{"id":64,"date":"2026-02-26T12:30:01","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T12:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/horsesoffigueiras.bonsaidev.nl\/?page_id=64"},"modified":"2026-03-25T11:09:45","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T10:09:45","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/horsesoffigueiras.bonsaidev.nl\/de\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00dcber"},"content":{"rendered":"<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-4xyx0-389658f42b672a5187caa162a43c0d77\">\n.avia-section.av-4xyx0-389658f42b672a5187caa162a43c0d77{\nbackground-color:#ebe8de;\nbackground-image:unset;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div id='av_section_1'  class='avia-section av-4xyx0-389658f42b672a5187caa162a43c0d77 main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling  avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_section  avia-builder-el-first  avia-bg-style-scroll av-minimum-height av-minimum-height-custom av-height-custom  container_wrap fullsize'   data-av_minimum_height_px='480'><div class='container av-section-cont-open' style='height:480px'><main  role=\"main\" itemprop=\"mainContentOfPage\"  class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-64'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div  class='flex_column av-4p104-b22627dc524d64294c42cc0e203ea6cf av_one_full  avia-builder-el-1  avia-builder-el-no-sibling  first flex_column_div'     ><style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mm4qh47q-c4c8d5ae3fd8bd98100f5119bdb177a5\">\n#top .av-special-heading.av-mm4qh47q-c4c8d5ae3fd8bd98100f5119bdb177a5{\npadding-bottom:10px;\ncolor:#1e1b2e;\nfont-size:68px;\n}\nbody .av-special-heading.av-mm4qh47q-c4c8d5ae3fd8bd98100f5119bdb177a5 .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{\nfont-size:25px;\n}\n#top #wrap_all .av-special-heading.av-mm4qh47q-c4c8d5ae3fd8bd98100f5119bdb177a5 .av-special-heading-tag{\nfont-size:68px;\n}\n.av-special-heading.av-mm4qh47q-c4c8d5ae3fd8bd98100f5119bdb177a5 .special-heading-inner-border{\nborder-color:#1e1b2e;\n}\n.av-special-heading.av-mm4qh47q-c4c8d5ae3fd8bd98100f5119bdb177a5 .av-subheading{\nfont-size:15px;\n}\n\n@media only screen and (min-width: 480px) and (max-width: 767px){ \n#top #wrap_all .av-special-heading.av-mm4qh47q-c4c8d5ae3fd8bd98100f5119bdb177a5 .av-special-heading-tag{\nfont-size:0.8em;\n}\n}\n\n@media only screen and (max-width: 479px){ \n#top #wrap_all .av-special-heading.av-mm4qh47q-c4c8d5ae3fd8bd98100f5119bdb177a5 .av-special-heading-tag{\nfont-size:0.8em;\n}\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='av-special-heading av-mm4qh47q-c4c8d5ae3fd8bd98100f5119bdb177a5 av-special-heading-h1 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote modern-centered  avia-builder-el-2  avia-builder-el-no-sibling  av-inherit-size'><h1 class='av-special-heading-tag'  itemprop=\"headline\"  >\u00dcber<\/h1><div class=\"special-heading-border\"><div class=\"special-heading-inner-border\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/main><!-- close content main element --><\/div><\/div><div id='av_section_2'  class='avia-section av-s5ec-282ebfacd1e7484b58ec5110907cd9db main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling  avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_section  el_before_av_layout_row  avia-bg-style-scroll container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-64'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div  class='flex_column av-7ih0c-acf8f7080b801d683f00934fb1a88747 av_one_fifth  avia-builder-el-4  el_before_av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-first  first flex_column_div'     ><\/div><div  class='flex_column av-6wc0o-f98761ec73ecb1ac1ca2e9287812772b av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-5  el_after_av_one_fifth  el_before_av_one_fifth  flex_column_div'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-mmysogro-5f7c0c36f09896bdcff0c19c9b8a3cbd'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h2>The Vision of Ant\u00f3nio Sim\u00f5es<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"intro\">For Ant\u00f3nio Sim\u00f5es, horses have always been part of life. Growing up on his father\u2019s 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 \u2013 about 25 years ago \u2013 when Ant\u00f3nio 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.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>From the very beginning, Ant\u00f3nio combined breeding with competition. He set up a team to compete at the highest level in international carriage driving, hiring the renowned F\u00e9lix Brasseur as driver and head of the sporting project. While most people associated Lusitanos with bullfighting or traditional Portuguese riding, Ant\u00f3nio believed they could excel in a completely different arena. That conviction became the foundation of Horses of Figueiras.<\/p>\n<h2>Building the Studfarm<\/h2>\n<p>The first mares came from Jos\u00e9 Henriques Casguinha, which were the basis of the studfarm. Ant\u00f3nio\u2019s 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 \u2013 walk, trot, and canter. Remarkably, Ant\u00f3nio estimates that 95% of his horses reached this standard.<\/p>\n<p>At Figueiras, no horse was judged solely by papers or appearance. Each was evaluated in sport, either<\/p>\n<p>under saddle or in harness. \u201cI wanted real decisions, not dreams,\u201d Ant\u00f3nio explains.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><div  class='flex_column av-64w20-1739fc0dea0e64cb72245ae14d7e2c76 av_one_fifth  avia-builder-el-7  el_after_av_three_fifth  el_before_av_two_fifth  flex_column_div'     ><\/div><div class='flex_column_table av-5uodw-a1df86c5ba63df0f9bfcb0cbb350eba1 sc-av_two_fifth av-equal-height-column-flextable'>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-5uodw-a1df86c5ba63df0f9bfcb0cbb350eba1\">\n.flex_column.av-5uodw-a1df86c5ba63df0f9bfcb0cbb350eba1{\nwidth:35.2%;\nmargin-left:0;\n}\n#top .flex_column_table.av-equal-height-column-flextable.av-5uodw-a1df86c5ba63df0f9bfcb0cbb350eba1 .av-flex-placeholder{\nwidth:8%;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-5uodw-a1df86c5ba63df0f9bfcb0cbb350eba1 av_two_fifth  avia-builder-el-8  el_after_av_one_fifth  el_before_av_three_fifth  first flex_column_table_cell av-equal-height-column av-align-top  column-top-margin'     ><style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-591j0-aac960d53ca6003e4b78261fa2df9929\">\n.avia-image-container.av-591j0-aac960d53ca6003e4b78261fa2df9929 img.avia_image{\nbox-shadow:none;\n}\n.avia-image-container.av-591j0-aac960d53ca6003e4b78261fa2df9929 .av-image-caption-overlay-center{\ncolor:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-image-container av-591j0-aac960d53ca6003e4b78261fa2df9929 av-styling- avia-align-center  avia-builder-el-9  avia-builder-el-no-sibling'   itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class=\"avia-image-container-inner\"><div class=\"avia-image-overlay-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class='wp-image-374 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-374 avia_image' src=\"https:\/\/horsesoffigueiras.bonsaidev.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/7d636ceafeb78bff0462a9585e88b2b8_1.jpeg\" alt='' title='7d636ceafeb78bff0462a9585e88b2b8_1'  height=\"600\" width=\"900\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" srcset=\"https:\/\/horsesoffigueiras.bonsaidev.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/7d636ceafeb78bff0462a9585e88b2b8_1.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/horsesoffigueiras.bonsaidev.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/7d636ceafeb78bff0462a9585e88b2b8_1-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/horsesoffigueiras.bonsaidev.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/7d636ceafeb78bff0462a9585e88b2b8_1-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/horsesoffigueiras.bonsaidev.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/7d636ceafeb78bff0462a9585e88b2b8_1-18x12.jpeg 18w, https:\/\/horsesoffigueiras.bonsaidev.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/7d636ceafeb78bff0462a9585e88b2b8_1-705x470.jpeg 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class='av-flex-placeholder'><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-4oni0-c4f41325e782c05573e822a760e1ef00\">\n.flex_column.av-4oni0-c4f41325e782c05573e822a760e1ef00{\nwidth:56.8%;\nmargin-left:0;\n}\n#top .flex_column_table.av-equal-height-column-flextable.av-4oni0-c4f41325e782c05573e822a760e1ef00 .av-flex-placeholder{\nwidth:8%;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-4oni0-c4f41325e782c05573e822a760e1ef00 av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-10  el_after_av_two_fifth  el_before_av_two_fifth  flex_column_table_cell av-equal-height-column av-align-top  column-top-margin'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-mmysoztl-1f8143d3e294ca1acdfe1ef39e3dd404'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h2>The Breakthrough \u2013 World Champion in Aachen<\/h2>\n<p>Years of dedication paid off in 2006, when Ant\u00f3nio\u2019s Lusitano team won the World Carriage Driving Championships in Aachen. It was a historic achievement \u2013 proof that Lusitanos could compete and win on the world stage in a discipline far beyond their traditional use.<\/p>\n<p>After that success, Ant\u00f3nio 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 Ant\u00f3nio\u2019s dream of Lusitanos in high-level dressage realistic, or just wishful thinking?<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><\/div><!--close column table wrapper. Autoclose: 1 --><div class='flex_column_table av-430pw-a172ecc8cc8e44ff0266ca43e7edc2bc sc-av_two_fifth av-equal-height-column-flextable'>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-430pw-a172ecc8cc8e44ff0266ca43e7edc2bc\">\n#top .flex_column_table.av-equal-height-column-flextable.av-430pw-a172ecc8cc8e44ff0266ca43e7edc2bc{\nmargin-top:80px;\nmargin-bottom:0px;\n}\n.flex_column.av-430pw-a172ecc8cc8e44ff0266ca43e7edc2bc{\nwidth:35.2%;\nmargin-left:0;\n}\n#top .flex_column_table.av-equal-height-column-flextable.av-430pw-a172ecc8cc8e44ff0266ca43e7edc2bc .av-flex-placeholder{\nwidth:8%;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-430pw-a172ecc8cc8e44ff0266ca43e7edc2bc av_two_fifth  avia-builder-el-12  el_after_av_three_fifth  el_before_av_three_fifth  first flex_column_table_cell av-equal-height-column av-align-top'     ><style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-3ka9c-078d23456666d8875a287014d37a1b78\">\n.avia-image-container.av-3ka9c-078d23456666d8875a287014d37a1b78 img.avia_image{\nbox-shadow:none;\n}\n.avia-image-container.av-3ka9c-078d23456666d8875a287014d37a1b78 .av-image-caption-overlay-center{\ncolor:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-image-container av-3ka9c-078d23456666d8875a287014d37a1b78 av-styling- avia-align-center  avia-builder-el-13  avia-builder-el-no-sibling'   itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class=\"avia-image-container-inner\"><div class=\"avia-image-overlay-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class='wp-image-375 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-375 avia_image' src=\"https:\/\/horsesoffigueiras.bonsaidev.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4M0A7290.jpg.jpg\" alt='' title='4M0A7290.jpg'  height=\"1200\" width=\"1500\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" srcset=\"https:\/\/horsesoffigueiras.bonsaidev.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4M0A7290.jpg.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/horsesoffigueiras.bonsaidev.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4M0A7290.jpg-300x240.jpg 300w, https:\/\/horsesoffigueiras.bonsaidev.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4M0A7290.jpg-1030x824.jpg 1030w, https:\/\/horsesoffigueiras.bonsaidev.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4M0A7290.jpg-768x614.jpg 768w, https:\/\/horsesoffigueiras.bonsaidev.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4M0A7290.jpg-15x12.jpg 15w, https:\/\/horsesoffigueiras.bonsaidev.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4M0A7290.jpg-705x564.jpg 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class='av-flex-placeholder'><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-2s5j0-3f36f9964c4634fa6a0eee028002ead4\">\n#top .flex_column_table.av-equal-height-column-flextable.av-2s5j0-3f36f9964c4634fa6a0eee028002ead4{\nmargin-top:80px;\nmargin-bottom:0px;\n}\n.flex_column.av-2s5j0-3f36f9964c4634fa6a0eee028002ead4{\nwidth:56.8%;\nmargin-left:0;\n}\n#top .flex_column_table.av-equal-height-column-flextable.av-2s5j0-3f36f9964c4634fa6a0eee028002ead4 .av-flex-placeholder{\nwidth:8%;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-2s5j0-3f36f9964c4634fa6a0eee028002ead4 av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-14  el_after_av_two_fifth  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_table_cell av-equal-height-column av-align-top'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-mmyspm22-bc8524b1f656f794dc8e26196362c3ce'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h2>Redefining the Lusitano<\/h2>\n<p>Since then, Figueiras has produced names that speak for themselves: Unico, Batuta, Craque, Drag\u00e3o, 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!<em><u>\u00a0 <\/u><\/em>Today, Horses of Figueiras is recognized worldwide as one of the studs that helped modernize the Lusitano. Through vision, persistence, and uncompromising standards, Ant\u00f3nio Sim\u00f5es has left a permanent mark on the breed\u2019s history.<\/p>\n<p>For Ant\u00f3nio, the mission has always been simple: \u201cI breed for sport, for quality.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><\/div><!--close column table wrapper. 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