by John Manzi, for NAADA

Monticello, NY — The NAADA Trotting Series, which is currently underway, will arguably be a training ground and hopefully ready the U.S. amateurs for international competitions against a French contingent in late April followed by contests against the Spanish amateurs in early June.

“The dates have been set and the final details are being worked out in order to host our amateur friends who will be coming from across the sea,” noted NAADA president Joe Faraldo. “It will be the first time that we (America) will race against our French counterparts on American soil.”

After checking the credentials of the French amateurs it appears that NAADA reps will have to be at the top of their game because the French are loaded with power.

Sophie Blanchetiere is the reigning French amateur champion, a title earned for the second consecutive year. She has driven more than 352 winners. Romain Poree won the World Championship last year and is a three-time world champion. Add to their prowess teammates Michel Poirier and Christophe Roszak and the French will field four drivers who are in the top ten of the French championships.

Life for the NAADA reps (yet to be named) will continue to be interesting, to say the least, because on the heels of the French come the talented Spanish amateurs.

“I believe the Spaniards have raced in America before against the Maryland amateurs a few years back but it will be the first time that they will be in the metropolitan New York area,” Faraldo explained. “And looking at the stats they are coming with the NAADA teams have their work cut out for them.”

Among the Spanish team members is Miguel Vich-Capo, winner of the Spanish Amateur Championship in 2014, 2013 and 2012. He has driven 174 winners thus far in his illustrious career. He’ll be joined by Jauma-Bassa Riera, the winner of the Spanish Breeders Crown and a winner of 124 races. Agustin Mascaro-Pou, a police officer who is the general secretary of F.E.G.A.T (the Euorpean Federation of Amateur Racing) has 28 wins.

Also among the Spanish invaders are Juan Antonio-Horrach-Moya, an art merchant with 26 wins and Bernado Jauma-Cirer, a manufacturer and winner of 25 races.

Races in the international competition against the French are scheduled at Yonkers, Freehold, Monticello and the Meadowlands. The race tracks where the Spanish amateurs will vie with NAADA are not yet finalized.