Joao Moreira Withdraws from 2024 Olympic Games, Do Vale Steps In

Dressage

Portugal

A big blow for the Portuguese Olympic dressage team. Joao Moreira has been forced to withdrawn after his horse, Furst Kennedy, suffered from inguinal hernio on Sunday evening 28 July 2024 and had to be operated on.

"The operation went well," Portuguese team trainer Kyra Kyrklund confirmed to Eurodressage. "Wow we just have to keep our fingers crossed the recovery goes well too."

Moreira was set to make his Olympic debut on Furst Kennedy, a 9-year old Oldenburg stallion by Fursten-Look x Don Kennedy, owned by the rider in partnership with Roberto Pedrosa.

This season the pair had a coming of age with successful starts and increasing scores at the CDI's in Le Mans, Aachen, Hagen and Jardy. At the latter event he scored the highest results of the season for Portugal with 74.304% in the Grand Prix.

Moreira and Furst Kennedy passed the horse inspection on Sunday morning 28 July with flying colours. Unfortunately in the evening the horse developed a colic and was immediately attended to by the veterinarians. He was diagnosed with inguinal hernia and was transported to the equine clinic where he was successfully operated on.

Shattered

"After yesterday's training Kennedy was perfect but when he was at the stables i noticed something strange," Moreira told Eurodressage. "He had an inguinal colic and unfortunately we need to go with an emergency ambulance to the clinic where he got surgery. It went ok and now we hope for his full recovery. We are shattered but he is obviously the most important thing and now the most important thing is that he fully recovers. He was so good but it was not meant to be this time."

Reserve Steps In

Portugal's reserve rider, Antonio do Vale and Fine Fellow H, a 13-year old Oldenburg by Furst Fugger x Epikur, will replace the pair in Paris. They passed the vet check on Sunday as well and can now officially substitute for Moreira.

Initially Team Portugal had appointed Nuno Palma e Santos on Fortunity S as the first reserve at the begining of July, but the German based rider declined to be reserve after having ridden the qualifiers for team selection this spring.