With 12 seconds of advantage,

A great moor mare from breeder Enrique J. Vidal Martins, now owned by Jorge Benítez, in representation of Cabaña “Santa Higinia”, and called “Hera del Zapallar”, won the 19th National and 7th Internacional test for Criollos Horses, known simply as “El Chasque”, a test that is organized yearly by the Agremiación de Criadores de Criollos Horses de Cerro Largo.

This year the rules of the test changed substantially, like the increasing of the track distance to 60 kms and the adding of  checkins after 40 kms and and after finishing all the test. Despite of those changes “El Chasque” keeps unchanged its attractiveness and the Criollos its undeniable power to summon fans.

Fourteen horses (10 mares and 4 castrated males) from Cerro Largo, Paysandú and Brazil, lunched in the cloudy and cold Sunday morning,  with and average speed of 27,56 Kms/h and taking them 1:27:05 to cover the first 40 kms.  Those time and speed average were set by “Cencerro” a horse of Ramidel S.A from Paysandú.

After the first check in, to start the last stage of 20 kms, 4 horses could not begin because of an excess in cardiac rhythm and one who quits voluntarily.

STARTING RAMPANTLY.

Just from the beginning “La Invernada”, which competed with 2 horses, started rampantly, but seeing that was not allowed by its contenders stop trying, confident, may be, that the Moratorio slope is hard trial even for those who know it.

Then, on the last 10 kms., there were 4 contenders decided to give all of themselves to reach the goal triumphantly.

Sebastián Benítez, opportunely, let his moor take a breath and when he speed up exceed his more serious contenders, reaching the goal line 12 seconds before the moor from “La Invernada”. The others arrived pretty more distant.

The speed average was really high for the second stage, reaching the 30.025 kms. what made someone say “this is more for thoroughbreds than for Criollos”.

However, we must wait another hour after the arrival of the first one, in order to check the cardiac frequency and just then decide the final positions, that finally didn’t suffer any changes.

“Hera del Zapallar”, from “Santa Higinia” of Jorge Benítez ridden by Sebastián Benítez, with a final time of 2.07’03’’ and an average of 28.336 Kms/h.

“Cartucho La Invernada” from “La Invernada”  of Plácido Martins S.A. ridden by Matías Perez, 12 seconds later.

"Preciado La Invernada” from the same cabaña ridden by Pablo Pérez, 420 seconds later.

“Represa La Pradera” from Los Anhelos of Uriarte & Ferreira ridden by Vico Moraes, 427 seconds later.

"Cencerro” from  La Lolita of Ramidel S.A. ridden by Francisco Gorozurreta, 940 seconds later.

El Pais Newspaper Montevideo

Author: Hilton C. Mestre