Photo courtesy FEI
Marcelo Tosi (BRA) performed the winning test in the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials after a supremely confident Dressage performance with the 11-year-old Briefing DB Z in the Olympic Equestrian Centre today.
Tosi, who celebrates his 46th birthday next Friday, performed to a soundtrack of Mozart clarinet concerto to score 37.60 and secure a 6.9 penalty lead over compatriot Marcio Jorge with the impressive grey Coronel MCJ, but Tosi has decided not to ride Briefing in tomorrow’s Cross Country. He has a second chance of success, however, as he is also in third with Glenfly on 47.2, while Jorge, who was a member of the silver medal team at last month’s Pan American Games in Toronto (CAN), is fourth with Winner on a mark of 48.8.
Tosi, who competes in all three Olympic disciplines – Eventing, Jumping and Dressage – was based in Great Britain for four years, but moved back to Brazil last October in preparation for next year’s home Games.
Like the rest of the Brazilian team, Tosi is trained by Anna Ross for Dressage and double Olympic gold medallist Mark Todd for Cross Country and Jumping. Briefing, which finished 10th in the test event for last year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ is a world-class horse, according to Todd, and Tosi hopes he’ll be his ride at next year’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games. "The Olympics will be great, having them in your own country, it keeps us motivated."
Tosi enjoys a friendly rivalry with team mate Marcio Jorge: “We’re friends in and out of the arena. We always try to beat each other, it's the best way to improve. There aren’t lots of riders at the same level to compete with here like in Europe, so it's great to have him to compete with.”
Marcio Jorge will be first out on the Cross Country tomorrow, with the first of his two rides Winner, when the action kicks off at 10.00. Pierre Michelet’s track covers much of the same ground as that being prepared for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, but at 3.1km is substantially less than the distance horses and riders will tackle next year.
Aquece Rio International Horse Trials (Olympic Test Event) - 1, Briefing DB Z (Marcelo Tosi), BRA, 37.6 penalties; 2, Coronel MCJ (Marcio Jorge), BRA, 44.5; 3, Glenfly (Marcelo Tosi), BRA, 47.2; 4, Winner (Marcio Jorge), BRA, 48.8; equal 5, CDC Super Star (Andre Paro, BRA and Cross Rock (Marcio Appel), 52.5.
