Arthur Kottas and Mariette Whittages in the same weekend!

This was a busy weekend!

First I had the chance to audit the Arthur Kottas-Heldenberg clinic here in Portugal. The Clinic took place in the Quinta de S. Miguel facilities, near Grândola.

We were kindly invited by the owners, and we spend a lovely day watching the great work of this worldwide famous rider and clinican.

Afterwards I went the Dressage Academy to watch another clinic, this time was another dressage "big name" Mariette Whittages, a number one Judge from the International Equestrian Federation.

Both were kind enough to share some of this views about Portugal, and our horses and riders, and about dressage in general.

I've got reports on both events, unfortunatly sitll just in portuguese.

Follow the links, and enjoy...

Arthur kottas: http://www.dressageportugal.pt/arthur-kottas-heldenberg-mais-uma-vez-em-portugal.html

Mariette Whittages: http://www.dressageportugal.pt/estagio-com-mariette-whitages-academia-de-dressage.html

And we're on!

DRESSAGE PORTUGAL is now available!!!!

Visit us at http://www.dressageportugal.com

The Portuguese version is now complete… and I guess that the English one will be ready in one or two days! I’ll let you know when, watch this space!

The first number highlight is the 30th anniversary of the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art, but we have lots of other interesting contents, like the technical article by the Olympic rider Miguel Ralão, and the report about the Alter Real Stud.

I also leave you with the clips we specially produced for this first number, and that I find particularly beautiful and interesting!

Enjoy!

Dressage Portugal 1st number preview :)

These last weeks I've been working like mad to produce the Dressage Portugal on-line magazine fist number contents.

The first number main article will focus the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art 30th anniversary and I believe that it is going to be a very interesting one!

I spend last afternoon taking some pictures of their show ant Queluz Palace gardens and I leave you some... just to start your appetite!

Available from 15th April at http://www.dressageportugal.com

News News News

Forgive me this extraordinary absence but I’ve been extremely busy on a very pleasant way and I’m just about to share with you the reasons of my happiness!

First ...

I just created an online dressage magazine about everything Dressage related in Portugal… so all the Lusitano and Portugal lovers... watch this space because there will be updates really really soon… and I can let you have a preview on the first number contents that I believe you will find very interesting ;)

This magazine is open to everyone critics, suggestions and contributions, so don’t exitate writing me if you would like to know more or take part on this project!

http://www.dressageportugal.com

http://www.dressageportugal.pt

Second...

I’ve got a loan horse… I’m not so horseless anymore!

Meet Xandu a 6 year old Lusitano x Thoroughbred cross:

He is a gentle big guy, with good paces and a natural willingness to jump!
I’ll try to keep frequent updates on our progress :)

Vejetal

Congratulations to Gonçalo Soares, aka my trainer, and Vejetal, a lovely 6 year old Lusitano from the Alter Real Stud, that won first place at the Elementary level with a brilliant 64,375 pts in the first days, upgrading to 66,667 pts in the second day!

This was the Vejetal’s first Dressage contest and besides his wonderful performance in the arena he was an absolute angel during the show.

Vejetal belongs to State owned Alter Real Foundation and is schooled by Gonçalo, rider from the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art, with the purpose of assessing his ability for Dressage competition and also to perform at the Portuguese School “Alta-escola” displays.

This will be a pair to watch from now on so I will try to publish frequent updates on their progress! For that I just created a new label "Gonçalo and Vejetal" that will be available on the web links column on the right side of the Blog.

More pics and a hopefully a video of their performance, will be added soon!

Rubi

Last weekend I had the pleasure to watch the first journey of the Portuguese Dressage Cup that took place on the new Dressage Academy, home of Portuguese Olympic Dressage Rider Daniel Pinto.

I had the excellent and always interesting guidance of my trainer and friend G that step by step helps me adding some more knowledge to my dressage wannabe bag. Thank you ;)

It was two great and long days with all levels of contests going from 8 am almost to midnight, with a permanent enthusiastic audience.

The Great Prix winner was the rider Gonçalo Carvalho riding the astonishing stallion Rubi (Lusitano from the Alter Real Stud), who’s performance fairly exceeded his closest competitors.

Rubi shows a superb ability for the collected movements, specially his remarkable Piaffe.

Unfortunately my camera is broken and I don’t have fancy pictures or movies to share :( so I leave you a clip of the winning pair captured during the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art performance, last November at the Golegã Horse Fair. A very interesting example of how classical riding and competitive dressage are compatible.

Olympia 2008

This year I decided to be my own Santa and treat me with a trip to London to watch the FEI Dressage World Qualifier!

I had a fantastic time with some great riding at the beautiful and lovely setting of the Olympia Arena.

Finally I managed to upload the clips and look at the zillions of pictures that my friend AG took of the GP and choose some to put here (see side bar)!

You also have the clips of Kyra Kyrklund and Max riding to their new music… a premiere at Olympia! They make such a joyful pair! And also the winning KUR performed by Adelinde Cornelissen!

Lorenzo – the flying French man (with their stunning Portuguese horses) was also thrilling and you can find many pictures on the lateral frame of the Blog!

Enjoy!

Adelinde and Parzival

Kyra and Max