The Portuguese Lusitano breed society (APSL) has selected 18 horses on its brand new High Performance Lusitano Young Horses Dressage Division, a brand new Lusitano dressage training and development programme run in collaboration with the Portuguese Equestrian federation.
It aims specifically at supporting and coaching young dressage horses aged between 4 and 7. The programme has been named “High Performance Lusitano Young Horses Dressage Division”.
"ASPL has been developing several initiatives in order to improve the functional capabilities of the Lusitano Horse. As is well known, the discipline of Dressage has had a great development in our country and the Lusitano horses have had great distinction for the good results obtained both nationally and internationally," said APSL spokesperson Tereza Cruz.
"After the good results obtained with Lusitano Horses in our Dressage Project, we intend to continue a project to help developing the potential of Lusitano horses and riders, benefiting the breeders, owners and users," Cruz continued. "We aim to contribute to the expansion of the horse base with public and comparable visibility."
Kyra Kyrklund is the head trainer for the Division and she's assisted by Grand Prix riders and trainers Daniel Pinto and Miguel Ralão Duarte.
The 18 horses participating in the project were chosen after a selection trial held in Golega on 26 - 27 January 2018. The youngsters were assessed in four different phases:
- Test 1 - Morphological evaluation judged by the judges of the ASPL Studbook. Horses presented in hand (value 10%)
- Test 2 – Dressage Test according to horse's age, judged by official Portuguese Equestrian Federation judges Claudia Matos, Armindo Caixinha and Mário Pimentel (value 25%).
- Test 3 – Talent Assessment – Judged by international dressage judge Carlos Lopes (value30%)
- Test 4 - Evaluation done by Daniel Pinto and Miguel Ralão who test rode the horses (value 35%).
The selected horses can participate in the first 4-month training period with bi-monthly sessions. Pinto and Ralao Duarte will each coach the horses for a two month period after which a public training seminar with Kyra Kyklund will take place at the International Festival of the Lusitano Horse, held at the Manuel Possolo Racecourse in Cascais, Portugal, on 21 - 23 June 2018.
The second 4-month training period will take place in July, September, October and November according to the same structure and with two Kyrklund public training seminars in November or December.
"The organizers want to have the project for 5 years," said Cruz enthusiastically.
The rider and horse combinations selected for the 2018 High Performance Lusitano Young Horses Dressage Division are:
- Nuno Chaves de Almeida - Jasmin Plus
- Angelique Hofman - Iberico das Lezirias and Guapo
- Luciana Inacio - Iraque
- Bruno Moreira - Jota da Hermida and Java da Hermida
- Luis Azeitona - Justo and Hipparion
- Gonçalo Martins Soares - Invulgar
- Pedro Dias Ferreira - Hurzula
- Annie Morris - Jeronimo MVL
- Salvador Pessanha - Herudito
- Joao Maria Costa - Jivago
- Natascha Guth - Julho
- Joao Sousa Faustino - Inquieto das Lezirias
- Sebastia Gonzago - Garimpeiro
- Mafalda Arriaga e Cunha - Horizonte
- Catarina Lucas Lopes - Iberio das Lezirias
Photo © Rita Fernandes
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