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News Articles
Grandioso Turns 27 years Old
On March 3, 2026, Grandioso III celebrated his 27th birthday! Born on March 3, 1999, this exceptional horse has not only been a lifelong companion for José Daniel Martin Dockx but also one of the backbones of Dressage SPanish Team ( 2012-2016) ALong with José Daniel Martín Dockx, Grandioso III has traveled the world and achieved remarkable personal bests, representing Spain at the highest levels: Olympic Games 2012 – London, UK European Championships 2013 – Herning, Denmark World Equestrian Games 2014 – Caen, Normandy, France European Championships 2015 – Aachen, Germany Olympic Games 2016 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil At Hampton Green Farm, we are proud to celebrate not just his years, but his legacy with our offsprings.
Grandioso III of Hampton Green Farm Named to Spanish Team for Rio Olympics
Last Monday, the RFHE announced the names of the horses and riders who will make up the Spanish Team for Rio. Grandioso and his rider Jose Daniel Martin Dockx were on the list, following their showing of current form at CHIO Aachen. Grandioso and Dani have been a constant pair for the Spanish National Dressage Team beginning in 2012 when they represented Spain at the London Olympics. Since then, they have competed in three Nations Cups, two European Championships, and the World Equestrian Games in Normandy. Grandioso is the only horse in Spain to have done all of these events and to remain a current team member for five years without interruption. Additionally, Grandioso is one of only seven horses (out of 60) scheduled to compete in Rio who are going down the centerline for their second Olympic Games. He will be in elite company —Valegro, Donnperignon, Don Aurelio, Parzival, Desperados, Sandro Boy, and our own Grandioso. At this time, the team is located in Aachen, Germany, for preparations prior to travel to Brazil on the 2nd of August. They will arrive in Rio with a week to acclimate and be ready for competition, commencing August 10 with the Grand Prix. For regular updates, follow us at the Hampton Green Forum on Facebook.
HGF and WEG 2014: New Records, New Standards
The rain and wind of Normandy did not dampen the thrill of being part of the World Equestrian Games 2014. For our team, Spain, and for our horse and rider, Jose Daniel Martin Dockx and Grandioso, the World Championships in France were a highly successful and unforgettable experience. The 2014 WEG hosted the strongest field of dressage horses in history. The top 15 horses scored a full 5 percentage points higher (in final individual score) than the top 15 in 2010. As our sport grows in popularity, our horses and riders are growing in skills and capability, and the 2014 WEG was a celebration of new levels of achievement. In the Team Competition, the top three teams were clearly defined prior to the games, and their final point tallies left them virtually untouchable. The only question was the order among themselves. The real drama—at least behind the scenes—was the placings for the next four positions: Spain, US, Denmark and Sweden were in a heated race. Predictions in the press put Spain and the United States behind the other two, and in most cases Spain coming in last, in spite of the results at Aachen where the Spanish took the bronze. When the first two days of team competition were done, 98 riders had entered the arena in Caen, representing the best pairs from 47 nations. In the end, it was Germany, Great Britain, and the Netherlands in the medals, with US taking fourth and close behind Spain in fifth, followed by Sweden and Denmark—with the fourth through sixth place teams scoring less than a point and a half apart. Strong rides from the three top riders for Spain boosted the team above many well-known combinations for the other countries, with a finish that seemed to take many by surprise. Jose Daniel Martin Dockx and Grandioso finished13th in the Grand Prix with 74.23, setting a World Games record for the highest Grand Prix score by a PRE. A 75.1 for Morgan Barbancon and Painted Black, and 72.4 for Jose Antonio Garcia Mena and Norte ensured that all three would move on to the Individual finals in the Grand Prix Special. In the Individual competition, Dani and Grandioso achieved a personal best in the Special, breaking the 74% mark for the first time in their career (74.09). An excellent score, just missing the top 15 for the Kur, the cut-off for which was 74.9. Individually, Dani and Grandioso finished 18th among the best 100 dressage horses from all the nations in the world—an exhilarating feeling for all of us at HGF, the fulfillment of many years of dreams. By all accounts, 2014 WEG was quite different from 2010 in Kentucky. While there was no Fuego Moment at this World Games—no "underdog" who enchanted the audience, causing them to leap to their feet in thunderous applause—there was also no disagreement with the scoring or final placements, nor was there booing from the specatators this year, which must have been a relief for the FEI management. It was all very orderly, but with many high points and stellar performances by veterans and newcomers alike. For PRE horses, the elite results gave even more credibility to the benefit of having these horses make up part of an international team, and we predict that very few countries will turn away a horse based on breed if that horse is capable of scoring over 72%. Following the Games, Grandioso returned home to Malaga, Spain for rest and time off. Soon he and Dani will begin to start preparing for the next big thing…..winter in sunny Florida. Photo Credits: Susan Stickle and Bob Langrish
Grandioso III and Daniel Martin Dockx 2014 Champions of Spain
For the second time in their career, Grandioso and Daniel Martin Dockx have taken the National Title for Dressage in Spain. It’s been three years since the last time they’ve attended the National Championships for Dressage-- when they won the title in 2011, not long after Grandioso returned to Spain to be trained by Dani. This year, the Championship was required for all pairs aspiring for the Spanish Team for the World Equestrian Games, and the competition level was very high. As there was no clear favorite going into the show, the final results were a toss-up, only to be determined in the end by the sum of scores over three days. Everyone knew from the start that it would be a horse race between Dani with Grandioso, and his good friend Jose Mena with Norte, who has been enjoying a second career with Norte since his return last year to the show ring after a long period off. In the end, it was Dani and Grandioso that garnered slightly more points to win the Championship, but that’s not the whole story... In the Grand Prix, Grandioso was the clear favorite, topping the class with 73.9 and far in front of the other competitors. Dani rode a clean test with the expression, power, and confidence of a seasoned pair at this level. The Grand Prix Special was more of a challenge. Dani and Grandioso have only performed this test once before, in Herning last summer for the European Championships. (Prior to that, the Olympic GP Special was the official test.) Dani was very pleased with Grandioso who navigated the test with ease, with the exception of one miscommunication between horse and rider in which the horse cantered just before the trot half-pass. The score reflected their good ride—73.725—but was not enough to overtake last year's Champions, Jose and Norte, who dominated with a stronger, more confident ride, earning a spectacular 75.08%. In Spain, all three tests have equal weight toward the final point tally (unlike the US, where the Freestyle counts for only 15% of the overall totals), so the scores on the last day, and not necessarily the placement, would determine the outcome of the weekend. Jose and Norte had the ride of their career and posted a high score of 77.464. Dani and Grandioso, however, have achieved higher scores regularly in the international shows outside of Spain and so went into the Kur with confidence of a win. But it wasn’t their day. Grandioso was a little too fresh, cantering twice in the trot tour--errors that were very costly, and the pair took home the lowest score they’ve ever had with this Freestyle—75.179. A disappointing way to finish a weekend of top riding, but all part of the game. In the end, Dani and Grandioso’s totals edged out Jose and Norte by .05%--the strength of their Grand Prix carrying them to overall victory for the Championship. Jose and Norte took the Silver, with Morgan Barnbancon and her warmblood mare Vitana taking home the Bronze. Jose, displaying the very best of Spanish sportsmanship and graciousness, was the first to congratulate Dani and both friends rode the victory lap with smiles. Looking back on the weekend, one can only say that Spain has 2 National Champions this year—both high-level Spanish-bred PREs, ridden by riders who exemplify the top-quality horsemanship that Spain produces, with scores that will make them highly competitive on the world stage. Now that this is behind them, all of the Spanish riders and horses can focus on working together to represent Spain in the World Championship, coming up in two months. The next challenge for Dani and Jose is Aachen in July, one step further on the road to Normandy! Our thanks to the photographers: Ecuestreonline.com, TopIberian.com, Celeste Ribo
Meet Mica Mabragana
Mica Mabragana, 24 years old from Buenos Aires, Argentina, is our resident rider this winter in Wellington. Mica has spent the last five years in New Yord as a working student for Lendon Gray and has accomplished quite a bit in those five years. She is a USDF Certified instructor (Training through 4th level), and a USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold medalist. She represented Argentina at the NAJYRC 2007 on Ballywhim Ardan Mor and at the Young Rider World Cup 2007 in Germany on Granada, Oded Shimoni's recent mount for Israel at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. Mica has won several CDI classes as a Young Rider and in 2010 made her Grand Prix debut. At the Region 8 Championships, Mica was the Grand Prix Reserve Champion on Nexus. This winter Mica will be riding HGF's Idilio II, with sites on qualification for the Pan American Games next year, and along with Lendon Gray will continue the schooling of Cuatrero, Grandioso's younger brother who had been in training with Courtney until last spring. We welcome Mica and her clients to HGF
Hampton Green Farm Sponsor's New Radio Program, Dover's World Live!
"Tune In" or "Sign In" to hear the new sensational radio program “Dover’s World Live”, premiering this Tuesday evening, October 19th, at 6pm on WBZT (AM1230) and live on the Internet at , sponsored in part by Hampton Green Farm! Robert's blog, , was started a little more than a year ago, and attained viral status within a few weeks, being read by hundreds of thousands of equine enthusiasts around the world. When approached by Clear Channel to do a live "talk" version of the blog, Robert agreed and approached long-time friend Kim Boyer and Hampton Green to be one of five sponsors. The show will feature news, interviews and live call-in discussion, beginning this week with special guest Katherine Bateson, US Team member for the World Equestrian Games. Turn on Dover's World Live with us and enjoy what promises to be informed opinion, lively discussion and tons of personality on all of our favorite dressage topics! In the South Florida area, you can listen on your radio at WBZT AM1230. Around the world, the show will be live-streamed at .