Tag Archives: Pia Aragao

Interagro Lusitanos Honored at Troféu Eficiência 2015

Zepelim Interagro, winner of the 2015 Troféu Eficiência, competing at the Global Dressage Festival in 2015 (Photos courtesy of Interagro Lusitanos)

Baldor Interagro and Pia Aragão Sweep Small Tour at CDI3* Sao Paulo

Itapira, Sao Paulo, Brazil (March 22, 2016) – From national rankings to CDI victory, Interagro Lusitanos built upon its already decorated history of show ring success over a banner weekend in late March of 2016. Multiple Interagro horses were honored for their performances in 2015 at the Troféu Eficiência, a regionally focused, yearly ranking that encompasses the entire state of Sao Paulo, while Brazilian and Swedish rider Pia Aragão swept the Small Tour at a the CDI3* Sao Paulo with Baldor Interagro, demonstrating their prowess in the upper echelons of international dressage.

Organized and presented by the governing equestrian federation of the state of Sao Paulo, the Troféu Eficiência ranking encompasses six equestrian disciplines and a variety of categories and levels. For the dressage ranking, which incorporates a minimum of 4 competitions, scores from horse and rider partnerships are averaged and ranked over the course of the year, with the highest being honored and recognized as exceptional through the Troféu Eficiência. Of Troféu Eficiência 2015’s 13 categories, 11 were presented to Lusitanos. Of that 11, horses bred by Interagro won two of the rankings: the Grand Prix and 5-Year-Old Division, highlighting the range and talent of the farm’s equine athletes.

Zepelim Interagro, bred and owned by Interagro Lusitanos and ridden by Pia Aragão, was in the limelight during the ceremonies with the highest combined average in the Grand Prix division. The elegant grey stallion (Quinárius Interagro x Ordenada Interagro) has also earned the top Brazilian national ranking in the Grand Prix, and will be officially presented with the award in May. The partnership of Zepelim and Aragão is well known to the Troféu Eficiência, as in 2013 Aragão and Zepelim were presented with the Sao Paulo ranking for the Small Tour, and as a young horse the talented stallion won the prize as both a 5- and 6-year-old. Aragão has also been the recipient of the Troféu Eficiência ranking many times with various horses at various levels, including Baldor Interagro, Vade Mecum Interagro, and Nirvana Interagro. Finório Interagro (Quixote Interagro x Altamira Interagro), ridden by Sara Godoy for Haras Crystal, won the FEI 5-Year-Old division, highlighting the talented young horse’s skills in dressage.

Baldor Interagro and Pia Aragão competing at the 2015 Global Dressage Festival
Baldor Interagro and Pia Aragão competing at the 2015 Global Dressage Festival

“It is always an honor to win the Troféu Eficiência, and to be recognized for your accomplishments in this art and for your knowledge of the sport,” said Aragão. “Zepelim had a great year in 2015, scoring the highest in our Grand Prix Freestyle, and I’m looking forward to continuing to develop him in 2016.” Aragão bookended the honor of receiving 2015’s Troféu Eficiência with three days of victory at the CDI3* Sao Paulo with Baldor Interagro. The pair swept the Small Tour with scores through 68% in the Prix St. Georges, Intermediaire I, and Intermediaire I Freestyle. Fresh off a long summer break, Baldor stepped right back into the show arena in winning form despite only 5 Small Tour starts in 2015 and a season of breeding in Brazil. “Because he had such a long time out of the international competition arena, he was a bit fresh and lost his concentration the first day,” said Aragão. “But in general he was fantastic to ride, with the mind, athleticism, and movement to be a competitor at this high level of dressage. My goals going forward are to build on this with the end result of increasing our scores and producing more wins.”

With over 40 years of experience breeding, training, and exporting Lusitanos, Interagro’s mission is to preserve the exceptional bloodlines and qualities of the breed while showcasing their talent, beauty, and intelligence, especially in the FEI and sport horse disciplines. Established in 1975 by Dr. Paulo Gavião Gonzaga, Interagro’s initial vision was to preserve and restore the original foundational Lusitano bloodlines and lineages, many of which were in danger of extinction following the Portuguese Revolution of 1974. Through meticulous breeding, exceptional care, and world-class training, the Interagro Lusitanos of today continue that legacy as they compete across four continents.

For more information on Interagro Lusitanos, to view their horses for sale, or the Lusitano bloodlines, visit Interagro’s website at www.lusitano-interagro.com or follow them on Facebook. To organize a trip to Brazil or for any questions regarding sales or the logistics of importing horses to the US, contact their US Sales Representative, Peter van Borst at 817 368 5914.

Media Contact:
Holly Johnson
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
holly@equinium.com
954 205 7992

Interagro Trainer Pia Aragao Takes Success Well in Stride

Zepelim Interagro. (Photo courtesy of Ana Claudia Souza)

Itapira, Brazil (January 20, 2014) – When Interagro Lusitanos trainer Pia Aragao says 2013 was a ‘fairly good year’ for her, it is with the same mastery of understatement that she applies to her dressage.  And like any true horsewoman, she’ll also credit any of her achievements to her four-legged partners – Baldor Interagro, Cezanne Interagro, Vade Mecum Interagro and Zepelim Interagro – first.

Aragao’s star power shone through over the last season thanks to her upper-level partners, FEI Small Tour mount, Zepelim Interagro, and Grand Prix horse, Vade Mecum.

To the charismatic grey, Zepelim, she owes the most: “To start, I was appointed, together with a dozen riders, to the Brazilian teams Long List in preparation for the Pan Am and Olympic Games. I won the State Championship with Zepelim and was second at the National Championship. We were the best combination to qualify for the Brazilian team for Odesur.” Odesur, or the South American Dressage Championships, are March 8-11, 2014 in Quilotta, Chile.

“Zepelim was named third in the yearly horse rankings with our national (CBH) federation. After Chile, he will return to Brazil and continue training for Grand Prix. Hopefully he can start in a local class by the end of the year and be Grand Prix competitive by 2015.”

Baldor Interagro. (Photo courtesy of Ana Claudia Souza)
Baldor Interagro. (Photo courtesy of Ana Claudia Souza)

Until then, she’s justly proud of the consistent scores her current Grand Prix horse, Vade Mecum Interagro, keeps turning in.  “He has placed in every Grand Prix start and always well over 60%.  Our best result was 65.90% in our Freestyle at the CDI3* Expo, where we placed second.”

She also praises her grey Third Level mount, Baldor Interagro, with “amazing” quality. In 2013, “He won all classes he started in with no less than 66% and was National Champion at Third Level. “The plan is to reach Prix St George ready to compete in the FEI World Challenge in October. He’s a horse I’d like to have ready for the road to the Pan Ams in 2015,” said Aragao.

Looking ready to graduate to Third Level with Aragao next is Cezanne Interagro: “We did a few classes in Sao Paulo and he won them all. He also won the Medium Level class at the FEI World Challenge,” said Aragao.  FEI World Challenges give riders who, under normal circumstances cannot take part in international competitions and live in more remote countries, the opportunity to compete internationally without having to leave their own country.

With such solid success across levels, it’s no wonder that others are eager to entrust their equine talent with her, too. One of the most thrilling transformations of the year has been watching Aragao take a 10-year-old Swedish Warmblood, Blåeld, owned by Sandra Lourenço, from First Level back in April 2013 to winning the Prix St Georges at the FEI world Challenge. “He was second in the Brazilian year-end rankings for Fourth Level,” she said.  “I’m looking forward to the future with all of my horses and the best plan is to be as well prepared as possible. So many things can happen. I will only take one step at a time.”

Vade Mecum Interagro. (Photo courtesy of Ana Claudia Souza)
Vade Mecum Interagro. (Photo courtesy of Ana Claudia Souza)

About Interagro Lusitanos

Founded in 1975 by Dr. Paulo Gavião Gonzaga to preserve the Lusitano breed, Interagro Lusitanos is 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, and since that first generation has produced more than 2,185 Lusitanos. Today, 450 horses populate Interagro’s 1200-acre, six-barn showplace ranch (which has appeared on the covers of 21 international magazines). In 2009, Interagro was recognized as ABPSL ‘Lusitano Breeder of the Year.’

To learn more about Interagro Lusitanos and upcoming auctions and events, please visit www.lusitano-interagro.com.

Contact Johnny Robb, JRPR
(561) 753-4608
johnnyrobb@mac.com