Lusitano champions crowned in São Paulo

Brazil (by Jean Llewellyn) From May 15-18 at the impressive Santo Amaro equestrian centre south of downtown São Paulo, ABPSL (Associação Brasileira de Criadores do Cavalo Puro Sangue Lusitano) hosted the XXVII International Lusitano Festival, with age-group classes per gender, stallion presentations, working equitation and dressage. The latter is, of course, generating exponential interest at home and abroad, following the successful qualification of Lusitano horses for the Olympic Games in Hong Kong.

In fact, the weekend before the opening of the Festival, Santo Amaro hosted the final qualifying leg of the CDI3* series in São Paulo at which Brazilian dressage reached new heights. During the Grand Prix, Luiza Tavares de Almeida performed a second 64+ percent test (64.66%) with pure-bred Lusitano, Samba (Inca). “I was definitely feeling the pressure today because I know it’s much harder to achieve 64 percent in Europe, so I was telling myself ‘I have to do it, I have to do it.’ I was very nervous during the warm-up, but I knew there was no way out …!”

Almeida’s fellow countryman, Rogério “Roger” Clementino, who has already qualified for Hong Kong with Nilo VO, owned by Victor Oliva, was able to relax and enjoy the occasion, and generously admitted it was my “happiest ever defeat” as he celebrated the runners-up position (64.12%) saying, “Although Leandro (Silva) and Luciano (Pereira) were unable to make the marks, it’s important that Brazil will be so well represented in Hong Kong.”

Commenting on a couple of hesitant moments during her test, Almeida agreed that it was a combination of nerves from both herself and the horse: “He was a little bit tense on the flys [flying changes] and piaffe, but otherwise he did good work. I am really happy now, of course, but need to keep on working towards the Olympics.”

Prior to her test, the ever-modest Clementino told Almeida simply to “Be calm, be cool and trust God and everything will be okay.” And later … “I am so happy for Luiza. The most important thing now is to celebrate the result here then prepare for the trip to Hong Kong.”

Needless to say, it was an extremely emotional time for Almeida’s parents, Manuel and Thereza, who have fervently supported her dressage ambitions and anxiously awaited the result. In fact, the resulting celebration was a little bittersweet because Luiza’s older sister Thaiza was also competing and marginally failed to achieve the 64% goal riding another pure-bred Lusitano, Rio Pele (Hostil), an extremely talented maternal grandson of John Whitaker’s former top-class showjumper and world-renowned stallion, Novilheiro. Thaiza has now arrived in Europe with her sister, Clementino and their horses in order to compete and continue her quest to qualify for Hong Kong before the FEI’s June deadline....

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Successful Ilha Verde auction

Brazil (by Jean Llewellyn) The 11th International Luso-Brasileiro Auction that took place on Saturday, May 10 provided a unique opportunity for Brazilian, as well as an increasing number of foreign buyers to acquire well-trained sport horses, broodmares and young stock from some of the world’s most coveted Lusitano bloodlines.

Enthusiastically hosted by Ilha Verde proprietor Victor Oliva, and televised by Canal Rural, the auction is also a popular event on the São Paolo social calendar and is always supported by a wealth of celebrities and high profile sponsors, including Volkswagen.

On this occasion, preceding the horse auction, a range of donated designer fashions went under the hammer, suitably modeled by riders and other sports personalities, with the proceeds going to the Barretos Cancer Hospital. Magnanimously encouraged by Oliva’s wife, Tatiana, and prompted by the good cause, there was some spirited bidding, with cocktail outfits changing hands for between R$6,000 ($3,631) and R$7,000 ($4,237).

The serious business of selling horses opened with an offering of 30 coverings by the highly recommended grey stallion Violino that were quickly sold. Violino is a son of Veiga stud farm’s legendary sire Ofensor, out of Querida, a Sociedade das Silveiras mare and daughter of the famous Invulgar....

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Successful event for Connaught in Kentucky

Ireland (by Sally Parkin) Like many successful Irish horses, the 2008 Rolex CCI**** winner, Connaught has an interesting story to tell. Bred in Kilrush on the far west coast of Ireland’s Co Clare, Connaught (or Ballysimon’s Best as he was then known) was the product of a quality mare Bromehill Rogue (Royal Rogue xx – unknown x No Complaints xx) by the Irish Sport horse stallion Ballysimon (Pere Hubert xx – Whitehall Girl (ISH) x Pal Gondomar xx).

His breeder, who also bred Connaught’s dam, is Michael Kelly, a farmer with a great enthusiasm for the horse. Unfortunately Kelly has recently been unwell and hospitalized, but he was delighted to hear how well his youngster has done and filled me in with details of his early life.

“I bred Royal Rogue from a half-bred mare by the thoroughbred sire No Complaints xx. She bred me a number of foals, several of which I’m sure also achieved in the competition world, but I was never able to keep in touch. Certainly I sold some to the Chef d’Equipe of the Belgian showjumping team, but he always was very secretive! I think he wanted to buy more of the progeny at a reasonable price! Royal Rogue was quite a fine- boned mare, which is probably why I chose Ballysimon as a suitable sire, in the hope that the added Irish Draught blood would add some more bone.”

Connaught, born in 1993, was the only foal out of the mare by Ballysimon, who stood at stud with Ronnie Kelly in nearby Co Limerick. Ballysimon had a lot of thoroughbred blood with one cross of Irish Draught, which continues to be a tried and proven formula. The Irish Draught input came from the RID granddam, Clogera Lass. Never quite gaining the popularity he deserved, Ballysimon nevertheless was responsible for many good eventing horses including the English-based advanced eventing horse, Tullineasky Simon.