At the age of 32, Rodrigo Pessoa's 1998 World Champion Lianos has passed away.
In addition to becoming World Champions, the pair won the Masters at Spruce Meadows in 2000 and 2001 as well as the Prize of Europe in Aachen (1999), the World Cups in Amsterdam (1999), Geneva (2000) and Verona (2002), the Grand Prix of Geneva (1998), the Grand Prix of Falsterbo (2003) as well as many other prestigious classes around the world. Before Pessoa took over the ride on Lianos, he was successful under Jos Lansink winning Grand Prix classes in 's-Hertogenbosch and Zürich.
In 2004, Lianos was retired from the sport and in the later years he enjoyed a quiet life at his owner Vittorio Orlandi's place in Italy.
Speaking of Lianos, Pessoa said to World of Showjumping: "Lianos was an unbelievable horse, with a fantastic character and a really big heart. He always tried really hard. At home, he could be a little bit lazy but when he came to the show he woke up and in the ring he was all business. Lianos liked big, open spaces and that is where he was the best but he could also win classes indoors in small rings – you could leave strides out as he had a very big stride."
"Lianos was really one of the great, great horses of this era," Pessoa continues. "I am sad to see him go but he had a wonderful life in Italy at his owner's farm with a friend in the field, and lived until 32. I have so many fond memories of him."
Text © World of Showjumping
Photo © Dirk Caremans