Tiago Ferreira on Road to EYC St. Margarethen With Qualification Clinched at 2024 CDI Jerez

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2024 CDI Jerez de la Fronter

Portuguese young rider Tiago Ferreira has put himself on the road to the 2024 European Young Riders Championships by clinching his fourth and final qualification score as first rider to do so for Portuguese team selection this year.

Ferreira has headed to the Real Escuala in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, for two back-to-back CDI. Last week he clinched two out of three victories and this week he pocketed two second places right on the heels of Spaniard Bruno Cid.

Target St. Margarethen

Despite his young age, 19-year old Ferreira recently made the step to become a full-time rider, running his own training business with his coach and partner Roberto Brasil at Equiminho, in Barcelos, Portugal.

In order to gain more mileage and experience at FEI level, MFI Group acquired triple European Youth Championship participant Diamo Dream, a 13-year old Oldenburg gelding (by Diamo Gold x Fürst Heinrich) in Denmark.

Armed with a long-term vision to climb up to the highest rungs in the sport, Tiago has set the European Young Riders Championships in St. Margarethen, Austria, as the season's target. For Portuguese team selection rider needs to achieve four minimum 66% scores at CDI level and by the start of March the driven Tiago has accomplished that standard.

From Cascais to Jerez

Tiago and Diamo Dream first tested the waters at a national show on 13 - 14 January 2024, where they posted 70.074% and 71.544%. Their CDI debut followed in Cascais on 17 - 18 February where they placed second and fourth.

The pair truly found a connection at their second CDI in Jerez de la Frontera, where they won the team test with 68.088% and the Kur with 72.455%. In the individual test they were fourth with 67.353%.

"Diamo was amazing," said Ferreira. "He gave everything he had. The first day was a clean round and we had a personal best, in the freestyle we both went all in and it paid off." Ferreira rode to music by Ed Sheeran and Avicii.

Yesterday and today at the second leg of the CDI Jerez they were second twice with 66.422% in the team test and a personal best of 69.510% in the individual test, a hair's breadth behind Bruno Cid on the 11-year old 10-year old Fernando (by Furstenball x Weltmeyer). In Jerez Tiago bagged his four required scores for Portuguese Young Riders' team selection.

Proud Trainer

Roberto Brasil is thrilled that his student accomplished the qualification standard for Portugal early in the season.

"From his five rides in Jerez so far, he won twice and got two second places with two personal bests. I am beyond proud," said Brasil about the budding partnership. "They have only been together for three months, believe it or not, and are still getting to know one another."

With Tiago now qualified for Portuguese team selection, Brasil will turn his attention to MFI Group's recently acquired stallion Revolution as an Olympic hopeful for 2024.

"We need time together. He is the horse of a life time and we have to make sure we know one another 100% before we go out full power. It will happen when the time is right. I don’t want pressure myself into getting results fast, which I did when I got him in my barn. I realized I need to enjoy the moment and I will take one day at a time with one thing always in my head: the most important thing is Revo being sound and, above all, happy."