Dec 14, 2012 – Elite Equestrian Magazine
Recusa Interagro is a Proven Hero and Ambassador to the Lusitano Breed
Charlottesville, VA (December 14, 2012) – Interagro Lusitanos has always been known for breeding outstanding sport horses, but few people may realize that the courageous Lusitano breed has benefitted people well outside the show ring. Recusa Interagro, a 15-year-old mare owned by Sarah Vogeley of New Forest Farm is one such example. In addition to raising and training horses, Vogeley is also the Virginia Regional Director of the TrotSAR, an equine search and rescue team. She says that time and time again during the course of duty, Recusa has demonstrated the heroic characteristics of her breed. “I can depend on her to help me through situations that we might not have ever been through before,” explains Vogeley. “She’s calm, and when she notices things in her environment that are out of place, I know from her innate nature that she’s not going to overreact to it. I absolutely believe that it’s a trait of the breed that one might not typically expect from an average horse.”
It takes more than an average horse to qualify for the TrotSAR Team. TrotSAR is an all volunteer, non-profit mounted search and rescue organization which stands for “Trail Riders of Today Search and Rescue.” They are a first responder resource that serves government public safety organizations in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylvania, rescuing victims in wilderness, rural or urban/suburban settings. Horses and riders must pass a strenuous evaluation process in order to become operational members. Vogeley says that Recusa has an unparalleled work ethic and is very serious about what she does. “Recusa has been an integral part of the team and she is one of the most active equine members,” she continues. “People are always asking what breed she is, and so I consider her one of the biggest ambassadors for the Lusitano horse.”
Vogeley describes one of the first missions they were deployed on was to help find an autistic boy who was lost in the wilderness. Their time schedule was from 10:30pm until 4:15am, and their search team included two other horses and riders. Between 2:30 and 3:30 in the morning, Recusa alerted to noises that the other horses didn’t hear. When they went back to the base and Vogeley reported Recusa’s reaction, they played audio recordings of natural nocturnal animal sounds, but none of them were what Recusa alerted to. The next day, trackers scoured the area, and saw that the boy had been there and had moved off in the opposite direction. This lead to him being found alive on day six after his disappearance, and Rescua was noted by the team as an exceptional search and rescue horse.
In addition to her TrotSAR duties, Recusa is also an exceptional broodmare. She is by the famous Farao (JHC), and by Lagrima do Mirante, one of Interagro’s foundation mares. Recusa’s 4-year-old daughter, Deja V, by Principe, has been started under saddle and is showing signs of being an outstanding dressage horse. She also has a 2-year-old buckskin filly, Filippa V, by Saphiro, who Vogeley is grooming to become Recusa’s TrotSAR replacement when she retires. In the meantime, however, Vogeley still likes to see Recusa in the limelight. “She deserves it,” she says, “because she’s simply an amazing horse.”
The Interagro horse is a modern Lusitano, a horse that excels in the traditional equestrian disciplines, from dressage and driving to jumping and working equitation. Interagro horses can be seen driving, working, and training on the farm in Brazil everyday. Interagro is committed to preserving the pure bloodlines of the Lusitano breed, and Interagro bloodlines include some of the most respected bloodlines in the breed such as Farao (JHC), Nirvana Interagro, Ofensor (MV), Xique-Xique (CI) and Yacht (SA).
Interagro also offers guests and clients a unique way to truly immerse themselves in the Luistano breed and the equestrian culture of Interagro through Destination Lusitano. From riding an Interagro stallion across the rolling Brazilian countryside to enjoying Portuguese cuisine, Destination Lusitano caters to each guest’s needs and can be tailored to their interests. In addition, the 600 Lusitanos that call Interagro home make Destination Lusitano the ultimate equestrian getaway.
For more information on Destination Lusitano or to learn more about Interagro Lusitanos, visit their website at www.lusitano-interagro.com
About Interagro Lusitanos
Founded in 1975 by Dr. Paulo Gavião Gonzaga to preserve the
Lusitano breed, Interagro Lusitanos is now recognized as 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; to date over 600 horses populate the 1200-acre ranch outside São Paulo. Today, Cecilia Gonzaga manages the farm and operations. Interagro Lusitanos are handled, prepared, and evaluated from birth, with a handful of the best stock presented at auction each year.
Photo: Recusa Interagro, a 15-year-old mare owned by Sarah Vogeley of New Forest Farm, is an integral part of TrotSAR, an equine search and rescue that serves government public safety organizations in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylvania, rescuing victims in wilderness, rural or urban/suburban settings. (Photo courtesy of Sarah Vogeley)