Today the Lusitano horse Nilo VO, that qualified for the OIympics with the brazilian rider Rogério Clementino, did not pass the second vetcheck at the equestrian olympic complex Sha Tin, in Hong Kong.
For the horse owner, the brazilian Lusitano breeder Victor Oliva, Rogério and the whole team it was of course a great disapointment. “We are deeply sad. We have done a serious work along the last three years and that is why I want to thank everybody that took part of it, especially our coach Johan Zagers and vetenerian Neimar Roncati ”, said Oliva.
“Now we wll support Luiza Tavares de Almeida and Leandro Aparecido da Silva that will certainly do a good job with their Lusitano horses. With their talent and dedication, Rogério and Nilo VO were the great stars of this olympic dream. This is the beginning of a greater plan. Tomorrow when we will be less upset, we will start our olympic program London 2012.”
The brazilian dressage team chef Salim Nigri and the brazilian oficial veterianan Thomas Wolf did not agree with the decision of the veterinary vetcheck commitee. “Rogério é a very special person and rider. His horse Nilo VO indeed did not present himself at the first vetcheck yesterday.
At the second vetcheck, he looked really better and in our assessment he was in a condition to compete”, said Nigri. For the brazilian veterinary Wollf, “the withdrawal of Nilo was a suprise not only for us brazilians, but also for other delegations. Nobody expected Nilo to fail the vet check. Unfortunetly its a final decision.”
This could have been the first brazilian dressage team to take part at the Olympic Games. Now the country will be representad individually by Luiza Tavares de Almeida riding the Samba and Leandro Aparecido da Silva with Oceano do Top.