The Vision of António Simões
For António Simões, horses have always been part of life. Growing up on his father’s farm in Portugal, he was surrounded by horses, though in those days they were not Lusitanos but mixed-blood animals. The true passion came later – about 25 years ago – when António fell in love with carriage driving. At that moment he made a bold decision: to create a stud farm dedicated to breeding Lusitanos for sport.
From the very beginning, António combined breeding with competition. He set up a team to compete at the highest level in international carriage driving, hiring the renowned Félix Brasseur as driver and head of the sporting project. While most people associated Lusitanos with bullfighting or traditional Portuguese riding, António believed they could excel in a completely different arena. That conviction became the foundation of Horses of Figueiras.
Building the Studfarm
The first mares came from José Henriques Casguinha, which were the basis of the studfarm. António’s idea was clear: to create a stud that would produce Lusitanos of true sport quality. Nutrition was a cornerstone of his program; foals returned home at one, two, and three years old and were carefully raised and conditioned. Every young horse, including mares, was tested under saddle at three years old. The goal was simple but ambitious: to develop correct, elastic gaits – walk, trot, and canter. Remarkably, António estimates that 95% of his horses reached this standard.
At Figueiras, no horse was judged solely by papers or appearance. Each was evaluated in sport, either
under saddle or in harness. “I wanted real decisions, not dreams,” António explains.
The Breakthrough – World Champion in Aachen
Years of dedication paid off in 2006, when António’s Lusitano team won the World Carriage Driving Championships in Aachen. It was a historic achievement – proof that Lusitanos could compete and win on the world stage in a discipline far beyond their traditional use.
After that success, António shifted his focus. He had achieved everything he wanted in carriage driving; now his ambition turned to producing top-level dressage horses. To test his vision, he invited professional trainer Jan Bemelmans to evaluate his horses. The question was clear: was António’s dream of Lusitanos in high-level dressage realistic, or just wishful thinking?
Bemelmans was immediately captivated by the mare Batuta and agreed to train her for two years. The results convinced everyone: Lusitanos from Figueiras could shine in dressage. It was the beginning of a new chapter.
Redefining the Lusitano
Since then, Figueiras has produced names that speak for themselves: Unico, Batuta, Craque, Dragão, Epico, Icaro, Oscar, Pastor, Queluz, and Poeta. Horses that went on to compete internationally, many under Olympic riders, and some sold for well over one million euros! Today, Horses of Figueiras is recognized worldwide as one of the studs that helped modernize the Lusitano. Through vision, persistence, and uncompromising standards, António Simões has left a permanent mark on the breed’s history.
For António, the mission has always been simple: “I breed for sport, for quality.”
