Spanish driving athlete José Gayan has been connected to the Figueiras horses for more than fifteen years. Today he is also president of the Spanish Association of Lusitano Horses, but his personal journey with the Figueiras bloodlines started in a very special way.
At a difficult moment in his life, when he was facing serious kidney problems, Antonio Simoes visited him at his home in Seville and brought him two Figueiras horses.
“At that time my kidney was not functioning well. Antonio Simoes came to my home and gave me two Figueiras horses so I could start working with them.”
— José Gayan
The impact was immediate. Within just a few months he returned to competition. After only three months he was already competing in driving competitions in Spain. Later he competed with other Figueiras horses as well, even at World Championship level. For Jose, the experience was not only about sport, but also about personal strength and recovery.
Over the years he has worked with several Figueiras horses and continues to compete with them today. At the moment he competes with four Figueiras horses and recently added a young horse, Rey das Figueiras, a son of Dragão das Figueiras. When describing the character of the horses, Jose emphasizes their willingness to work.
“They are horses that really want to work. They never seem to get tired and are always ready to perform.”
The versatility of driving
In the discipline of driving, a horse must combine several important qualities to perform at the highest level.
“On the first day you need calm and strength for the dressage test. The second day you have the marathon which requires power and endurance. On the third day you need agility and control for the cones competition.”
According to him, the Figueiras horses naturally combine these qualities.
“They have strength, agility, flexibility and resistance. For driving that is exactly what you need.”
Expression in dressage
Jose also follows the development of the Figueiras horses in dressage. In modern dressage he believes horses must combine expressive movement with agility.
“Today dressage horses need spectacular movement and presence. Figueiras horses have that expression.”
Although he competes mainly in driving, Jose also owns horses that are trained and competed in dressage by professional riders. One of his horses won every competition he entered in Spain last year and the goal is to compete internationally as well.
Legendary bloodlines
When asked if there is a particular Figueiras horse that stands out for him, Jose mentions two legendary names. He especially admires Dragão das Figueiras and also Craque das Figueiras. For him, the qualities of these horses represent everything that defines the Figueiras breeding program.
“They are strong, agile and flexible and with the right rider they can achieve incredible things in sport.”
In his view, the secret of the Figueiras horses lies in the bloodlines behind them. They carry important historic Lusitano bloodlines that give them the qualities needed for modern sport. For Jose Gayan, after many years of competition and experience, the conclusion is simple: Figueiras horses have the strength, agility and heart that high level sport requires.
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