Lisbon, Portugal (August 11, 2011) – Dr. Paulo Gavião Gonzaga, the founder of Interagro Lusitanos, the largest exporter of Lusitano horses in the world, was honored at the 23rd International Festival of Pureblood Horses in Lisbon, Portugal. Dr. Gonzaga was recognized for his extensive promotion of the Lusitano breed in the United States and Latin America at the festival, which attracted thousands of people and breeders from all over the world.
Arsênio Raposo Cordeiro, an international judge of morphology who is considered one of the leading authorities on the Lusitano breed and author of The Lusitano Horse – The Son of the Wind, acknowledged that Dr. Gonzaga is thought of as a “trailblazer” for Lusitanos. During the emotional tribute, Cordeiro and the audience applauded Dr. Gonzaga on his many years of excellent service to the breed.
“We owe much to him in the promotion of the breed in the United States and Latin America. We owe Dr. Gonzaga for his preservation of the breed in a difficult time, when there was an equine epidemic. At that time, Dr. Gonzaga had the foresight to prevent an impending disaster by acquiring groups of mares which he took to his ranch in Brazil, thus creating a Noah’s Ark of salvation for the Lusitanian breed. We can never forget what he did for the Lusitano horse,” Cordeiro said.
Dr. Gonzaga was extremely honored by the tribute and said the victory of preserving and promoting the Lusitano breed was a victory for all. “It was not the megalomania of a crazy Brazilian, but was actually a very well thought out plan,” Dr. Gonzaga said of his importation of Lusitanos to his Brazilian farm. “In the ‘70s many Brazilian horse lovers acknowledged that there was a gap in Brazil. The largest Portuguese speaking country had great horse breeds, but there was not a purebred Lusitano. And considering the strength of the Portuguese traditions, so deeply rooted in Brazilian society, that needed to be corrected. We thought that this wouldn’t get done with single imports, but would require a large number of mares coming to Brazil. And so it we did it. By the end of the 1980s, the horses began to emerge and now dominate the Brazilian equestrian world, which fills us with pride.”
Dr. Gonzaga founded Interagro Lusitanos in 1975 in an effort to preserve the Lusitano breed. He started with a small band of four mares and one stallion imported to Brazil from the breed’s native Portugal. In addition to serving as the President of the Brazilian Association of Lusitano Horse Breeders for many years, Dr. Gonzaga has written two highly regarded books: The Lusitano Horse – Basic Lineages and A History of the Horse.
Today, Dr. Gonzaga’s daughter, Cecilia Gonzaga, manages Interagro and the state-of-the-art 1,200-acre ranch outside of São Paulo is home to 700 of the finest Lusitanos in the world. In addition to their fabulous breeding program, Interagro’s Lusitano horses have proven they are highly competitive in the show world, and are now successfully competing and winning on four continents.
Interagro Lusitanos also hosts two annual auctions, the Lusitano Collection International Horse Auction, featuring a world-class selection of Interagro’s best Lusitanos, which gives buyers a unique opportunity to evaluate, experience and purchase top-quality horses. The auction has been held both in the United States, where buyers have the opportunity to purchase their dream horse without the complications of importation and quarantine, and at Interagro in Brazil, giving buyers a peak into the world-famous farm. The National Lusitano Auction is also held annually at Interagro Farm, an auction that features mainly yearling Lusitanos and a few young horses under saddle. Interagro has held 20 National Auctions, introducing their magnificent horses to people from around the world.
For more information on Dr. Gonzaga and Interagro Lusitanos, visit their website at www.lusitanocollection.com.
About Interagro Lusitanos
Founded in 1975 by Dr. Paulo Gavião Gonzaga to preserve the Lusitano breed, Interagro Lusitanos is now recognized as the world’s largest breeder and exporter of Lusitano horses. Dr. Gonzaga started with a small band of four mares and one stallion imported to Brazil from the breed’s native Portugal; to date nearly 800 horses populate the 1200-acre ranch outside São Paulo. Today, Cecilia Gonzaga manages the farm and operations. Interagro Lusitanos are handled, prepared, and evaluated from birth, with a handful of the best stock presented at auction each year. The annual Lusitano Collection International Horse Auction gives buyers a unique opportunity to evaluate, experience, and purchase top-quality Lusitano horses in the U.S., without the complications of importation and quarantine. Interagro Lusitano horses are now successfully competing, and winning, on four continents.
For more information contact:
Johnny Robb – JRPR, Inc.
561-753-4608
jrpr@mac.com