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Pessoa has now reached the grand age of 90. Moreover, this year marks exactly 60 years since he won the Grand Prix of Rotterdam. What followed was a nostalgic yet inspiring conversation about top sport, innovation, royal visits, and a deep love for the horse.

A warm welcome among the silver

Upon entering Nelson’s cozy home, your eyes are immediately drawn to the gleaming, historic memorabilia. The iconic silver trophies awarded back in the day at CHIO Rotterdam prominently decorate the room. Anyone who thinks the 90-year-old Brazilian is sitting still is sorely mistaken.

"I am doing well," Nelson begins with a smile. "My health is great. I still give lessons, including to Yuri Mansur, and I follow the sport closely. Sometimes I still attend a show, though nowadays I mostly watch via livestream. The days at the showgrounds can get a bit too long for me."

However, he hasn't lost his passion for travel. "I still regularly fly to America to visit my son Rodrigo, his American wife, and my three granddaughters just outside of New York. Unfortunately, I have to admit that there will not be a next generation of Pessoas in top-level sport. My granddaughters did ride, but none of them hold the reins anymore. It’s a pity, but it is what it is."

An Olympic detour into eventing

The fact that Pessoa is an all-around horseman was clearly proven by his recent stint as a coach. Up until the Paris Olympic Games, he spent six years training the Australian eventing riders. With unprecedented success:

  • Tokyo: Team silver and individual bronze.

  • Paris: An individual silver medal.

"Eventing was a completely new experience for me," Nelson admits. "I had always followed the discipline, but I had never practiced it myself. It was fantastic to do."

Rotterdam: Where the circle turned threefold

In 1961, Nelson Pessoa first set foot on European soil. A year later, in 1962, he made his debut in the Kralingse Bos in Rotterdam. It marked the beginning of a thirty-year love affair with the Dutch show.

"When I was young, CHIO Rotterdam was one of those absolute classics. The class you dreamed of winning as a rider. I love Dutch shows; they breathe tradition and are organized to an exceptionally high standard. Logistically, the location in Rotterdam is complex for the organization, being right in the middle of that city park, but that is exactly what makes it so unique."

Memories of the grey gelding, Caribe

In 1966, Nelson won the Grand Prix with Caribe. "A beautiful, Argentine-bred horse," he recalls fondly. "Caribe was a grey, a gelding, not overly large but extremely elastic. He was incredibly easy to ride and very sweet. Unfortunately, his career was short because he fell ill, but in the three to four years that I rode him, he brought me immense success."

History repeated itself in a remarkable way: exactly 30 years later, in 1996, his son Rodrigo also won the Grand Prix of Rotterdam. Now, another 30 years later (60 years after Nelson’s victory), the circle is complete.

The 'Wizard' and his natural feeling

During his active riding years, Nelson Pessoa was famously nicknamed "The Wizard of Technique". At a time when riding was often dominated by a heavy hand and sheer strength, Pessoa revolutionized the sport with his fabulously light way of riding. He always sought the ultimate balance between control and the horse's natural movement.

This extreme control and 'feeling for distance' were never more evident than in the Puissance. No one could approach the famous wall as smoothly and unbothered as Nelson, without having to shorten or lengthen a single stride. When asked about it, he remains down-to-earth:

"That is innate talent. I simply saw the distance immediately. That's not something you can learn—you either have it or you don't."

"My own coach was my father. He didn't ride at a high level, but when I was about ten years old, he taught me the basics of good horsemanship. Other than that, I taught myself everything, mostly by watching others. At that time, there were no international riders in Brazil, only a few riders from the military. I was the first rider to compete internationally, and it gave me a beautiful life."

Pioneer in commerce: The Pessoa rein and saddles

Pessoa was a visionary not only in the saddle but also outside of it. He understood early on that the sport needed to professionalize.

"When I was young, you couldn't live off prize money alone," Nelson explains. "I wanted to ride, but I didn't want to become a horse dealer. So, I looked for other ways. I was the first rider in the world with a major sponsor (the champagne brand Moët & Chandon). All my horses were given champagne names back then!"

Professionalism had a downside at the time. Because he earned money from the sport, the rules of the era labeled him a 'professional', which temporarily barred him from competing in the Olympic Games. "But oh well," he laughs, "by then I had already ridden in five."

To ensure a good life after his active career, he developed his own tack line. The Pessoa training rein and Pessoa saddles are still household names in the international equestrian world today. "You cannot do top sport and earn your money elsewhere in an office at the same time. With a sponsor and an equipment line, I could build my own business around my passion."

A look at the modern sport

When discussing today's showjumping, Nelson sees a massive evolution. "In my time, you mostly had Toon Ebben in the Netherlands; there were only a few true professionals back then. Today, the depth of talent is immense. There are so many incredibly good riders and exceptional horses."

If the grandmaster could choose any horse from the current circuit to ride today, he doesn't have to think twice:

  • Ermitage Kalone (by Catoki) – ridden by Gilles Thomas.

  • Vertigo du Desert (by Mylord Carthago) – Luciana Diniz’s top horse. "Especially the latter, I think, would have suited my way of riding very well."

The magic of the Longines League of Nations™️

Brazil is back at the highest level in the team competition, and Nelson will be there in Rotterdam to witness it.

"Of course I am coming to watch. Rodrigo will be there too, and I dearly hope he is on the team, alongside Yuri Mansur and Luciana Diniz. I love team competitions. The Nations Cup stands for tradition and ceremony. The FEI must cherish these traditions. The battle between countries, the team spirit... in my eyes, that is far more beautiful and valuable than individual competition."