Maria Caetano Expecting First Child, Eyes on 2022 World Championships in Herning

Dressage

Portugal

For Portuguese Olympian Maria Caetano the year 2021 has been one of dreams coming true. Not only did she fulfil her Olympic goal by competing at the Olympics in Tokyo and placing 8th with the Portuguese team, but she is also expecting her first child.

The 34-year old Maria is three months pregnant with the baby due in February 2022.

Father of the child is Maria's life partner Antonio Gomes Pereira, who is also connected with the sport world, but through football.

Olympic Dream with Fenix de Tineo

Like any ambitious sports athlete the Olympic Games are the ultimate goal. For Maria, the 2021 Tokyo Olympics were special as they became the culmination of life-long work. She rode the home trained Lusitano stallion Fenix de Tineo onto the centerline of the Baji Koen equestrian centre in her first Olympics in Tokyo 2.5 months pregnant with her baby.

Maria and Fenix de Tineo at the Olympics

The 11-year old Fenix de Tineo (by Rubi AR x Oheide), bred and owned by Juan Manuel Cordeiro, she nurtured and developed from novice to Grand Prix level herself.

The pair won the Portuguese Young Horse Championships in 2015 and 2016, represented the Lusitano breed at the 2017 World Young Horse Championships in Ermelo, won the Intermediaire I at the 2017 CDI Munich, and international medium tour classes in Toledo, Segovia, Lisbon, and Alter do Chao, before moving to Grand Prix level in 2019. At the 2021 CDIO Compiegne Portugal placed second in the FEI Nations' Cup.

Maria achieved her Olympic diploma in Tokyo by placing 8th with the team in the Grand Prix Special. They posted 70.311% in the Grand Prix.

A New Future, New Goals

Maria will be skipping the 2021 European Dressage Championships in Hagen, Germany, on 6 - 12 September 2021 as she wants to slow down the pace of riding, eagerly awaiting the birth of her baby.

Maria and Antonio expect their first child together

"I’ll keep on riding softly at home, and my father and my assistant Carolina Oliveira will keep my horses in shape," Maria told Eurodressage. "I’m planning to come back in the ring soon enough to prepare for the 2022 World Championships in Herning."

Maria will have several irons in the fire for 2022: the young and developing GP horse Fenix de Tineo, her more mature and confirmed GP ride, 14-year old Lusitano stallion Coroado (by Rubi AR x Xaqiero), who has recovered from an injury, as well as her two rising hopes, 9-year olds Lusitano cross breds Happy Plus (by Bretton Woods x Rubin Royal) and Hit Plus (by Bretton Woods x Peralta Pinha).