Apr 16, 2012 – The Chronicle of the Horse
Sargon Interagro Wins Adequan®/USDF All Breed Award Prix St George Championship
Sargon Interagro, a stunning grey Lusitano gelding owned by Louise Turkula, captured the Championship Year End Award in the Prix St. Georges Open division and the Reserve Championship in the Intermediate I Open division in the Adequan®/USDF All Breed Award For Lusitanos and Andalusians. Turkula imported Sargon Interagro from Interagro Lusitanos of Brazil, the largest breeder and exporter of Lusitano horses in the world, and he was ridden throughout the show year by international dressage rider and trainer Cherri Reiber.
“I have been training Sargon Interagro for about a year and a half and he is an excellent FEI competitor,” Reiber said. “Sargon has three good gaits, including an exceptional walk. He’s very proud, excellent to show and carries himself well. He has a sparkle that really attracts attention and, of course, the judges love that.”
Reiber was thrilled with Sargon’s success, and even more surprised because she said she hadn’t been keeping track of where he stood in the rankings. “It was a wonderful surprise to learn that he had earned the Championship in the Prix St. Georges Open with a year-end score of 65.197% and the Reserve Champion in the Intermediate I Open with a 63.553%. I am very proud of him,” Reiber said, adding that his owner, Louise, is an amateur and has taken Sargon home to enjoy riding him. “She is really going to enjoy him because he is beautifully trained and a real joy to ride. Lusitano fans always say that one of the great things about the breed is that either professionals or amateurs can ride them, and that is absolutely true.”
Interagro Lusitanos is known for producing superb Lusitanos with excellent bloodlines, and Sargon Interagro is another fine example of Interagro’s breeding program. “He is by Noblissimo Interagro out of Mucuna Interagro,” said Cecilia Gonzaga, the Managing Director of Interagro Lusitanos. “Mucuna Interagro is a half-sister to Nirvana Interagro and she also produced Cezanne Interagro, who was Champion in the Four-Year-Olds at the 3rd Annual Lusitano Festival at Aquas de Lindoia in Brazil with trainer Pia Aragão.”
Interagro Lusitanos has been committed to preserving the purest bloodlines of the Lusitano breed since 1975; they are home to some of the most respected bloodlines in the breed such as Farao (JHC), Nirvana Interagro, Ofensor (MV), Xique-Xique (CI) and Yacht (SA). “Nothing similar in number or quality can be found at any other single breeding farm in the world,” Gonzaga said.
Gonzaga, an expert on the bloodlines of the Lusitanos, was thrilled that Sargon Interagro won the year-end awards. “Mucuna Interagro is one of our top producers. She is the mother of Sargon Interagro and of Tomista Interagro, one of the top driving horses we have bred. Mucuna is also the mother of Vilna Interagro, who is by Quínio Interagro and who was included this year in the young brood-mares group. She has also produced two younger horses, Xorro Interagro by Ofensor (MV) and Zamorim Interagro by Quinárius Interagro. Mucuna Interagro is by Bronze (BF) and Capicua (MLC), the latter is also the mother of Montezuma do Mirante (with Xique Xique CI), an extraordinary competitive dressage horse who won several prizes in Brazil and in the U.S. before being exported to Australia, and also the mother of Nirvana Interagro by Gatão (JHC),” Gonzaga said.
Gonzaga added, “Mucuna is truly an extraordinary mare. She also produced Zamorim Interagro, a great driving horse who is in training in Uruguai, Mucuna consistently produces talented offspring who are excelling in a variety of sport horse disciplines around the world”.
Interagro Lusitanos success in the breeding world has been well documented and they were named the 2009/2010 Best Lusitano Breeder by the ABPSL, and won the Best Breeder Award at a regional show in 2011. “It’s exciting to see that our tradition in breeding excellence continues,” Gonzaga said, adding that the Brazilian farm has also opened their doors for private buying trips for prospective buyers. “We will also be hosting the 2012 Lusitano Collection® International Horse Auction at our farm in Brazil, so we encourage everyone to mark their calendars for June 23, 2012.”
To learn more about Interagro Lusitanos, visit their website at www.lusitano-interagro.com.