse-riding and for enjoying a stay with my family. After being declared the winner, Guéry announced that he will soon compete again in the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour.
In the second week of competition at the Autumn MET I, the Swiss rider Niklaus Schurtenberger triumphed, riding the 13-year-old horse Quincassi. Only three riders out of the 59 couples who took part in the contest were able to meet the demanding conditions of the arena designed by the Spanish rider Elena Boix. Speaking about his victory, Schurtenberger underlined the difficulties of the contest: “The route was very technical; not at all easy. My horse was returning from a period of inactivity and this was its first Grand Prix, so I decided not to take any unnecessary risks.” The Swiss rider feels at home in Oliva Nova, as he himself says: “We have been coming to Oliva Nova since the first contest, so I can consider the resort to be my second home.”
The German Stephi de Boer, riding Querida, was the winner in the last week of competition at the MET I. After the trophy presentation, she expressed her wishes for the near future: “I acquired Querida when she was barely 9 years old. She is a real fighter, and my dream is to jump with her in the Nations Cup.” De Boer has been competing in Oliva Nova for eight years and is one of the most well-known faces among the general public.
For his part, the Spanish rider Mariano Martínez Bastida was the great star in the second week of the MET II, thanks to his victory with his horse Jup. After the victory, Martínez Bastida highlighted his horse’s progress: “I bought him when he was eight years old and at that time he was a little raw for high competition. I have to admit that his evolution has been surprising, and he still has amazing potential for improvement.” The Spanish rider also praised the competition’s environment: “It’s a pleasure to be here with my horses; the facilities are amazing, and the main arena is just perfect.”
The third and final week of the Autumn MET II concluded with victory for the Belgian Koen Vereecke, who took part with the mare Oilily de Muze. After a jump-off against five other riders, the Belgian came out on top with a “rather long and very delicate” route. Vereecke had words of praise for his ten-year-old mare. “She has a rather peculiar way of jumping, but she’s fast,” he explained. I won’t compete much with her indoors this winter; I think she’s more suitable for outdoor competitions. The Belgian concluded his speech after raising his trophy with praise for the venue: “I like Oliva Nova and that’s why I come several times a year. Here, we can enjoy the right environment to train young horses.”
The third and final Autumn MET tour began on 26 November, and ran through to 15 December, just before the Christmas holidays.
The Oliva Nova Equestrian Center is ensconced in the privileged backdrop of the Costa Blanca. These exclusive facilities were founded in 2012 and offer unique competition opportunities for both riders and horses from around the world. It can count on:
9 sand arenas built by Klaus Dammann
380 permanent stable stalls
660 stalls in tents on asphalt
Asphalt parking for lorries, with electricity and water supply
Restaurants in the competition and stable areas
Shopping area
The Mediterranean Equestrian Tour (MET) and Equine Care Group (ECG) have set up collaboration since October 2023 to improve veterinary services in Oliva. Under this agreement, ECG provides veterinary medical services for the MET and runs the on-site veterinary clinic. The veterinary clinic’s facilities have been modernized in terms of infrastructure and apparatus in order to provide the best possible medical care in optimal conditions.
A team of renowned equine veterinarians from ECG is present on-site to give the best veterinary care. Horses, like top athletes, deserve optimal health care, and this is one of the main aims in this collaboration: to assist owners during transactions with pre-purchase veterinary examinations, injury prevention, diagnosis and treatment of sports-related injuries.
2025 SPRING MET CALENDAR
MET I JANUARY
14 to 19: CSI2* / CSI1* / CSIYH*
21 to 26: CSI3* / CSI1* / CSIYH*
28 to 02: CSI3* / CSI1* / CSIYH*
MET II FEBRUARY
11 to 16: CSI2* / CSI1* / CSIYH*
18 to 23: CSI3* / CSI1* / CSIYH*
25 to 02: CSI3* / CSI1* / CSIYH*
MET III MARCH
11 to 16: CSI2* / CSI1* / CSIYH*
18 to 23: CSI3* / CSI1* / CSIYH*
25 to 30: CSI3* / CSI1* / CSIYH*
MET IV APRIL
08 to 13: CSI2* / CSI1* / CSIYH*
15 to 20: CSI3* / CSI1* / CSIYH*
22 to 27: CSI3* / CSI1* / CSIYH*
