World Exclusive

1st April 2003

Equestrian.Com.My can reveal that Rodrigo Pessoa is engaged to a Malay Princess and is about to set up a training and competition base in Malaysia. The Brazilian heartthrob is said to have met the Malaccan Princess at a horse show in Europe and has secretly visited her and her family at Istana Mahligai on Lorong Hang Tuah, Melaka.

The 3-times World Cup Champion and World Equestrian Games winner will move his base to Malaysia in early May after this month’s Las Vegas World Cup Final where he hopes to become the first man ever to win the World Cup Final four times on the same horse. Rodrigo will set up a training and competition base in Malacca, while father Nelson, nicknamed Nekko, will be looking after breeding and training of young horses.

Nekko told Equestrian.Com.My, “The climate is not unlike my native Brazil. It will be nice to have a base in Asia. Rodrigo will be based in Malacca and will use it as his base to compete at some of the shows you have in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. We have heard many good things about your shows. The KLIS Grand Prix prize-money is almost the best in the world. We only need to win this show to justify our move to Malaysia. I hope there will be a few more shows like this.”

Rodrigo and Nekko will be moving 16 horses to Malaysia including the incomparable Baloubet de Rouet, with whom he was already won three World Cup Finals. Rodrigo hopes to compete him in the South East Asian World Cup League and KLIS Grand Prix. Rodrigo is seeking permission from the SEA World Cup League, which meets today in Kuala Lumpur, for permission to ride in this league as an “extra,” as he does in the Western European World Cup League. Rodrigo has won almost everything there is to win in equestrian sports with the exception of the SEA World Cup League. He is said to be very excited by this possibility and also riding in the Manila SEA Games in 2005.

Rodrigo said, “Malacca is a very exciting city. The nightlife is excellent. I love the people and the food, especially the pongteh. All the nonyas were very delicious, um, I mean all the nonya food. It will be great to be able to go to the beach every day. Malacca has such a nice beach. Shah’s Beach Motel is just like the Copacabana.”

Steps are also being taken to encourage Rodrigo to take up Malaysian citizenship in time to ride for Malaysia at Athens 2004 Olympic Games. When contacted by Equestrian.Com.My, a senior official with the Equestrian Federation of Malaysia, “If he is good enough, he can come to us for help. We can help him to qualify. Look what we did for, apa-nama, Alexander Yoong. Ah, with us he became an F1 driver. Who knows what we will do to, apa-nama, Rodriguez.”

Other South East Asian World Cup riders were understandably less thrilled about having to compete against Rodrigo. Speaking on condition of anonymity, Nina said, “What means extra? Am I not extra also? First we had to find a vay to beat Qabil. Now Rodrigo? Nay, nay. I vill komplain. They cannot allow this. How vill we be able to win anything anymore?”

It is argued that the Pessoas bring more than just their legendary riding and training skills to Malaysia. Nekko is not only a legendary rider and trainer with over 30 years experience at the very top level in Europe. He has recently turned to breeding. He hopes that he can breed horses with straight legs in Malacca. “We want the Straitest of Malacca,” although it has been heard that Singapore may also lay claim to this and wish to have it referred to the International Court of Justice.

Nekko said, “With frozen semen and Artificial Insemination technology, it is possible to breed with the best European warmbloods to create the first-ever Malaysian warmblood studbook. There are many exciting breeding possibilities, not only for Rodrigo, ha ha, but also for the horses. If we cross the Selle Francais (SF) with the Kuda Padi, then we will Selle Padi (SP.) Then if we double-cross the Selle Padi with the Dutch KWPN then we get KWSP. There could be quite good interest.”