Maria Moura Caetano won the Grand Prix title at the 2008 Portugal Dressage Championships, held at the Sociedade Hipica Portuguesa in Lisbon (Portugal), October 10-12, 2008 (Grand Prix 73,65%, GP Special 65,96% and Kür 67,08% = 206,69%) and grabbed her first national Seniors Title.
Aboard the 15 year old warmblood by Donerhall (PSI Collection – Kassellmann) Diamant 391, the 21 year old Maria claimed all three rounds and led with a 4,43% point difference to silver medallist Gonçalo Carvalho on the Lusitano Rubi (202,26%). Jorge Pereira finished in the bronze medal position with his Grand Prix horse Ofi das Lezírias (196,35%). Taran IV under Pedro Castro Monteiro was fourth (184,50%).
Maria, who is trained by her father Paulo Caetano, under the supervision of the German trainer Dolf Keller, rode her Kür to Music to “Applause” a composition created by Karen Robinson, designer of the Olympic freestyles.
This promising combination claimed last June at Ponte de Lima, the “Taça de Portugal”, an important achievement and certainly a first of many to come.
From a field of 12 participants in the various qualifying rounds along the year, only four managed to qualify for the Grand Finale. The scores attained by the four combinations were very close to each other and provided a good level of dressage to the many spectators that attended the Championships.
Results (12.10.08)
2008 Portugal's Dressage Championship
Sociedade Hípica Portuguesa – Lisbon
Seniors
Gold – Maria Moura Caetano – Diamant 391
Silver – Gonçalo Carvalho – Rubi
Bronze – Jorge Pereira – Ofi das Lezírias
Young Riders
Gold – Maria Paes do Amaral – Wonderman
Silver – Julio Fernandes – Saltitão
Juniors
Gold – Mafalda Galiza Mendes – D'Artagnan Owni
Silver – Catarina Kemper – Prima Dona
Bronze Rodrigo Galiza Mendes – Ne-Opus
Juveniles
Gold – Margarida Lisboa – Anke
Silver – Margarida Melo – Violino
Bronze – Carolina Mira – Jandiera
Beginners
Gold – Joana Carreira – Picasso
Silver – Tomás Morais com Risco
Bronze – Diogo Godinho com Lord Zeus
Paradressage
Gold – Sara Duarte – Neopolitana Murella