Manaor, Majorca–The Spain v NAADA Competition ended on September 9 on the 3/8ths mile track in Manacor with the Spanish team racing one-two with Faraldo in the pocket all the way until the wire.
The Spanish prevailed finishing first and second with the visitors' Alan Schwartz, third, Joe Lee, fourth, Joe Faraldo, fifth and Paul Minore trailed the field
The distance was 2,350 meters or 3 1/2 times around the well banked oval which sports a iron pipe crafted running horse rail. ("There is no way you wanna touch that thing", Faraldo remarked). The sand based track provided a really good surface for the all-French trotting horse field.
Once again NAADA ended-up on the short end. The final points: Spain 86, USA 67.
During the afternoon the Americans had a tour of the largest Cathedral in Europe and a special delightful lunch of Majorcan cuisine at Celler Sa Premsa in Palma.
The evening highlight was the performance of the 6-8 year old children in their colors driving a variety of ponies without a starting gate, with the best ponies handicapped by meters.
Afterwards there was festive dinner in a setting of about 400 in attendance, mostly to support the children, "and not the American amateur drivers", Faraldo added.
by Joe Faraldo with John Manzi, for NAADA