This morning, the new main stand of the Olympic arena at the Real Club de Polo de Barcelona hosted the presentation of the official CSIO Barcelona 2024 poster, which will take place from October 3 to 6. The event featured two prestigious hosts: three-time Olympic rider Pedro Veniss and his pupil, rider Sira Martínez, who will also compete in CSIO Barcelona 2024. The international show jumping competition, celebrating its 112th edition this year, is the oldest international sporting event in Spain.
During the presentation of the CSIO Barcelona 2024 official poster, designed by renowned artist Máximo Tuja, Pedro Veniss and Sira Martínez conducted an open show jumping training session for the media on the Olympic arena, the same venue that will host the world’s best riders and likely the Olympic champions from Paris 2024 in October.
"The CSIO Barcelona is an unmissable event on the calendar for any top-level rider. The quality of the competition, the facilities, and the warmth of the audience make this one of the most anticipated events of the year,” said Pedro Veniss, who is competing in Rotterdam this weekend in hopes of securing his fourth ticket to the Olympic Games. For her part, Sira Martínez expressed her happiness to compete again this year at the CSIO: “Equestrian sports are not very well known, and having an event like the CSIO Barcelona, hosting the Nations Cup Final, is very important for Spanish equestrian sports and for trying to bring this sport to as many people as possible. It’s a top-level competition. As a child, I dreamed of being able to participate in the CSIO Barcelona,” explained the young rider.
An innovative poster with Barcelona as the protagonist
After the demonstration by Pedro Veniss and Sira Martínez, where journalists had the opportunity to access the arena and observe the show jumping training up close, the official poster for CSIO Barcelona 2024 was unveiled. The artwork, created by Máximo Tuja (also known as Max-o-matic), stands out for its vibrant use of colors, innovative composition, and carefully selected elements that place Barcelona at the epicenter of this global event. Max-o-matic, a visual artist based in Barcelona and specializing in collage since 2004, has collaborated with prestigious global brands such as Apple, Spotify, Netflix, Nike, Facebook, The New York Times, The Guardian, Airbnb, and Rolling Stone. In the poster, German rider Christian Kukuk and his horse Checker 45 come to life through the artist’s unique perspective.
The presentation was attended by Pablo Sánchez, RCPB president; Luis Comas, RCPB Foundation president; Santiago Mercé, CSIO Barcelona president; Daniel Garcia Giró, CSIO Barcelona director; and Raimon Miret, FCH president, along with numerous club board members and RCPB Foundation trustees.
During the presentation, Santiago Mercé, CSIO Barcelona president, expressed: "We are delighted with the choice of Max-o-matic as the artist for this year’s poster. His work perfectly captures the essence and energy of Barcelona, connecting the city with our event in a unique and vibrant way." "The goal has been to unite the city with the event in a contemporary, positive, and bold way. Through the colors, composition, and chosen elements, we position Barcelona as the ideal stage for this mega event," assured Max Tuja at the end of the presentation.