Attend a dressage show and you expect to see a variety of Warmbloods, Thoroughbreds, Arabians, Quarter Horses and the like, but a Lusitano? Lusitano's are still an unfamiliar breed to many.

The Lusitano horse originated in Lusitania, the ancient territory we recognize today as Portugal. For thousands of years the Lusitano horse was bred for war. Arsenio Raposo Cordeiro, author of Lusitano Horse, Son of the Wind, credits the Lusitano and superior methods of combat on horseback as being essential to the early establishment of Portugal as a country.

More recently, the Lusitano was bred to meet the demands of the equestrian bullfight. Lusitano's were bred for muscular strength, courage, acceleration, impulsion, and great flexibility and maneuverability. Cordeiro credits the Lusitano's background as a combat horse for making it versatile, agile, and courageous. "Thus it can compete in the most up-to-date equestrian sport with the best specialist of contemporary breeds."

The ability to compete with the best is exactly what Carpe Diem Farm, located in Carnation, Washington, sought in the Lusitano. Mike and Lynn Green established Carpe Diem Farm in 1993 as a retirement project. The couple invested much time, travel, and research in finding the ultimate equine athlete. Lynn explains, "Mike said if we're going to do horses, he wanted to make sure he got me the best horses in the world." And so their search began. "We dabbled in Thoroughbreds, the Tennessee Walker, Fox Trotters, Quarter Horses (reiner and cattle horses) and even brought some Warmbloods in from Holland," Lynn recalls. "But what we found was that all roads led not to Rome, but to the Iberian Peninsula."

The Greens got started with Spanish horses, importing Almirante, a black Terry-bred stallion from Costa Rica. But it was a chestnut Lusitano mare, Golilla, they came across while the stallion was in quarantine in Florida that turned Lynn's focus to the Lusitano. "I liked the mare," Lynn says, "But she wasn't too exciting to look at." Her impression changed when she watched her son ride the mare. Lynn was captivated by the Lusitanos' ability to transform under saddle. "They just swell with presence," Lynn says enthusiastically. "They are so light and expressive!"

Today Carpe Diem has 66 Lusitanos, 12 Spanish and 8 crosses and the farm continues to grow. In addition to their Washington location, Carpe Diem has farms in Troy, Oregon and Canada in Twin Butte, Alberta and Golden, British Columbia. Their herd includes horses imported from Portugal, Brazil, France, Germany, Belgium, Costa Rica, Canada and Mexicoas well as those bred on the farm. "The goal of the breeding program is to preserve and enhance the ultimate athletic potential of the Lusitano horse," Lynn says.

Fulfilling that athletic potential has been a real focus for Carpe Diem. Lynn explains, "I wanted each horse to do and become involved in what they are most athletically suited for. So I went out to find what that was."

Carpe Diem found their horses suitable for show jumping, airs above the ground work, reining and, most recently, dressage. This spring and summer Carpe Diem's Lusitano stallions have been turning heads as the Greens have introduced them to open and FEI level dressage competition with trainer Miguel Ral“o Duarte, a rider from the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art in Lisbon.

Carpe Diem's show season began with a group of four stallions this March. The horses debuted in California's Dressage at Indio I and II (CDI**~W) before continuing on to Rancho Murieta's Golden State Dressage Festival (CDI**~W) in April. "It was a very positive experience," Miguel says. "The horses were well received by the judges, other competitors, and spectators eager to learn more about the breed."

"The idea was to get the horses out and get some exposure," Miguel says. "Of course we knew we wouldn't be competing for the first places as these were the first shows for these horses, but we made a good impact coming with a different breed. Our results were better than expected."

Competing at Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I is the ten-year-old grey Lusitano stallion Quarteto do Top, imported from Brazil late last year. "We had very good comments in general from the judges, even with all the mistakes of a horse with no experience in the ring," Miguel says of his first time out with Quarteto. "After this round of shows and talking with many high profile trainers, including Guenter Seidel who we took a lesson with at Rancho Murieta, I'm sure Quarteto has the potential to become an international quality dressage horse."

Competing at Second Level is another Brazilian import Nimbus do Mirante, an eight-year-old bay Lusitano stallion. "Nimbus made good progress over the four weeks we were in California. Our scores started in the mid to upper 50s, but we finished consistently in the 60s," Miguel says.

Carpe Diem Farm's working student Suzanne McCullough made her first entrance into the competitive dressage arena at Indio I, riding the seven-year-old grey Lusitano stallion Maquiavelo, at Second Level. At Indio II, their second show, the pair was recognized as the Adult Amateur High Score competitor.

The five-year-old bay Lusitano stallion, Ole' Dan, originally came along just to be worked and gain some experience. "Danny was a very agreeable surprise," Miguel says. "We brought him just to work, but he was doing so well we decided to enter him in some classes at Rancho Murieta and the scores say it all." Ole' Dan and Miguel earned a score of 71.3%, winning Training Level Test 1, and earned a respectable 65.4% in Training Level Test 2, taking second place.

Two weeks after returning from California, the horses competed in Washington state at the Spokane Sport Horse Spring Dressage show. Ole' Dan moved up to First Level and continued to earn scores above 65%. Nimbus won first in Second Level Test 2 with a 66.9%. Quarteto took second in Prix St. Georges with 63.7% and was named Reserve Champion for the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I division.

Miguel completed his USDF Silver Medal in May at the Sunridge Riders Benefit Dressage Show in Pasco, Washington earning a score of 67.75% with Quarteto in the Prix St. George and was named the FEI Champion for the show.

Carpe Diem Farm will continue to compete their stallions in dressage shows throughout Washington this summer, with plans to demonstrate that, with correct training, Iberian horses are just as competitive as other breeds.

To see the horses in action or for more information, contact Carpe Diem Farm at terri@carpe-diem-farm.com or visit www.lusitano-usa.com. But be warned, once you see them in person you might very well decide that your next dressage mount must be a Lusitano!