Goncalo Carvalho's Rubi Retired from Sport

Dressage

Portuguese Dressage News

Portugal's number one Grand Prix horse, the Lusitano stallion Rubi, has been retired from competition. The 16-year old Lusitano licensed stallion competed his last show, the 2013 European Championships in Herning, Denmark, in August 2013.

"We have decided to grant our horse Rubi AR a well-deserved retirement," Rubi's owner Christine Jacoberger initially stated. "Rubi AR has represented Portugal and the Lusitano breed during 10 long years of an exemplary and unique career. We want to thank Gonçalo Carvalho for the fantastic sporting achievements he realized with Rubi AR which will stay in our memory forever."

Rubi is born in 1998 and bred by Coudelaria de Alter. He is by Batial out of He-Xila (by Xaquiro). The bay stallion was acquired by the Luxembourg based French Jacoberger in 2009 and the horse was trained from novice to FEI level by Gonçalo Carvalho.

The combination first appeared in the limelight in 2004 at the World Young Horse Championships in Verden, where they finished 23rd in the consolation finals. They made the transition to Prix St Georges level in 2006 and to Grand Prix level one year later, finishing second and third at the Portuguese Championships in 2007.

Carvalho and Rubi AR Their big international break through came in 2010, winning the Grand Prix classes at the CDI in Comporta, Arruda dos Vinhos, and Vidauban and ranking well in Wiesbaden. They were members of the Portuguese team at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky and won the Nationals in the autumn that year.

In 2011 they competed at the European Championships in Rotterdam and in 2012 they make it to the Olympic Games in London, where they booked a career highlight by qualifying for the Kur to Music Finals and placing 16th in it. They reclaimed their National Title one month later.

Their last competition year together was in 2013 with the 2013 European Championships in Herning being their last show. The pair was ranked 19th on the FEI World Dressage Ranking in January 2013.

After Herning, Rubi received a "holiday" which has now been extended into full retirement from sport. "From now on, Rubi AR will dedicate himself to his breeding career," Jacoberger stated.

"We believe it is better for a horse to finish his carrier with dignity at his best level and state of health and with the memories of his best results of 2012," Jacoberger told Eurodressage. "Rubi will have a nice breeding career, which already began brilliantly, and we want him to stay fit and happy for this. He will continue to train and make artistic presentations at stallions shows but without the pressure of the competition and also without having to make big journeys to travel by truck from Portugal to do competitions. We love him hugely. This horse gave us such great emotions and we are sure we made the good decision, the decision he will prefer! "