Historic Achievement: Mantovani's Escorial Approved by Germany’s Four Leading Studbooks

Lusitano

The renowned Lusitano stallion and Olympic dressage horse, Mantovani's Escorial, has received unprecedented recognition as Germany's four most influential studbooks have all approved him for breeding.

The Westfalen, Oldenburg, Rhinelander, and DSP studbook has all licensed Escorial (by Spartacus x Jiboia by Edo) to be used on their mares.

"This achievement solidifies his status as the most celebrated Lusitano of his time," said proud owner Thiago Mantovani. "Escorial is renowned for his exceptional achievements in sport and breeding and now that this has also been recognized in Germany it marks a groundbreaking moment for the Lusitano breed within the elite European breeding community."

Breeding the Future Sport Horse

With Escorial’s recent approval by these influential German breeding associations, breeders can now incorporate Escorial's bloodlines into the warmblood lines, creating horses uniquely suited to today’s dressage demands.

His lineage promises a new standard of dressage horse: one that balances the warmblood’s size and frame with a newfound mastery in the piaffe and other gathered movements. This shift has the potential to redefine the sport, introducing horses with the structural and athletic qualities of warmbloods but the enhanced capability in collected exercises.

Blending the Best of Two Worlds

Thiago Mantovani bought flagship stallion
Escorial in 2020

Escorial’s acceptance into these prestigious German studbooks marks a pivotal moment in dressage breeding. Known for their size, strength, and power, German warmbloods have dominated the sport, excelling in strength and lengthening demanding movements like extended trot and canter.

However, Escorial’s bloodlines bring a unique advantage: his offspring possess a natural aptitude for collection, enabling them to perform demanding exercises such as piaffe, passage, and pirouettes with greater ease and finesse. This fusion creates an unparalleled dressage prospect—athletic and graceful, powerful and collected.

The Journey of Escorial: A New Kind of Champion

Escorial’s rise to prominence began when he was acquired by Thiago Mantovani in 2020.

“I believed in Escorial from the start and it’s clear now it was the best choice I could have made. Watching his journey unfold, with all these victories, has been incredibly rewarding," said Thiago.

Under Mantovani’s management and under the saddle of Brazalian Olympian Joao Marcari Oliva, Escorial has not only broken records but also redefined the potential of dressage horses.

Double win for Escorial at the 2021
CDI Oldenburg

In 2021, he represented his breed at the Tokyo Olympics, showcasing exceptional precision in the collected movements. That same year, his triumph in Oldenburg as the first Lusitano victory in the competition ring demonstrated his ability to rule amonst warmbloods.

"He set a new standard for dressage horses: one that goes beyond tradition and embraces versatility and skill in both strength and finesse," Mantovani explained.

A New Legacy in Breeding

In addition to his competitive accomplishments, Escorial has proven himself a powerful sire, passing on conformation and temperament ideal for modern dressage demands.

His offspring, like Nuelo and Orion, have begun to emerge on the international stage, demonstrating athletic prowess along with an exceptional aptitude for collection. They both competed at the World Young Horse Championships in Ermelo.

This blend of Escorial’s genetics with traditional warmblood lines presents an exciting shift: a new generation of horses that are not only strong and agile but also better suited to perform intricate gathered movements with ease.

Mantovani Horses' team trainer Norbert
van Laak with Escorial's Westfalian
approval paper

"I am impressed when I see the foals born in 2024 from Escorial’s lineage, including crosses with lines like Sandro Hit, Vitalis, Apache, Springbank, De Niro, Negro, and Sezuan. Now, I’m very eager to see the results in 2025 from breeding Escorial with other lines, such as Glamourdale, Dynamic Dreams, and the various warmblood lines we’ve acquired in mares, like Valverde, Viva Gold, and others," Thiago explained. "It’s also impressive to see the crosses with his son, Nuelo, who is proving to be an outstanding sire as well. We have produced many embryos and have many mares pregnant from these crosses, and we’re excited to see the results.”

Redefining Dressage Standards

This historic approval sets the stage for a new era in dressage breeding. With Escorial’s genetic influence, breeders have a path to a new breed of dressage horse with an athleticism for the full range of dressage movements hopefully executed with unprecedented elegance and efficiency.

"This evolution not only expands the possibilities for competitive dressage but also enriches the genetic diversity and versatility within the sport," said Mantovani.

Discover Escorial online at www.mantovanihorses.com or come and meet him and his offspring in person at the yard in Portugal.

-- press release