The Portuguese equestrian federation (FEP) has announced the team that will represent Portugal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Team trainer Kyra Kyrklund made her recommendation to the head selector, Bruno Rente, the FEP president.
The team includes
- João Moreira - Furst Kennedy Old
- Maria Caetano - Hit Plus
- Rita Ralão - Irão
- reserve 1: António do Vale - Fine Fellow
- reserve 2: Jeannette Jenny - Damasco
"FEP decided to call up a 2nd reserve member, who has been following the preparation plan for the Olympic Games, thus making FEP better prepared to face any eventuality that may occur in the period between this call-up and departure for the Olympic Games," FEP communicated.
Kyrklund told Eurodressage that short listed rider Nuno Palm e Santos (Fortunity) was offered the (reserve) spot, but the rider declined.
"We took that decision because of the young age of Fortunity. He is still not mature enough and we think it would all be to challenging," said Nuno and his wife Antonia Palma e Santos. They added, “he wouldn’t have cancelled for a team spot, but to bring a young horse as a reserve doesn’t make too much sense. And the points were not strong enough-so better to develop and make it better. We tried, but never with it being the only goal. We said from the beginning, that we will see, what the horse offers.”
The team and the first reserve will be the combinations that travel to the Games in Paris. They will be captained by António Frutuoso de Melo and assisted by team vet Bruno Miranda.
Photo © Astrid Appels
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