The ballet of the working horse Wontem

A Lusitano display team is bound for London this Christmas. Briony Reed goes to Portugal for an insight into their preparations

THE sun warms an elegant rider in traditional short jacket and broad-brimmed hat, and her cremello mount, as they find their way with pinpoint precision through a working equitation course. They are en route to the young rider championship title at Ponte de Lima in Portugal – and at the end of the year, the pair will be part of a 10-strong display team showcasing the Lusitano horse’s beauty, skill and bravery at the London International Horse Show. The rider is Nicole Silva, the horse, Inca, a 10-year-old Lusitano stallion, and they will travel to the UK capital to perform the Pride of Portugal display at ExCeL.

The Lusitano has been renowned since Roman times indeed, its name originates from “Lusitania”, the ancient Roman name for Portugal. Physically striking horses, with characteristic convex profiles, powerful necks and hindquarters, they are agile and have a talent for collection. In the modern era, they have competed at Olympics, World Equestrian Games and European Championships as part of the Portuguese and Spanish dressage teams.

At 19, Nicole will be the youngest member of the display team, but it is not her first equestrian visit to the UK. She was on Portugal’s dressage team at the junior European Championships at Hartpury last year and her dressage trainer, Mafalda Galiza Mendes, will be another of those bringing this versatile equine to London this Christmas.

Mafalda has also competed internationally, at junior and young rider dressage Europeans. She took part in the most recent display in London, at Olympia in 2016, and knows well how their performance to music will display the Lusitano’s talents, in both body and brain.