Upper Marlboro, MD – June 28, 2011 – On June 25, 2011, Sons of the Wind School of Equestrian Arts joined the talented performers during the PVDA’s Ride for Life at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. Sons of the Wind showcased the versatility of the Lusitano breed with athletic airs above the ground and a traditional quadrille during the 2011 Dancing Horse Challenge. This annual event is a premier dressage show and breast cancer benefit where all proceeds fund quality of life and breast cancer research at the Johns Hopkins Avon Foundation Breast Center.
Sons of the Wind kicked off the evening with a Haute Ecole/Longline Performance. Vitor Silva led his Lusitano partner through the dressage movements of the piaffe and the passage. They then demonstrated the incredible aires above the ground with the levade and the capriole for the captivated audience.
Later in the night, Sons of the Wind entered the ring with four new Lusitano mounts that arrived from Brazil just one month ago for the Portuguese Riding School Quadrille. The horses and riders wore traditional Portuguese costumes during the quadrille, and easily made their way through the movements after a successful exhibition at the Pride of Portugal Lusitano Festival on June 4, 2011.
“I think both of the performances went very well, especially since the horses we were riding are so young,” commented Silva at the end of the night. “This event is fantastic because it shows the diversity of the sport and the breeds, and it is an excellent opportunity for the spectators to see the different disciplines. There is not one that is easier than the other; they all require a great deal of hard work and dedication.”