Antonio do Vale and Jose Cebola Sell Favorito to Christoph Koschel

Dressage

Portuguese Dressage News

Portuguese Grand Prix rider Antonio do Vale and his business partner Jose Cebola have sold the 6-year old Lusitano stallion Favorito to German Grand Prix rider Christoph Koschel as his new FEI prospect.

This sale marks the first time that a German team rider acquires a Lusitano bred dressage horse for his competition career. The 6-year old Favorito is no unfamiliar face to Koschel, who had seen his own student Ricardo Wallenstein train and compete the stallion in Portugal. Favorito is bred at the João Fernandes' stud in Portugal.

"This is such an exciting time," said an enthusiastic Do Vale about the sale of Favorito. "We have successfully promoted and sold a Lusitano horse to a German professional rider, who wants to invest in a Lusitano as a competition horse for himself. This has never happened before."

Antonio do Vale on Fidertanz Antonio do Vale has his own yard in Coruche, Portugal, which is managed by his business partner Jose Cebola. Antonio moved closer to the heart of the dressage sport -- Germany -- for more competition opportunities. He has rented 20 stalls at stallion station Böckmann in Lastrup, Germany, where he set up his own private sales and training facility.

A collaboration with Böckmann developed when the stallion owner asked Antonio to ride a few of his breeding sires, including the world famous Fidertanz (by Fidermark). In 2015 Antonio rode Fidertanz and Vicomte (by Ferro x Corland), which is owned by his client Jaime Malta Vacas and currently on the market as a schoolmaster, at the CDI's in Stadl Paura, Hagen, Roosendaal and Darmstadt-Kranichstein.

Do Vale's main priorities are training horses and coaching students, with an occasional sale along the way. Jose Cebola runs Do Vale's Portuguese yard, where he teaches clients and rides the youngsters before they move to Germany.

Fermento has been sold to Australia "My passion is to ride, train horses and compete, but of course sometimes there is a sale. We have amazing facilities at Bockmann's where we can have our own clients and horses from investors to train and bring to the sport," said Do Vale. "I'm also aiming for a spot in the Portuguese team when I get the results. That is why I'm always looking to have several horses in training and develop them up the levels."

Every year Antonio has young horses making their Grand Prix level debut. Amongst them are the 2014 Louisdor Cup participant Frederik v Belgian (by Florestan x Flemmingh) and Developing GP horse Ribery, which was shown in 2014 by Antonio's wife Joana do Vale and recently sold to German Under 25 rider Michele Budde.

Other notable, young dressage horses that Do Vale has sold to international Grand Prix riders include Böckmann's now 5-year old licensed stallion Fermento (by Fidertanz x De Niro). The chestnut sold to Australian Grand Prix rider Lesley Ann Taylor. In 2014 Fermento's half brother Bailarino (by Breitling W x de Niro) sold to Akiko Yamazaki, long time sponsor of Steffen Peters. The now 8-year old Oldenburg gelding was shown by Do Vale at the 2013 Bundeschampionate.

Jack Jones, a new star in the making "Fermento is a super talented young stallion," said Antonio. "He's a great mover, has a fantastic character and amazing talent for collection. Bailarino was so talented for piaffe and passage as a 6-year old. Both him and Fermento take after dam Schila, which is the secret. She's an extraordinary mare by De Niro x Akzent II who has always produced stallions with super quality."

Do Vale names another Schila offspring as an example of top talent in the making: the 4-year old Oldenburg licensed stallion Jack Jones. He is sired by Hans Peter Minderhoud's 2015 European Championships Grand Prix Special bronze medal winning stallion Johnson (by Jazz x Flemmingh).

"Jack Jones is standing at stud at Böckmann's and is a gorgeous black stallion with such amazing movements," said Do Vale.