Rodrigo Pessoa

Medal record
Equestrian
Representing  Brazil
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2004 Athens Individual jumping
Bronze medal – third place 1996 Atlanta Team jumping
Bronze medal – third place 2000 Sydney Team jumping
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1998 Rome Individual jumping
FEI Nations Cup
Silver medal – second place2013 BarcelonaTeam jumping
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1995 Buenos Aires Team jumping
Gold medal – first place 2007 Rio de Janeiro Team jumping
Silver medal – second place 2007 Rio de Janeiro Individual jumping
Silver medal – second place 2011 Guadalajara Team jumping
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Santiago Team jumping
Pessoa and his mount Coeur

Rodrigo de Paula Pessoa (born 29 November 1972 in Paris, France) is a Brazilian equestrian specialized in show jumping. The son of fellow equestrian Nelson Pessoa, Pessoa is considered one of the most talented of his generation, being an Olympic Games gold medalist in individual jumping and having over 70 Grand Prix wins. He has represented Brazil at seven Olympic Games.

Riding career

Pessoa first competed in 1981 at Hickstead. In 1984, he claimed his first title as champion of the pony class, again in 1985. In 1988, he competed in his first Grand Prix.

He continued to build up his triumphant career by competing and winning many Grands Prix. In 1992, he rode Special Envoy in the Olympic Games in Barcelona for Brazil, making him one of the youngest riders to compete in the Olympics at the age of 19. In 1996, he again rode in the Olympics in Atlanta and helped Brazil win the bronze medal with Loro Piana TomBoy.

In 1998, he rode Gandini Lianos to be the youngest World Champion at 1998 FEI World Equestrian Games in Rome.

Pessoa took his career further by winning the World Cup Final on Baloubet du Rouet for three consecutive years in 1998, 1999, and 2000 a feat that has to this day been unmatched. He later claimed the title and prize for the world's best rider and in addition to the Show Jumping Year trophy.He has been ranked Number 1 in the World on the FEI Rankings. In 2000, he again won the bronze team medal at the Olympic Games in Sydney, and in spite of being a favorite to win the individual tournament, wound up disqualified once Baloubet twice refused to jump. In the 2004 Olympics in Athens, he won the individual silver medal, but after the disqualification of the Irish rider Cian O'Connor and his horse Waterford Crystal for doping, he was awarded the gold medal in an award ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.[1]

In 2007, Pessoa won the individual silver and team gold medals at the Pan American Games, held in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro.

Pessoa attracted controversy in 2008 when he was suspended by the FEI after his horse Rufus failed a doping test at the 2008 Olympic games. Pessoa was fined 2,000 Swiss francs and was suspended from international competitions for four and a half months.[2][3][4]

In 2010, he finished fourth individually and fourth with his team of Brazil at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY. In 2011, he again mounted the podium at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, with Team Brazil to collect a silver medal on HH Ashley.

He was also chosen to be Brazil's flag bearer at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[5]

Not wanting to be a substitute in the Brazilian squad that would compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro, Pessoa skipped the games and conceded his spot to Felipe Amaral,[6] and instead covered the Olympics as a commentator for a French television channel.[7] In the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Pessoa only took part in the team qualifier, withdrawing from participating in the finals after his horse Carlito's Way 6 refused twice on course.[8]

In 2017, Horse Sport Ireland announced Pessoa as the new Irish showjumping team manager. As chief for Team Ireland, they won the 2017 European title in Gothenburg, and in 2019 got Ireland qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by winning the FEI Nation's Cup final. At the end of 2019, he ended his cooperation with Horse Sport Ireland to dedicate time to his family and riding career. He rides for James H. Clark and Artemis Farms in Wellington and Greenwich.

Personal life

He married Alexa Weeks in 2009 and has 3 daughters Cecilia, Sophia, and Luciana. In 2019 they moved to her hometown of Wilton, Connecticut. He operates his business called Amethyst Equestrian with his wife Alexa from his farm in North Salem, New York just outside New York City and Wellington in the winter months. [9]

International Championship results

Results
Year Event Horse Placing Notes
1990World Equestrian GamesSpecial Envoy 8th Team
23rd Individual
1992Olympic Games Special Envoy 10th Team
9th Individual
1993 World Cup Final Special Envoy 13th
1994World Equestrian GamesSpecial Envoy 4th Team
8th Individual
1996 World Cup Final Tomboy 4th
1996Olympic Games Tomboy3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Team
9th Individual
1998 World Cup Final Baloubet du Rouet 1st place, gold medalist(s)
1998 World Equestrian Games Gandini Lianos 5th Team
1st place, gold medalist(s) Individual
1999 World Cup Final Baloubet du Rouet 1st place, gold medalist(s)
2000 World Cup Final Baloubet du Rouet 1st place, gold medalist(s)
2000 Olympic Games Baloubet du Rouet 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Team
27th Individual
2001 World Cup Final Baloubet du Rouet 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
2002 World Cup Final Baloubet du Rouet 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
2002 World Equestrian Games Baloubet du Rouet 9th Team
26th Individual
2003 World Cup Final Baloubet du Rouet 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
2004 World Cup Final Baloubet du Rouet 38th
2004 Olympic Games Baloubet du Rouet 9th Team
1st place, gold medalist(s) Individual
2005 World Cup Final Baloubet du Rouet 7th
2007 World Cup Final Oasis 31st
2007 Pan American Games HH Rufus 1st place, gold medalist(s) Team
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Individual
2008 Olympic Games HH Rufus DSQ Team
DSQ Individual
2009 World Cup Final HH Rufus 5th
2010 World Cup Final HH Lets Fly 16th
2010 World Equestrian Games HH Rebozo 4th Team
4th Individual
2011 Pan American Games HH Ashley 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Team
26th Individual
2012 Olympic Games HH Rebozo 8th Team
22nd Individual
2014 World Equestrian Games Status 5th Team
21st Individual
EL = Eliminated; RET = Retired; WD = Withdrew; DSQ = Disqualified

Horses

References

  1. ↑ "Horse of a Lifetime: Baloubet Du Rouet". FEI.org. 7 September 2020.
  2. ↑ "Olympics-Equestrian-Pessoa suspended after horse fails dope test". Reuters. 4 October 2008. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  3. ↑ "Rodrigo Pessoa's Rufus Tests Positive to Doping at the 2008 Olympics". Eurodressage. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  4. ↑ "Sixth horse tests positive for doping during Games". ESPN. 1 September 2008. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  5. ↑ "Rodrigo Pessoa será o porta-bandeira do Brasil em Londres-2012" (in Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 6 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  6. ↑ Fora da Rio 2016, Rodrigo Pessoa critica coerência de treinador do time, SporTV
  7. ↑ 'Fiz falta', afirma Rodrigo Pessoa sobre quinto lugar do Brasil no hipismo
  8. ↑ "Cavalo de Rodrigo Pessoa refuga duas vezes, e campeão olímpico abre mão da final no hipismo" [Rodrigo Pessoa's horse bails twice, and Olympic champion gives up the equestrian final]. Ge.globo (in Portuguese). 6 August 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  9. ↑ Conheça Rodrigo Pessoa, medalhista e ícone do hipismo nacional, Forbes Brazil
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