After months of qualifying competitions and focusing on their goal of representing Brazil as members of the national dressage team for the up-coming World Equestrian Games, Luiza, Pedro and Manuel Tavares de Almeida will finally write themselves into equestrian history. They will be the first national team to include three siblings at international championship level when they enter the dressage arena for Normandy 2014 in Caen, France.
In the past, three Canadian sisters were selected to the Freestyle ski team for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, and a trio of siblings represented the USA in Taekwondo in Beijing 2008, but never before in equestrian sport.
Luiza Tavares de Almeida is already no stranger to setting precedents as she became the youngest ever Olympic equestrian competitor at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong.
Similarly, ‘Manu’ and Pedro have the unique distinction of being identical twins – a rare phenomenon in world-class sporting achievements.
As part of their program of consistent improvement, and rather than remain at home for the final qualifying competition in the Brazilian selection series, Luiza, Manu and Pedro decamped to Germany with their horses at the beginning of June. They based themselves with their trainer, Dolf Keller, for weeks of intensive schooling in order to consolidate team selection on the European circuit, specifically at the international dressage competition in Deauville, little more than a stone’s throw from the WEG host city of Caen in Normandy.
As usual, Luiza competed with her trusty servent, Pastor (a Lusitano stallion currently ranked #117 on the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses global list), while Pedro and Manuel were in the saddles of their regular partners, Samba and Viheste, respectively. Since his arrival in mid-June at Dolf Keller’s Luhmühlen training yard, Manuel has focused on Viheste’s trot work and his forward movement, explaining that “we help each other with all six horses,” including two youngsters that are prospects for the 2016 Olympic Games.
Pedro, who took over the ride on Samba from his sister, Luiza, has focused more on the test components, “so I can get better scores from the details of the movements. Samba’s trot has improved significantly since he arrived in Germany. He is very relaxed, with great amplitude and impulsion.” A very ‘feeling’ rider, Pedro admitted “my riding has become more professional since we’ve been working with our coach every day. I believe we must always listen to our horses in order to develop a healthy relationship.” Pedro has also been riding one of the young Olympic prospects, Baluarte do Mito.
Meanwhile, Edneu Senhorini, Rocas do Vouga’s professional stable jockey who rides the home-bred Xaparro do Vouga, was confirmed as the team’s reserve rider. Therefore, four out of the five selected riders represent the same stud farm, and all will be riding stallions representing the same Lusitano studbook.
The Brazilian dressage team will open its account at the World Equestrian Games in the D’Ornano Stadium, Caen, Normandy on the first Grand Prix day, Monday, August 25.
At this time, the Rocas do Vouga team is also delighted to announce the signing of a new sponsorship deal which has seen its riders elevated to the status of Euro-Star™ VIPs. For at least the coming year they will all be outfitted in the top-quality garments for which this Germany company has become well known since 1959.