THE Costa del Sol Equestrian Tour for show jumpers in Mijas, Spain, will not take place in 2018, it was announced today (Thursday).

The event, which takes place in both the spring and autumn and offers world ranking show jumping competitions and youngster tours for a period of up to two months, has not been authorised by the town of Mijas, which has a population of 80,000.

Behind the decision by the municipality not to approve the events lie various differing views regarding the use of the site.

Juan Carlos Maldonado, the new mayor of Mijas, a town of the south-eastern cost of Spain, would like the site, which incorporates a race track built more than 40 years ago, to be returned to the sport of racing.

It is also believed that investors have shown interest in the site for other purposes like shopping centres, hotels and sports arenas, and it is being mooted that the site could be sold.

Current owners Manuel Blazquez snr and jnr agreed a contract with the town of Mijas over 20 years ago to state the site should be used for equestrian sport. This contract is still a long way off expiry, and it was the basis for millions of euros’ worth of investment by the owners.

Multiple discussions have already been held with the town and the mayor but they have proved fruitless. Now the Spanish judiciary must make a decision on the issue. If no agreement can be reached regarding the future use of the site, costs in their millions may be incurred by the municipality to offset the costs and investments from the 20 year contract.

Alexandro Barreras, manager of the Costa del Sol Equestrian Tour, and initiator of the Spanish sunshine tours in Vejer de la Frontera and Oliva Nova said: “We are really disappointed. Legal proceedings will doubtless take many years.”