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Former event rider follows in footsteps of the greats to achieve rare feat in Olympic showjumping

Martha Terry Martha Terry

    • Only a handful of people in the modern era have ridden at championship level in two equestrian disciplines. Step forward Duarte Seabra, the Portuguese who has just added Olympic showjumping honours to his eventing World Championship cap.

    As an event rider, Duarte also completed Badminton twice, and was a prolific competitor on the international circuit. It’s an impressive switch, following in the steps of the great Mark Todd and Peder Fredricson.

    “They are two different sports – I never thought one day I’d become a showjumper,” he says. “If you asked me when I was eventing, I would have said, ‘not even in my dreams’.”

    But in 2015, Duarte’s older brother Francisco – also a championship event rider – died in an eventing accident. Duarte had been based in England and Ireland for several years, but that spring moved back home to Portugal and stopped eventing. A couple of years later, he switched over to showjumping.

    Olympic showjumping cap for Duarte Seabra

    “I feel lucky to be in the top of the sport in both disciplines,” said Duarte, after knocking two down on Dourados 2 in the individual qualifier for the final at Paris 2024. “In eventing your strongest point has to be the cross-country but I had always showjumped. I jumped up to grand prix before I started eventing, so I had some experience and that probably helped me in eventing. Then I dedicated myself to eventing for more than 10 years.

    “I’m back in showjumping now and it feels natural because we jump in two disciplines in eventing. However it’s a totally different sport and lifestyle. Eventing is more about passion, showjumping is more of a business. There’s a big business industry around showjumping, to which the eventing is not even close.”

    Duarte still draws on his eventing experience now.

    “For sure there’s a lot I’ve learned in eventing that I benefit from now being a showjumper,” says the 38-year-old. “In terms of pressure, I was lucky enough to jump around Badminton twice, I did the World Games and [learnt how to deal] with the pressure when you go cross-country at that level – it’s big. But here, worst case, the fences fall. And I think in eventing, the fitness and knowing the horse has helped me a lot now.”

    And a final bonus?

    “I don’t have to ride in a dressage saddle – which is a good thing!” he says.

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    Martha Terry
    Martha Terry

    H&H features editor
    Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.
    Martha Terry

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