Santurion de Massa Returns to the Show Ring after Two Year Break

Dressage

Portugal

After a two-year break due to injury, Daniel Pinto's top Grand Prix horse Santurion de Massa, has made its return to the dressage arena.

Santurion de Massa is a 14-year old Portuguese Sport Horse by the Trakehner Munchhausen out of Lusitano mare Viena (by Estoiro). He is bred by Sylvain Massa and owned by a syndicate.

Santurion made his international show debut at medium tour level in Vidauban in 2014 and moved up to Grand Prix level in 2015.

The pair first represented Portugal at the 2015 European Dressage Championships in Aachen and returned on the team in 2017 for the Europeans in Gothenburg after a shortened show season in 2016.

In 2018 the pair won the Portuguese Grand Prix Championships and the combination was seeking a place on the home team for the World Equestrian Games in Tryon. However at the CDIO Aachen the horse was eliminated from the Grand Prix as he was unlevel and the horse had to be withdrawn from WEG team contention.

Santurion disappeared from the international scene for two years to recover from his injury. Pinto remained tight lipped about the condition of the horse.

In March 2020 Eurodressage inquired about Santurion but at the time Pinto was sparse with his commentary in order not to jinx the recovery process.

"Santurion is already back in work and in full recovery, but I do not have yet a perspective to get back in to the competitions with him," said Pinto in March. "Our main priority is to make sure Santurion is a healthy and happy athlete before we introduce any pressure from competitions."

His reintroduction finally came at the national show in Portugal on 13 June 2020. The pair scored a winning 69.42%.

"What a roller-coaster of emotions," Pinto took to Facebook after his win. "We are simply over the moon, as we accomplished our mission to have Santurion de Massa back to compete in Grand Prix level. After 2 years of recovery, it is with humbleness that we dare to dream big and bring Santurion back where he belongs: the competition stage! Even after a victoryn we are aware there is still a long way to go! But the simple fact that we can live again these moments makes all worth it!"