Luciana Lossio (BRA) found out she would jump her first-ever five-star last Sunday night. Just under a week later, she stood atop the podium of the $385,000 Bainbridge Companies CSI5* Grand Prix during the ninth week of international competition at Wellington International’s Winter Equestrian Festival. In front of a buzzing 'Saturday Night Lights’ crowd, the 49-year-old rider guided long-time partner Lady Louise Jmen to a win she never dreamed of having.
“This is unbelievable for me; I've been with this mare for six years and in the beginning I just wanted to jump 1.20m, but we became so much more,” said Lossio of her 14-year-old mare. “We went higher and higher, and today I'm here in my first five-star and winning alongside these riders that I just enjoy watching.
“She's so confident; she doesn’t change from day to night or from the grass to the sand; she’s perfect,” continued Lossio of Lady Louise Jmen
Lossio returned in the penultimate position in a four-horse jump-off over courses masterfully designed by Ireland’s Alan Wade. To cheers from her family on the sidelines—many of whom traveled from Brazil to watch her compete—Lossio bested the current leading time of Nayel Nassar (EGY) by fourth tenths of a second.
“Friday was International Women's Day, so I think they may have let me win because of that,” said Lossio, an amateur who works full time as a lawyer in Brazil. “Tonight was our night. In the warmup, she was telling me, ‘I want to go.’ She’s very strong and I have to be there trying to keep her in my hands because she really likes to jump.”