Spain’s number one rider competes this weekend in the Nations Cup organized by Oxer Sport at Club de Campo in Madrid. Marta Ortega’s ex-husband is the owner of the High Performance Equestrian Center in La Moraleja.
- You compete in the Nations Cup, what is involved in the event?
- Three weeks ago we did the Global Champions Tour at the Country Club and the public was super involved in the event. It has been many years since the Nations Cup was held in Madrid and I hope it will be successful.
- Finally you have decided not to compete for Spain but individually?
- It’s not because I’m not very excited, but because I have a tight schedule. I will do four competitions in five weeks and it is very tough for the horses. I discussed it with the mentors of the national team and they completely understood.
- They say you are very competitive and you don’t like to lose even in marbles.
- The truth is that I don’t like to lose. In this sport we compete so much, sometimes, with inexperienced horses, that are not yet level and the rider should not put pressure on them by thinking of winning, but rather that the animal develops. I used to lose, but I never liked it.
- You started at Evil’s Riding School at the age of seven. How was that beginning?
- There was a chance. My uncle had some horses and was friends with the owner of the facility. It took us a weekend and we rode a horse for two or three hours. And I loved it. At first I was afraid to gallop, but the first time I did it I remembered a wonderful feeling.
- What do horses teach you?
- Patience. You can make any plans you want, but when things don’t happen, they don’t happen. You have to stay calm and know when it’s time to press. Experience is very important as it is a long lasting game. Over the years you realize that you have to take more care and care of the horse.
- Was your childhood normal or full of sacrifices to be able to compete?
- When you do what you love, you can’t complain. But, I did not have a weekend plan with friends. During the week, he studied and in the afternoon, he rode. And over the weekend I was at Forecon, where I started, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. I was happy, so it didn’t cost me anything.
- Who have you disobeyed?
- for many people. This is my nature because I am very chaotic. My character is very independent. Yes, it’s true that I try to learn from everyone, but I have my own way of being. I’m not the kind of person who quickly bows his head.
- Do you treat horses better than people?
- Depends which people.
- With Sergio Ramos, you are the best horse owner in the world.
- The best horse is the one who is currently number one in the ranking. The horse is very good and he won the World Cup final with a Swiss rider before covid. The truth is that I am happy because it has given great results. Hope this lasts us a long time!
- How in this world did Sergio Ramos end up?
- Coincidences of life He has a talk about Andalusian horses and since he lives near the stable, he started falling overboard and coinciding.
- Would Pedro Sanchez be a good rider?
- I don’t know who Pedro Sanchez is.
- And Feiju?
- I don’t know. They’re better at talking than riding, for sure.
- You have established a high performance equestrian center in La Moraleja. What does it consist of?
- it’s a different concept pony club, The most important thing in teaching is that you can spend time with your students and go to competitions together. That’s why it focuses on the specific students who can come to compete, not the initiation level.
- Is it difficult to keep up with the rider?
- If you’re not into the horse world, yes. We travel a lot and don’t have much family life. I compete almost every weekend and during the week, there are also several trips. Suddenly, they call me from Hamburg and say there is a five year old horse who jumps very well. They send me videos and I love it. I’m not going next month, but the normal thing is that I go the next day. If you find a particular horse at a good price, you have to move fast because more people are watching. If not, you lose your chance.
- Do you remember any lie?
- See, the first lie was when I started riding and they entered me in an initiation competition. My teachers were cheating and they told me I was eight when I was actually seven.
- Your son must be of that age. Have you managed to instill in him a passion for horses?
- not for the moment. He never asks to move on and I don’t even push him. He really likes sports and has an amazing memory. He likes Golf, Basketball, Soccer…
- You’re not going to be a heavy parent to do this for me…
- No, let him do whatever he wants. If you force something, it doesn’t work.
- What phrase have you surprised your parent when repeating to their son?
- good question I don’t need to lecture you much. The truth is that I am lucky because his mother takes care of it very well. It’s good to go with him. He behaves exceptionally and is very nice. I don’t have much to say to him, don’t do this or don’t do that.
- Does Being Amancio Ortega’s Ex-Son-In-Law Weigh Too Much?
- No, people have always treated me well. Before, during and after. In the end, he is weighed down by the monster behind him, the owner of the company, and the responsibility of all workers. I weigh my workers, my horses, my students and the people who trust me.
- Are you misunderstanding the riders in Spain?
- Well, every era is different. Many years ago, it was the military era and the riders were military and people of descent. Gradually, the game is becoming more popular. Yes, it is true that this is a niche sport like any other. But I would not say that we have been misunderstood.
- Many people think that horse riding is a sport for the rich.
- It’s true that you buy a racket, you play when you feel like it and you don’t have to take care of maintaining it. If you have a horse, it has some upkeep and costs. In Spain, we have very little breeding. In countries like Holland, Belgium, France or Germany, many people in villages have a horse at the back of their house. They are not rich people, far from it, and they work as horsemen.
- Is horse riding in high demand from cattle ranchers?
- Yes, they are very tall. Perhaps in Spain we don’t realize much and every day we have to be more alert to these issues. Many times when I go to a national competition and listen to teachers, I see that the words they use with children are not the most appropriate. Gradually they have to become aware. Horses we have treated wonderfully and it is a pity that, sometimes, an image is given that is not true.
- Should we be careful with the terms?
- For example, if you are teaching a child with a pony that is more kilometers than Renfe and knows what to do for less work, the teacher says: “Kick it.” If you see one of these, think: “Look, they get kicked.” it is not true. Instead of telling him to kick, you can explain, “Put your foot on him a little or squeeze him a little.” And it already feels different.
- Can you make a living from an equestrian competition or is your business buying horses?
- The National Awards are down where they should be. That’s why we’ve created the National Association of Jumping Riders to improve the rewards and rewards that many companions don’t come with so fair with so much cost.
- You’ve admitted that you’re not going to have a good time if you get separated from the horses.
- For a long time. Understand that we have 32 blocks and this is an ongoing responsibility. It’s not a business that you leave, shut down and when you come back nothing happened. Horses are living beings and if several days go by it is difficult for me to separate from them because you have to be on top of the business. I am a person who never gives up. I find it difficult to see negative or crestfallen.
- Marilyn Monroe said that “fame was like caviar, who likes to eat caviar every day?”.
- I don’t like fame, but I like to be recognized in my field. It doesn’t bother me when someone who likes horses says to me: “Sergio, do you mind taking your picture?” But I don’t want to put myself in the place of a footballer who can’t go to a normal restaurant.
- Which hurts more: the horse or the life?
- Life affects you more. You fall off a horse many times and you already learn to roll.
- From which failure have you learned the most?
- In our sport we fail more than we succeed. One time I went to dinner with Rafa Nadal and in the end, he asked me a lot more than I ever asked. And he said to me: “But being in the ranking, how can you get used to losing so often?”. It is true that even the number one jockey in the world loses many times more than wins.
- I didn’t know, I didn’t know that.
- It is not like in tennis that Rafa loses three games in a year. We compete in 9 or 10 trials every weekend and, maybe, you win one or two. There are so many failures that you learn a little bit from everyone.
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