Festival of the Iberian Horse

11/08/2026

The final major show for the Iberian horse in the UK for 2026 takes place this weekend, the 14th and 15th August. The Iberian Performance Show at Merrist Wood is now in its 13th year and much loved by all who attend. There's a busy showing programme, dressage, training clinics and an afternoon gala show, the incredible Spanish Olympic rider Rafeal Soto is a special guest. Please note the link above is the ONLY official page, do not sign up for live streams from other fake pages

11/08/2026

🇬🇧🇪🇸🇵🇹 Fantastic to see a full team of four riders all with Lusitanos heading to the World Working Equitation Championships taking place at the prestigious Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre in the capital of the horse in Jerez. We congratulate them all. Many thousands of you loved this dynamic sport in our 11 years of shows, especially at Westpoint where the speed rounds took the roof off to start the evening shows. The team are largely self funding, so if you are able to make a donation big or small you can play your part supporting TeamGB in their Journey to Jerez. And, there's still time to book a little holiday and cheer them on in one of Andalucía's finest cities!

The Association for British Working Equitation (ABWE) is la… The Association for British Working Equitation WE needs your support for Support Team GB at the 2026 WE World Championship

03/08/2026

Some horses were at the heart of the show, none more so than Lusitano Hermes. The Iberian and Working Equitation communities have all been devastated to hear the heartbreaking news that this exceptional horse lost his battle with Colic. Hermes owned by Lynne Macleod, wowed so many at both the Grange and Westpoint, showing sheer elegance in the Ease of Handling and dressage, and an incredible turn of foot in the speed rounds of The Association for British Working Equitation competitions. In a glittering career in the sport, Hermes represented Great Britain several times, and was five times the advanced national champion - a truly world class horse

Hermes also stole the hearts of thousands as part of the LED Lusitano displays again at the Grange, including a remarkably brave performance with stilt walkers, and finally in massive arena shows at Westpoint. In 2022 Hermes and Lynne rode with Holly Barber and Exparta d'Atela and Tamsin Devonport and Cereja. The three Lusitanos weaving through magical olive trees in the dark showing highly advanced movements was sublime, spectacular and incredibly moving. In 2023, in a world first, Lynne and Hermes rode an entire Working Equitation course in the dark. Lit up with LEDs, as they rode to each obstacle spectacular lighting brought each challenge to life creating truly magical moments for Hermes to shine in. Typical of the breed, he was incredibly brave and rose to the occasion as always - absolutely unforgettable, a superstar of a horse

Hermes will forever stay in the hearts of so many, we extend our love and thanks for everything he brought to the show, and send our sincere condolences to Lynne and Joe and all of the connections of the horse, the loss is something so hard to bear

Fly free Hermes

📷 Aga Karmol Art

31/07/2026

Cornish equestrians - if you can make it to Lands End tomorrow between 10-11am you can be part of the welcoming party for two incredible equestrians! If not perhaps you can spare some pennies for a very worthy cause. Many of you watched and met the amazing Alison Zuend from The Horse Place at our 11 years of shows. Alison was twice our Spanish Reserve Champion on two different horses (Il Danubio and Elba), she also performed in evening galas, ran many demos at Westpoint and performed as a butterfly in a Magali Delgado piece! Poppy is Alison's trusty steed who is a Lusitano - PRE - Hanoverian mix. They are riding with Jo Treweek and Bonny, and altogether they are raising money for Alzheimer's Research

Alison, Jo, Poppy and Bonny are now just days from Lands End after travelling an incredible 1,200 miles+ from John o Groats in 88 days. Their final route will cover St Day, Hayle, Nancledra, St Just and the inbetweens before reaching their final destination. The horses are looking fantastic showing how well they are adapted to consistently travelling long distances. We know many of you here have been following, but your support on the final stretch home is greatly appreciated. They are raising money for Alzheimer's Research and have reached £15,000 now of their £20,000 target. Even a small donation helps - let's get them there - link in the comments. Your loves and likes on the page Adventure B4 Dementia 2026 help in so many ways, and finally - perhaps you could be part of the welcoming party on Saturday 1st August, they would love to see you there!!! Jo and Alison expect to arrive between 10 and 11am

25/07/2026

Wishing everyone at the GBPRE Championship show a wonderful weekend. Events have been in full swing for two days but lots more to come over the weekend including the prestigious ANCCE classes. So if you can get to Hartpury, it's free to spectate and lots of beautiful horses to see!

03/07/2026

Wishing a very special happy birthday to the incredible Marilyn Tennent who judged the Spanish horses for us in 2018. Here a brief delve into a notable career with the horses of Spain, and a little more on the special horse in the picture Victorioso....

MARILYN TENNENT has been involved with Spanish Horses for more than 40 years, having followed an initial fascination with the Breed to Seville in 1974 where she met the American photographer Robert Vavra and went on to spend time with many of the most notable Breeders of these horses while working with Robert on many of his famous books. This led on to the purchase of Principe, who famously starred as the “last unicorn” in the film Legend, and later on – after many years of study - to writing about the horse and its history for the book The Andalusian Horse, a Portrait, by Robert Vavra and published in 1992.

Having met the riders of the Escuela de Arte Ecuestre on their first visit to London in 1974, Marilyn was later to spend a considerable time working with Mercedes Gonzalez Cort, with whose help she bought the stallion Victorioso II, bred by the prestigious Stud of Jaime Guardiola Fantoni. Marilyn and her horse then spent 7 years at the home and training centre of D. Luis Ramos Paul in Los Palacios, Seville. Held in high esteem as a Classical Maestro, Luis had been Chief Instructor at the Real Escuela de Arte Ecuestre in Jerez and also formerly a four-time Campeon de Espana in Doma Vaquera. With Luis as her mentor and based in the heartland of the Purebred Spanish Horse, Marilyn’s “apprenticeship” was rooted not only in the principles and practice of Classical Equitation but also in the history of the horse and the extensive culture and the many customs and traditions that surround it.

Victorioso achieved high honours in the show ring and then went on to win 3 Gold Medals in Doma Clasica with Luis before he and Marilyn came to the UK where they were unbeaten in Ridden Championships, including the Breed Shows and Royal Windsor, for 3 years. The pair later returned to Spain and were based at the Stud of Dehesa La Granja in the Sierra de Cadiz where stud work was added to the repertoire until ill health forced retirement from an active riding career. Marilyn has trained horses and has enjoyed instructing many riders of all ages in both Spain and England, and having attended the relevant Courses in Spain has worked as a Judge on many occasions over the years, in Spain, the UK and the United States.

29/06/2026

Wishing the fantastic Frédéric Pignon a very very happy birthday and a magical, joyful year ahead!

📷 Aga Karmol Art from our 2023 UK arena show

28/06/2026

Many of you watched and met the amazing Alison Zuend from The Horse Place at our 11 years of shows. Alison was twice our Spanish Reserve Champion on two different horses (Il Danubio and Elba), she also performed in evening galas, ran many demos at Westpoint and performed as a butterfly in a Magali Delgado piece! Alison is currently riding from John o Groats and is 60 days in arriving at Lands End in another 30 or so. Poppy is her trusty steed who is a Lusitano - PRE - Hanoverian mix. They are riding with Jo Treweek and Bonny, and altogether they are raising money for Alzheimer's Research, such an important cause that affects so many. Please follow their journey at the link below and you'll find a link to make a donation in the comments

800 miles or thereabouts!

12/06/2026

💃If you're missing the festival and would love a taste of Spain, the incredible Rebeca Ortega Flamenco and Ramon Ruiz Flamenco are appearing at St David's Church in Exeter on the 21st June. Authentic, powerful, soul stirring in a sensational setting

10/06/2026

🇵🇹 On Portugal Day - here, Paulo Santos riding Lusitano Exparta D'Atela, owned by Holly Barber at our 2018 Gala show. We would like to wish everyone at the Lusitano Breed Society of Great Britain breed show this weekend, 13th and 14th June at Addington the most fantastic weekend. They have a full programme of events including the prestigious APSL Cavalo Lusitano classes, PRE classes, MCI dressage and more. Spectators are free and very welcome
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📷 Fleur Churchill - Andalucía Equuscapes