Text © World of Showjumping 

Artemis Farms has acquired the 9-year-old Lord Lucio (Legolas x Cero) and the 7-year-old Jammy Dodger (Vagabond de la Pomme x Heartbreaker) for Rodrigo Pessoa. Lord Lucio has been jumping successfully at four-star Grand Prix level with USA’s Taylor Alexander, while Jammy Dodger has been campaigned at youngster level by Ireland’s Michael Duffy.

“We have been looking at not only buying horses to use immediately, but that we can produce for the future too,” Pessoa tells World of Showjumping about the purchase of Jammy Dodger. “That’s why we bought Jammy Dodger, as well as the 8-year-old Killer Queen – that came from Paul Schockemöhle earlier this year. They are both very special horses for the future.”

“Just a couple of days ago we also bought Lord Lucio, a nine-year-old that has been jumping four-star Grand Prix classes already with Taylor Alexander,” Pessoa continues. “In view of next year, if Europe re-opens and if the Olympics are going to happen, we want to have two or three horses that are capable to go in the big leagues. We already have Carlito’s Way and Quality FZ and we wanted to add one more horse to that string. I am very lucky that Kristy and Jim Clark of Artemis Farms have been so supportive towards building a competitive team of horses for me.”

“I currently have eight horses from Artemis. I also have one more horse – Mrs. Cordia’s My Jewel’s Magic Touch – from Jewel’s Court Stud in Belgium. He’s coming nine next year, and I have had him since he was seven. He is a really nice horse as well,” Pessoa tells.

“I will definitely be aiming for the Olympics next year, that’s the big objective,” Pessoa continues. “For the start of the 2021-season, we will be in Wellington where we luckily will have high-level sport and be able to compete. Then after, in the spring, we will see what the situation in Europe will be like and if we are going to be able to come over. I would like to come and do a tour in the beginning of May and then in July to get ready for the Olympics, but all that is up in the air for the moment because of Covid-19. Ultimately, we hope to get Carlito’s Way, Lord Lucio or Quality FZ on the Brazilian team. We’ll bring them along and then see at the time which one is in the best shape. Hopefully they will all have performed well, and I will have pleased my chef d’equipe so that we are ready to go.”

“It’s exciting times,” Pessoa says. “It’s kind of a renaissance after the three years with the Irish team. Those three years were very good though; I needed a break after Rio. However, when the opportunity with Artemis arose it felt right and I’m really lucky to have great owners supporting me. With the stable we have now, I think we can do really well next year. 2020 has been a bit of a lost year, both due to the coronavirus as well as a shoulder injury that put me out for eight weeks. However, I have gotten to know the horses well and I’m ready to start 2021 fresh.”