Miquel Vila Endurance

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Miquel Vila Ubach


Miquel Vila began to ride at the age of seven, thanks to his sister Imma who was already competing in endurance riding. He had already participated in his first social Ride of 20 km being nearly eight years old. From that moment on, he combined short Rides with speed races.

At 14 years old, he could compete in his first 80 km, where he obtained a comfortable triumph and began to emerge as a future champion. This success was mostly thanks to his father who always provided him with the best horses. The following year, he won his first Catalonian Championship with Sir d´Oa, the first Arabian horse competing in Ride in Spain.

From that moment on, he has been riding lots of good horses, like Bajeque, Nedjfor, Diango… always with the unconditional and economic support of his father.



PHOTOS MIQUEL

Interview to Miquel Vila

(World Champion in 2006)

- We could say that this 2006 has been a collection year… you began winning the Catalonian Championship, you went on later winning the Spanish Championship in Cordoba and you have just won the World Championship. It is the culmination of a lot of years of competition: what is your feeling about this successful competition year?

- I think the World Championship was my highest ambition. What´s more, as you have said, we've been progressing with our new horse, and after the Catalonian Championship everything seemed to be working well, we've been pushing harder, and our horse hasn't let us down at all in any moment.

- Did you expect such a great victory?

- Actually, it is always a surprise to win a World Championship. No matter how much we expect to get a medal or win the first place, we can't forget there are 160 horses competing. We had worked very hard to get this victory but obtaining it was a real success.

- What about the World Champion Ride? How was it?

- Punti and I agreed to go together during the race, to try to have under control the French riders because they are the leading team at present. We did the two first phases together. I just realized during the third phase that my horse couldn't follow Jaume´s pace. It took him a long time to recover and by the fourth phase I decided to do my own ride.

I respected my horse absolutely. We ran fast, sometimes faster than others and I just listened to my horse's pace. He is used to run fast and I think we took the right decision at that point.

From that moment my horse recovered well. Suddenly, he felt comfortable and we caught up the leading group of French riders. We reached 20 km/h. The horse felt good and at ease, he felt comfortable to keep up the pace of the French horses. At some points we overtook them and my horse was just going ahead. It was an incredible phase. It wasn't easy for my horse because he's not the kind of horse who recovers in one minute, but he did very well and we started the last 13 km in 8th place.

In that moment I saw we could aim to win a medal or even something better because my horse was feeling really strong. Then I began to give him rhythm, not to hasten him, just to give him rhythm, and I was leaving behind horses that couldn't resist the rhythm my horse was setting. This gave me more than one kilometre advantage and we arrived at the stadium four minutes before the second group of horses.

- What did you feel with this victorious arrival alone?

- Even today, when I remember that moment I feel moved… When there were six kilometres left to arrive I realized we could win… I had overtaken everyone and my horse was first. It seemed as if my horse knew what he was doing. He had run the same way in Vidreres and Córdoba, and I think he knew he was the winner and I suppose he got excited like me. I couldn't avoid thinking of my father, who had really helped me all his life, that's why I dedicated my victory to my father.

- How long you have been working for this victory, Miquel?

- I think all my life. When a rider has a good level and is training hard, in spite of logical ups and downs every year, I think that you are always dreaming with a World Championship. It was a goal I set myself, when I won the European Championship seven years ago, it seemed very difficult because it is celebrated every two years, you must be chosen and that's not always possible… the World Championship looks as an objective in the very long term but the motivation you feel every day is the most important thing that keeps you going.

- After having obtained a difficult challenge like a gold medal in a World Championship, are you aware that you are going to be an exemplary rider to everybody who is beginning? Given your experience, what would you tell them?

- I would like to be an exemplary rider and I hope that lots of people can learn from my experience and, most of all, my motivation and self-confidence. This is what really helps you to go ahead in difficult moments. And in this way, I wish some local rider could ever win a World Championship.

- What would your advice be to an inexperienced rider who is thinking in competing in high competition?

- You can never forget that high competition is very difficult and you must have things very clear: it is necessary to be highly devoted and also to look after the horse. And if the rider really knows that he is a winner, he must look for a horse capable of running a World Championship.

- And what about difficult and discouraging moments?

- We must keep in mind that as riders, we all have good and bad times and we must always fight to overcome these bad moments. We have to look ahead and try to get better by learning from our own mistakes.

- Remind us about some of your horses…

- Bajeque and Nedford… I think they have really meant a lot to me… and Diango and Hungarés because it wouldn't be fair not to mention them, but deep in my heart I have the first two horses, Bajeque and Nedford.

- Next objective…

- We'll see how we finish this year… in sporting terms we've finished and in the near future, we'll try to continue at top level and don't get disappointed because we've won a World Race… we haven't done it all yet.

- Another World Championship?

- (laughing…) I know it seems difficult, but if we've done it once… why not twice?

Miquel Vila and Rut Comas official website