The “Caskuchi” trophy will be awarded to the winners of the 11th round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) to be held in Itapúa, Paraguay, from 27 to 30 August 2026. The design, created by urban artist Rolo Ocampos and artisan Sandra Ortega, blends Paraguayan clay traditions with rally car power.

The Caskuchi Trophy

The trophy carries the essence of red earth to the podium. Rolo Ocampos developed the visual concept by paralleling the horses that roam freely across the Paraguayan countryside with the automotive term “horsepower.” The piece creates a dialogue between machine power and Paraguay’s natural landscape, with birds crossing the sky symbolizing freedom, movement, and the constant pursuit of improvement.

Craftsmanship and Tradition

The story of the Caskuchi begins in the San Rafael neighborhood of the 21 de Julio company, in the Cordillera department, where Sandra Ortega and her family have maintained a clay-crafting tradition for generations. Using the traditional kambuchi jug and referencing the pilots’ helmets, Sandra recreated both forms to create the Caskuchi. Its raw material is ñai’u, clay extracted from a local quarry. Each piece is hand-molded, dried, and fired in the Paraguayan oven, the tatakua, ensuring every trophy is unique.

The design is finished with the work of other national figures: architect Carlos Cáceres, of Trenino, developed the wooden bases that accompany each trophy, while the plates were made by the jewelry workshop Joyería Alegre. The Paraguayan Institute of Craftsmanship (IPA) also collaborated, promoting and preserving national craft.

Details of WRC Round 11

The 11th round of the WRC calendar will be centered in Itapúa, with its base in Encarnación. Competition stages, including the Shakedown, will take place in 10 districts of the seventh department: Encarnación, Cambyretá, Capitán Miranda, Nueva Alborada, Trinidad, Hohenau, Bella Vista, General Artigas, San Juan del Paraná, and Carmen del Paraná. The 2026 edition will feature 22 special stages, totaling 356.04 km of competitive distance, and the participation of about 60 crews competing over four days.

This will be the longest round of the 2026 WRC edition, surpassing other events held in Kenya (350.52 km), Portugal (344.91 km), and Monte Carlo (339.15 km).