Brazilian notches up a dressage personal best
An eye-catching dressage test aboard Tom Bombadill Too has put Ruy Fonseca within striking distance of the leaders in the early stages of the WEG three-day event. However, his preparation hasn’t been all plain sailing.
Congratulations! What is the secret behind your brilliant dressage performance?
The Brazilian equestrian federation has started to give its event riders some financial assistance and that has made a huge difference. They have really begun to focus on eventing in the lead up to Rio. As a result, I’ve had help on the flat from Anna Ross-Davies, plus training with Nick Burton. Nick told me that I was capable of scoring over 70% and I came here with those words ringing in my ears. I believed I could do something special.
Tell us about Tom Bombadill Too
Amazingly he was once a livery horse in my stable. I would never have believed when I first saw him that he would take me to four-star level and to championships. He ticks all the boxes and if I can keep him sound he will be my horse for the Rio Olympics.
The good thing is he takes everything in his stride — which makes things so much easier as he’s travelled a lot recently, to Brazil, to the United States twice and back to Europe again.
Where did you prepare for the WEG?
After competing at the London Olympics in 2012 I went back to Brazil. We are all keen to raise the profile of the sport at home prior to 2016. However, we all know that you have to prepare for a big championships in Europe so I came back to the UK in June to get ready for Normandy. I’m based in the Lambourn area near Mark Todd, who trains me too. Prior to the London Games I lived in the UK for 14 years.
You fell off in the show jumping at the recent Kentucky CCI**** when well placed. Have you put that blip behind you?
I don’t really know what happened there. It was the first time Tom had ever done anything like that. It occurred at a combination jumped towards the crowd and maybe that spooked him. I’ve watched it on video but I’ve put that page behind us and have been focusing on the future. Since then he’s been performing in the jumping as he should. This is his second WEG. He pulled off a double jumping clear in 2010 so I’m hoping that he really likes World Games.
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