João Miguel Torrão: the Portuguese rider on learning from Carl Hester

João Torrão and Equador at the Tokyo Olympics. — João Miguel Torrão and Equador at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Portuguese rider João Miguel Torrão, who scored 70.186% at the Tokyo Olympics today, feels privileged to have spent time training with Carl Hester in 2019.

“That was an amazing experience for me, to be able to be there in his yard and to have the opportunity to watch him and Charlotte [Dujardin] ride,” said João. “He’s an amazing person, an amazing trainer and I learned a lot from him.”

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Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.

Tales from Tokyo: what Portuguese rider João Miguel Torrão learnt from Carl Hester

“That was an incredible experience for me,” he remembered.

But the most important thing João took away from his time at Carl’s was the British rider’s attitude to how horses should be treated.

He explained: “Basically I really learned to respect the horse as an animal. Although we are competing on the highest level, it’s very important we never forget we are working with animals and that they are horses first.

“In Portugal, we have a lot of stallions and with stallions it’s a bit more difficult to put them in the field, but I learnt it’s important to let horses be horses.”

Aside from one mistake at the start, when Equador moved out of the first halt in canter rather than trot, João was delighted with his test.

“I was very happy with him – we are not so experienced and he was amazing, with this being such a big show,” he said.

This is the first time Portugal has had a dressage team at the Olympics

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