And they’ll be drawing on generations of experience with a variety of breeds and disciplines when they host the Pan American Games.

When the words “Brazil” and “equestrian” are combined in one sentence, most people think Nelson and Rodrigo Pessoa, two of international show jumping’s superstars, past and present.

And while Brazilians certainly hold their own in this international sport, thanks to their Portuguese ancestry, no place in the world eclipses Brazil in terms of Lusitano breeding.

With the Pan American Games being hosted by Rio de Janeiro, from July 13-29, the spotlight of the equestrian world will focus on Brazil.

Brazil is famous for its stallions and broodmares, dressage horses that exemplify all the qualities of this Baroque breed, and pleasure horses that demonstrate the calm disposition coveted by riders of every age
and ability.

During the last week in May, the Brazilian Association For Pure-Bred Lusitano Horses staged the XXVI International Lusitano Expo, São Paulo, an event with more than 300 Lusitanos demonstrating their paces in-hand and in the dressage ring (from elementary to Intermediaire II), as well as in show jumping, working equitation, a driving concours d’elegance and a stallion approval.

Five stallions were presented for approval to three Brazilian judges: Davi Carrano, Neimar Roncati and Orpheu de Souza Avila Jr. All five were first presented under saddle in the main arena, then in hand by their riders. Scoring 72.5 points, the 5-year-old Xeique do Bosque, ridden by Brazilian-based Japanese dressage rider Samira Vemura, came out on top thanks in part to his phenomenal walk. The compact bay, bred and owned by Jose Carlos Macedo Dos Santos, is by Estupendo II out of Mirage AD (Golega WR).
 
Dressage entries increased nearly 30 percent over last year, representative of this discipline’s growing popularity in Brazil. The open elementary and medium categories for horses of all ages were the most competitive in terms of numbers, although the Intermediaire I and II, held under evening floodlights
in the main arena, naturally attracted the largest crowd.

Nilo V.O. (Visir), ridden by Rogério Silva Clementino, topped the Intermediaire II. The 13-year-old gray was light on the forehand, producing some good extended trot sequences. Lusitanos are naturally blessed with the ability to reproduce wonderful pirouettes, and Nilo was no exception, so the pair finished nearly 5 percentage points ahead of his nearest rivals with 66.25 percent.
 
Overall, as the enthusiasm for dressage continues to grow among Brazilian Lusitano breeders and riders, they’ll benefit from continuing training and experience. The exposure to the dressage at the Pan American Games is certainly yet another tool for them to employ. It’s hoped that those who attend the Games in Rio de Janeiro will enjoy the same atmosphere of friendly rivalry and great sport as the Lusitano Festival in São Paulo.

Gauchos Abound
Rio de Janeiro, a modern city of 10 million people, is the kind of place where locals are more apt to take off to the beach rather than the stables, but the “Marvelous City” has its fair share of equestrian culture.
Only a few minutes away from Copa-cabana, one of the most densely populated neighborhoods on Earth, lies the Brazilian Equestrian Society, or SHB.

This 13-acre oasis houses a private club and top equestrian facility with a veterinary clinic and stalls for 377 horses. The SHB runs a riding academy as well as numerous schooling, open and international shows throughout the year, including a CSIO-W in October.

In the nearby neighborhood of Gávea, spectators and tourists flock to the historic Jockey Club. This racetrack, built in 1875, offers Thoroughbred flat racing four days a week. Gávea’s Jockey Club hosts the most prestigious race in the country, the Grand Prix of Brazil.

Even as the country modernizes, Brazilians remain fiercely proud of their equestrian heritage. Much like the American West, the icon of the Brazilian south is still the cowboy, or gaúcho, working cattle at huge ranches that span the southern grasslands of the country. Both rural and urban natives of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the traditional heart of cattle country, are nicknamed gaúchos.

Traditionally, gaúchos favor a native breed of horse known as the Crioulo, the modern descendant of the horses brought by the Spanish and Portuguese settlers to the New World in the 1500s. Crioulos are hardy, level-headed horses, renowned for their stamina as well as their ability to withstand extremes in heat and cold.

Over the last century the Brazilian horse community has pushed to refine and improve these strong but compact horses, which average about 14.1 hands. In an effort to reinforce the functional profile of the breed, the Brazilian Breeder’s Association established a Crioulo championship for stallions and mares in 1983. More than 1,000 Crioulos from Brazil and Uruguay vie for the championship, known as the “Freio de Ouro,” or Golden Bridle. The Golden Bridle has become one of the biggest equestrian events in South America and is broadcast nationwide.

Competitors qualify for the finals at a series of events held throughout the country. The classes test the individual’s suitability as a working cow horse, similar to an American rodeo. The finals take place in August in Rio Grande do Sul, and winning the event brings enormous prestige to one’s breeding operation.

In addition to their prowess as cattle horses, Crioulos have found a niche in the growing sport of endurance. Many proponents of the breed argue that the Crioulo’s extremely low basal metabolism makes the breed better suited than Arabians during longer races without supplemental feed.

Still, Arabians certainly remain popular choices for Brazil’s many endurance competitors. Endurance is the one of the most popular horse sports in Brazil, and the country hosts about nine international endurance events every year, as well as scores of smaller competitions. Just this year the Brazilian Young Riders team rode away with the team bronze medal at the Junior/Young Riders Endurance Championship held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The Young Riders team heads to Namibia later this summer to compete in the Africa Endurance Championships, but not before taking a shot at the Pan American and Open Endurance Championships, July 19-21. Although endurance is not technically a part of the Pan American Games, Brazil is hosting the CEI****/CEIJYR**** in Campinas, about a day’s drive from Rio de Janeiro, to attract top endurance riders from across the Americas.

A Bumpy Road
This isn’t the first time that Brazil has hosted a Pan American Games. In 1963, in São Paulo, the United States show jumping team, comprised of such luminaries as Mary Mairs/Tomboy, Kathy Kushner/ Unusual, Frank Chapot/San Lucas and William Steinkraus/Sinjon won team gold ahead of Argentina, with Mairs also standing as the individual gold medalist. On that occasion, six teams contested the Nations Cup.

In 2007, show jumping will be incredibly competitive, with three teams–Canada, Mexico and host nation Brazil—going head-to-head to earn a place on next year’s Olympic roster for which they have yet to qualify.
Unfortunately, not all of the focus on the Pan Am Games has been in a positive light—many people have misgivings about the organizing committee’s abilities that continue just a few short weeks ahead of the opening ceremony.

Others have voiced concerns about public safety at the various venues. The equestrian events are scheduled to take place inside a military facility on the outskirts of Rio, about a 20-minute drive—Brazilian time—from the main press center.

The Pan American Games issues notwithstanding, Brazil is a nation that can hold its own in equestrian sport, although it should be noted that the majority of its world-class show jumpers are European based.

This fact has fueled arguments between members of the Brazilian Equestrian Federation and the riders themselves with regard to the qualifying procedure, and although it’s been decided that Rodrigo Pessoa and Bernardo Alves would be automatically selected based on their world ranking status, the pair have so far declined to compete pending agreement that the shipping expenses for their horses from Europe would be paid in full. At press time, this issue remains unresolved.

Jean Llewellyn and Mollie Bailey

What About Rio?
Welcome to the city of warm sandy beaches, lush tropical rainforests, and “The Girl From Ipanema.” Brazilians love samba, soccer and passing time sipping ice-cold beer at many of the sidewalk cafes. The nightlife is sparkling.

Rio de Janeiro is a melting pot of Portuguese, Indian and African cultures. The city is squeezed in between the mountains and the sea, making it one of the most beautiful harbors in the world. The native language is Portuguese.

Rio consists of several zones: Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon are on the ocean and replete with shopping, restaurants and hotels. Centro is the downtown business and financial center of the city. The Barra da Tijuca is where many of the Pan American events will take place. It also borders the ocean but is considered more of a suburb. The equestrian venue is located in Deodoro in the North Zone (Zona Norte), which is approximately 20 minutes from the airport.

During the winter months (July, August and September), the average temperature is 70 degrees, and it rarely drops below 60. There may be some rain, and the air is very humid. In the summer (December, January and February), it’s very hot with temperatures in the 90s and 100s.

Travelers should remember their “street smarts” as they would in any big city. Like many major U.S. cities, people will ask for money, including children.

Driving in Rio is for the courageous and venturesome. Those who choose to rent a car when in Rio will need nerves of steel and a good sense of direction to cope with traffic that is fast and furious.    

Kem Barbosa