At the end of the show in Lisbon from October 12-14 Miguel Ralão Duarte with the purebred lusitano mare Oxális da Meia Lua revalidated his title as the National Dressage Champion 2007 after winning all 3 tests GP, GPS and the Freestyle.
Olympic rider Daniel Pinto with his Lusitano Galopin de la Font was absent for his horse is at Kyra Kyrklund’s stables undergoing intensive training as Portugal has not have yet a rider qualified for the Olympics.
Runner up at a distance was Miguel Magalhães showing Free Dancer. All classes were very small. In total about 50 participants took part in the indoor arena of the Sociedade Hípica Portuguesa in Lisbon.
Multi-talent Pedro Torres combines equitation and dressage
Pedro Torres and his horse Riopele became third in the Portuguese championships dressage. Torres has a very interesting curriculum. He is two times European Working Equitation Champion and has only joined the dressage scene because of his girlfriend Maria Moura Caetano recently. To conduct clinics on Working Equitation Torres travels regularly to the UK, Sweden, and all over Europe.
“I think in the base dressage and working equitation is the same”, Torres explains. “Working Equitation has a dressage test too. Further more working Equitation has obstacles, so you have to work like a jumper, and you have to work like a bull fighter too. There are many things and styles, but the principles definitely are the same as dressage.”
Another amazing similarity between dressage and equitation is that Torres’ two times champion horse the stallion Oxidado in Xaquiro has the same sire as champion mare Oxális da Meia Lua mounted by colleague Miguel Ralão Duarte!
Oxidado is even capable of leaving his stable without halter or bridle and just wait. “Playing a game of ‘chase me’ with the horse when he is properly bandaged is one of the favourite games of Oxidado. After that he will play and buck in the field and return to be saddled and work with me. It is something Lusitano’s have a special feeling for”, Torres says happily. However next to practicing the effortless flying changes and wonderful pirouettes before cantering sideways along a pole or dashing off to jump a little fence as Equitation excercices, it has showed to be no difficulty at all for Torres to prepare Riopele for dressage only. “Boring? I don’t think it is. It’s just another attitude and way to have fun with your horse”, Torres says.
Young Rider star Maria Moura Caetano
Portuguese Young Rider Star Maria Moura Caetano won gold in this category. She rode White Cedar. Maria was the first young rider to represent Portugal in the European YR Championship last year at CDI-W Frankfurt. Maria Caetano is the daughter of a renowned breeder of Lusitano horses, the so called Caetano Dynasty. The family is also involved in bullfighting activities, however Maria prefers the dressage arena!
Special thanks to Margarida Neves : www.equisport.pt/