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Brazil (by Jean Llewellyn) Dr. Enio Monte has been a modern-day pioneer in sport horse breeding in Brazil. A breeder for nearly 40 years, in 1975 he had the idea of creating an organization to govern the breeding of sport horses, and the resulting Associacao Brasileira de Criadores do Cavalo de Hipismo (ABCCH) was formally recognized two years later when it became affiliated to the government Agriculture Department responsible for the administration of genealogical records.
Enio Monte held the presidency of the ABCCH from 1977 to 1983 and 1987 to 1989. Based in Sao Paulo, Haras Itapuã is a stud farm of 1,200 hectares whose interests span the Iberian breeds – Andalusians and Lusitanos – as well as Trakehners, Hanoverians, Holsteiners and, of course, Brazilian sport horses. Now in his 80th year, Enio Monte describes himself as a ‘professional’ who makes his living from breeding his beloved sport horses.
Q Do you keep both stallions and mares?
I began with Anglo Argentina mares and European stallions: Anglo Norman, then Holsteiner, Trakehner, Hanoverian ... which formed the base for breeding sport horses in Brazil. Nowadays I have my own stallions but also import semen. My best stallions are Lorado, a son of Landgraf, and Furioso Tercero, a son of Furioso II, which means they are Oldenburg, Selle Français and Holsteiner bloodlines. I also have Pelot, a Pregel son, who validates my tendency towards Trakehner also. Lorado was the sire of Aspen who competed in the Brazilian team at the Olympic Games (Atlanta 1996) with Alvaro Miranda de Nieto.
Q What is your primary focus?
My focus is jumping, but a very good horse can do both jumping and dressage as long as they have good movement and good functions.
Q Is this the same view for the majority of Brazilian Sport Horse breeders?
Yes, the majority have a jumping goal. But there is one breeder who is focusing specifically on dressage horses using Trakehner bloodlines, but I think a good sport horse model is good for both disciplines in Brazil....