October 16, 2008
The 2009 Lusitano Collection Gallops into Florida this Winter
By Susan Apple
During the weekend of February 19-20, 2009, members of the
equestrian community and South Florida social scene will
gather at the 111-acre Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in
Wellington, FL, for the second annual Lusitano Collection
Auction. The prestigious event will indulge guests with lavish
cocktails and a gala dinner, courtesy of The Lusitano
Collection. A portion of the proceeds from the auction will
benefit the American Cancer Society and the Jim Brandon
Equestrian Center.
Guests may view and examine over two dozen horses during the
week prior to the auction as well as shop at various sponsors’
tents. The Lusitano Collection made its United States debut in
Wellington during the world-renowned Winter Equestrian
Festival in March, 2008, when buyers came to the Sunshine
State from as far as California, Texas Connecticut, Mexico,
Colombia, Belgium, Denmark and Guatemala. It was the first
time that such a collection of Lusitanos had been sold on U.S.
soil and gave clients the advantage of acquiring horses that
are not available elsewhere in the world without the necessity
of importing them either from Portugal or Brazil. While the
Lusitano Collection is a trademark created by five premiere
world breeders of the Lusitano horse, this year’s collection
will only include horses from Interagro Farms, the largest
Lusitano breeder and exporter in the world and Coudelaria
Rocas do Vouga of Brazil.
Dr. Paulo Gaviao Gonzaga, who founded Interagro in 1975,
oversees the breeding and training of 700 horses on his
historic coffee plantation outside Sao Paulo. He is assisted
by his daughter, Cecilia Gonzaga, who heads the stud farm
which consists of 20 stallions, many of whom are actively
competing successfully in dressage.
Prior to the auction, the horses’ rigorous training is
initiated under the expert guidance of Director Maurício
Delucchi Borrelli and Swedish-born Pia Aragão, Brazilian
Dressage Champion. “The objective of our work in the Picadeiro
is to have all of our animals achieve international standards
of dressage,” said Borelli. “We seek to produce a horse
capable of performing whatever activity his owner wants him
to. I want people to see our horses and dream of riding them.
I want the horses we sell in auction to be ridden safely and
trouble-free by anyone anywhere in the world.”
Aragão added, “Before a horse is chosen for the auction, it
must be disease-free, have its legs x-rayed, pass a
pre-purchase exam and be evaluated for ride-ability and
quality.”
She noted that the four- and five-year old horses that travel
to the U.S. for auction have lovely ground manners, load well
and could easily compete in dressage at the novice level.
The breed is well known for its exceptional performance in all
equestrian disciplines so it is no surprise that Lusitanos
from Interagro have been exported to nine countries and
trained in jumping, dressage, driving, and even as cutting
horses. The Collection presents horses under saddle and
includes a selection of geldings and a limited number of
mares.
Dr. Gonzaga noted, “Recently rediscovered, the Lusitano horse
has re-acquired the prestige it enjoyed in the past centuries
as one of the best saddle horses in the world.”
For more information about the 2009 Lusitano Collection
Auction, which is open to the public for a fee, call Susan
Apple or Mallory McQuail at (305) 937-1581.
About Lusitano Horses
Native to the Iberian Peninsula, the Lusitano was domesticated
sometime around 5,000 BC by a nation of warriors who fought on
horseback. As their lives depended entirely on their horse’s
temperament and reliability, the Lusitanians selected a noble,
easy-to-ride horse, famous for its intelligence and
willingness to work. These qualities allowed for the
development of modern equestrian sports and contributed to the
exceptional performance of the Lusitanos in all disciplines,
which created an ever-growing demand for the Lusitano. Its
possession has since become a symbol of status.
