Diego Pacheco and Emiliano Ruiz secured second place in the Mares Series at the San Clemente Zone Qualifier, riding Safira and Estelita to 33 points. The duo also advanced their Santa Isabel Orgullo and CompañÃa de las Mercedes Mano a Mano pairing to the fourth animal round, signaling a strong showing as they look ahead to the National Championship.
Diego Pacheco and Emiliano Ruiz, a longtime pairing of friends, were key competitors in the Champions Series of the San Clemente Zone Qualifier, achieving a runner-up finish with mares Safira and Estelita with 33 good points, and reaching the fourth animal round with the young horses Santa Isabel Orgullo and CompañÃa de las Mercedes Mano a Mano with 28. This result fuels their anticipation for the National Championship.
– It was a very nice final for you, you were doing well in the competition with two pairings. Are you happy with this performance?
Diego Pacheco: “Yes, my teammate and I did very well. Both pairings entered, the ones from the breeding farm and the other two of my son, so we are happy with four pairings inside. It was a very competitive rodeo, with many good pairings. To finish second with the mares and reach the fourth animal with the young horses puts us at a very good level, so I am very happy. We got to run with my friend again, so what could be better? I insist, it was a very competitive rodeo, there are many young people today who are very good at running and we are the oldest ones here, so we are very happy.”
Emiliano Ruiz: “Yes, the final was nice and competitive, as my friend says. A Qualifier like this is tough because you have to qualify, there is no second chance. What I consider this Qualifying system lacks this year is a second chance, because it is difficult to maintain a consistent herd for all competitors, and that is where the key point is to be able to have a second chance. The Championship is part of history, we are already qualified for the final in Rancagua, which is what we were looking for. Of course, being second in the Qualifying final and reaching the fourth animal makes us happy, gives us hope and whets our appetite. We are happy.”
– The mares are making headlines again…
Diego Pacheco: “Yes, both were very good, at a great level. They are the mothers we have, from which we are getting offspring and embryos, so it is very important that they show in the arena that they are doing well.”
– And the young horses were also in the fight. Perhaps they were missing a little bit in the last steer, but they were there…
Emiliano Ruiz: “Yes, they did very well. My friend Diego ran Orgullo spectacularly, he has shown what the young horse is, a fantastic and sensational specimen. Mano a Mano is in its first year, it is a much newer horse than Orgullo and tried to live up to it. He won the Breed Seal, it is a beautiful horse, so I think a nice story is beginning to be written for this pairing.”
– So many years being friends and so many years since you last ran together… Now you are crowning this friendship again by being in the National Championship.
Emiliano Ruiz: “Many years. When I was a little boy, I used to watch my friend run in Rancagua. We ran in 2012 and 2013, and after 12 or 13 years we are running together again. We have run very few rodeos this year, maybe a couple, but this level makes us use the experience of the years we already have more than the training. We are a little older than the others who are running, so I am happy, really happy.”
– Now to prepare for Rancagua, which is just around the corner…
Diego Pacheco: “Yes, we have to prepare the horses for Rancagua. One knows how difficult and competitive it is, but we will be there, God willing, in the best possible shape.”
The strong performance at the San Clemente Zone Qualifier positions Pacheco and Ruiz as contenders for the upcoming National Championship, showcasing their enduring partnership and the quality of their horses. The duo’s success highlights the competitive nature of Chilean rodeo and the dedication required to reach the highest levels of the sport.
