2025 Show Season Begins for Portuguese Dressage Riders Amid Uncertainty

The 2025 show season has commenced for elite dressage riders in Portugal, but it is marked by the absence of a team trainer and an unclear competition strategy. The Portuguese Equestrian Federation (FEP) has not appointed a new dressage committee nor extended the contract with team trainer Kyra Kyrklund. With only a few months until the 2025 European Championships scheduled for August in Crozet, top Grand Prix riders express concerns about team selection and the support structure for the year. The federation's vice president, Luis Faisca, resigned in May 2024 due to issues in communication among the technical staff.

Following this, FEP's president Bruno Alfredo Pinto Rente took over Faisca's duties while maintaining his technical team, including Kyrklund and two other members. However, the Portuguese Dressage Committee resigned entirely in June 2024, citing a loss of trust and transparency in their relationship with the federation management. Although Kyrklund led the team to the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Portugal finished 12th, her contract has not been renewed following elections at FEP in December 2024. Kyrklund indicated a lack of communication, stating that her contact with Portugal has been non-existent. The FEP website remains devoid of information regarding rules and show plans for 2025.

The current communication for riders has been limited, with an email from António Frutuoso de Melo outlining intentions to participate in Nations Cup events and the Europeans, but still lacking a detailed plan for team selection or competition criteria. Inquiries made to president Bruno Rente regarding show plans have gone unanswered. Copyright Eurodressage 2018 Rémi Blot