Wellington, Florida – Sunday, February 16, 2020 – The $230,000 Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup of the United States of America CSIO 5* last Sunday, during the Palm Beach Master Series®,  was more than just another leg of the FEI Nations Cup events that have been held at Deeridge Farms.

This year, to many riders and horses, it also meant the opportunity to prove themselves before the Chefs d’Equipe in hopes of being selected as one of the combinations to represent several nations in the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. That was exactly the case of the Brazilian team, managed by both Pedro Paulo Lacerda and Philippe Guerdat.

Alan Wade‘s (IRL) once again designed another masterpiece, a challenging but fair 1.60m two-round course that proved to be the ideal test for this purpose, one that only a few of the best showjumpers in the world would dare to face.

Eduardo Menezes (BRA) & Magnolia Mystic Rose

One combination stood out among the four representing the traditional country and they were: Eduardo Menezes and Magnolia Mystic Rose.  In fact, the story of success of the mare began with the Leite family back in Brazil at their stables, Haras Rosa Mystica. Their activities are focused on breeding, raising and developing high-performance horses through the sale of semen, embryos and top showjumpers, all out of the best bloodlines for competition at the highest level of the sport.

With victories and top placings at national and FEI-level competitions, the Leite family, led by the patriarch Jozias Leite, decided to send two of their best horses to the United States, one of them being Magnolia Mystic Rose. They were confident that she could not only compete but also excel against some of the best in the world during the 2018 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, Florida.

Their confidence in her proved to be no fluke, with the mare winning the Bainbridge Prize CSI 3* and claiming top honors in a five star class, the $35,000 Douglas Elliman CSI 5*. The latter test qualified the young Magnolia for the $500,000 Rolex Grand Prix CSI 5*, another test that she passed with flying colors, having only one unlucky rail down at the end of the course.

After a solid participation in the 2019 Pan-American Games in Lima, where she finished in 15th place overall, earning her technical accreditation to compete in Tokyo, it was decided that she would be seen under the saddle of Eduardo Menezes (BRA).

Eduardo Menezes (BRA) & Magnolia Mystic Rose 

The partnership began late September but showed success shortly after, finishing second in one of the most important classes at La Silla – Monterrey CSI 3* in Mexico. They travelled to Florida and began their campaign in Wellington this year with 9 clear rounds out of 15 efforts, highlighted by a double clear, a fourth-place finish in the $73,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup CSI 4* and an eighth-place finish in the $214,000 Marshall & Sterling / Great American Insurance Group Grand Prix CSI 4*.

The  stage was set for Sunday’s showdown, Menezes and the 11-year-old bay Brazilian Sport Horse mare (Zirocco Blue VDL x Cardento) did not disappoint, giving Brazil the only clear among the team’s four combinations. The duo went on to have two poles down in the second round, nothing that tarnished their proven ability to perform in such a demanding class.

Eduardo Menezes (BRA) & Magnolia Mystic Rose

According Nilson Leite, a member of the Leite family, who owns both Haras Rosa Mystica and Magnolia Mystic Rose, all those involved with Brazilian Sport Horses must take advantage of these results, transforming it into synergy and good fruits:

“It was a great emotion to participate in the first FEI Nations Cup for Brazil and as a representative of the Brazilian Sport Horse ⌊BH Studbook⌉, it was a great opportunity to  be showcased before the world, in order for us to conquer more and more market share, mainly in Latin America. We have the potential for that, our horses have the best genetics in the world, what we need to do is be united, add efforts; breeders, riders, all stakeholders and Brazilian Sport Horse lovers. The objective is to achieve greater visibility and the international market. ”

Eduardo Menezes (BRA) & Magnolia Mystic Rose competing in the $230,000 Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup USA CSIO 5* at the Palm Beach Masters Series

Both rider and horse have proven their quality. Menezes (BRA) has a long list of accolades at the highest level of the sport, competing against the very best in Europe, North America and Mexico. His experience in the sport can’t be contested having represented his nation in high-caliber events dating back to the 2011 FEI World Cup™ Final in Leipzig, the 2013 FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona, the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. In fact, Menezes was part of the squad that claimed Team Gold at the 2019 Pan-American Games in Lima, Peru.

Moreover, he has achieved victories in the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT), Global Champions League (GCL), Spruce Meadows, the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), competing against the best of the best.

Eduardo Menezes (BRA) & Magnolia Mystic Rose flying high towards a clear round in the $230,000 Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup USA CSIO 5* last Sunday.

Their overall performance in the $230,000 Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup USA CSIO 5* last Sunday proved that they are a pair of the highest quality, having the best score among Brazil’s four combinations competing there, a result of a journey of success by both horse and rider in the sport, and that will hopefully stamp their passports to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

Photos: © Haras Rosa Mystica / Kathy Russell Photography / Jacquie Porcaro