Rodrigo de Paula Pessoa (born 29 November 1972 in Paris, France) is a Brazilian equestrian specialized in show jumping. The son of fellow equestrian Nelson Pessoa, Pessoa is considered one of the most talented of his generation, being an Olympic Games gold medalist in individual jumping and having over 70 Grand Prix wins. He has represented Brazil at 8 Olympic Games second most appearances behind Ian Millar which has 10.
Pessoa first competed in 1981 at Hickstead. In 1984, he claimed his first title as champion of the pony class, again in 1985. In 1988, he competed in his first Grand Prix.
He continued to build up his triumphant career by competing and winning many Grands Prix. In 1992, he rode Special Envoy in the Olympic Games in Barcelona for Brazil, making him one of the youngest riders to compete in the Olympics at the age of 19. In 1996, he again rode in the Olympics in Atlanta and helped Brazil win the bronze medal with Loro Piana TomBoy.
In 1998, he rode Gandini Lianos to be the youngest World Champion at 1998 FEI World Equestrian Games in Rome.
Pessoa took his career further by winning the World Cup Final on Baloubet du Rouet for three consecutive years in 1998, 1999, and 2000 a feat that has to this day been unmatched. He later claimed the title and prize for the world's best rider and in addition to the Show Jumping Year trophy.He has been ranked Number 1 in the World on the FEI Rankings. In 2000, he again won the bronze team medal at the Olympic Games in Sydney, and in spite of being a favorite to win the individual tournament, wound up disqualified once Baloubet twice refused to jump. In the 2004 Olympics in Athens, he won the individual silver medal, but after the disqualification of the Irish rider Cian O'Connor and his horse Waterford Crystal for doping, he was awarded the gold medal in an award ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.[1]
In 2007, Pessoa won the individual silver and team gold medals at the Pan American Games, held in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro.
Pessoa attracted controversy in 2008 when he was suspended by the FEI after his horse Rufus failed a doping test at the 2008 Olympic games. Pessoa was fined 2,000 Swiss francs and was suspended from international competitions for four and a half months.[2] [3] [4]
In 2010, he finished fourth individually and fourth with his team of Brazil at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY.In 2011, he again mounted the podium at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, with Team Brazil to collect a silver medal on HH Ashley.
He was also chosen to be Brazil's flag bearer at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[5]
Not wanting to be a substitute in the Brazilian squad that would compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro, Pessoa skipped the games and conceded his spot to Felipe Amaral,[6] and instead covered the Olympics as a commentator for a French television channel.[7] In the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Pessoa only took part in the team qualifier, withdrawing from participating in the finals after his horse Carlito's Way 6 refused twice on course.[8]
In 2017, Horse Sport Ireland announced Pessoa as the new Irish showjumping team manager. As chief for Team Ireland, they won the 2017 European title in Gothenburg, and in 2019 got Ireland qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by winning the FEI Nation's Cup final. At the end of 2019, he ended his cooperation with Horse Sport Ireland to dedicate time to his family and riding career. He rides for James H. Clark and Artemis Farms in Wellington and Greenwich.
He married Alexa Weeks in 2009 and has 3 daughters Cecilia, Sophia, and Luciana. In 2019 they moved to her hometown of Wilton, Connecticut. He operates his business called Amethyst Equestrian with his wife Alexa from his farm in North Salem, New York just outside New York City and Wellington in the winter months.[9]
| Results | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Event | Horse | Placing | Notes | |||||||
| 1990 | World Equestrian Games | Special Envoy | 8th | Team | |||||||
| 23rd | Individual | ||||||||||
| 1992 | Olympic Games | Special Envoy | 10th | Team | |||||||
| 9th | Individual | ||||||||||
| 1993 | World Cup Final | Special Envoy | 13th | ||||||||
| 1994 | World Equestrian Games | Special Envoy | 4th | Team | |||||||
| 8th | Individual | ||||||||||
| 1996 | World Cup Final | Tomboy | 4th | ||||||||
| 1996 | Olympic Games | Tomboy | Team | ||||||||
| 9th | Individual | ||||||||||
| 1998 | World Cup Final | Baloubet du Rouet | |||||||||
| 1998 | World Equestrian Games | Gandini Lianos | 5th | Team | |||||||
| Individual | |||||||||||
| 1999 | World Cup Final | Baloubet du Rouet | |||||||||
| 2000 | World Cup Final | Baloubet du Rouet | |||||||||
| 2000 | Olympic Games | Baloubet du Rouet | Team | ||||||||
| 27th | Individual | ||||||||||
| 2001 | World Cup Final | Baloubet du Rouet | |||||||||
| 2002 | World Cup Final | Baloubet du Rouet | |||||||||
| 2002 | World Equestrian Games | Baloubet du Rouet | 9th | Team | |||||||
| 26th | Individual | ||||||||||
| 2003 | World Cup Final | Baloubet du Rouet | |||||||||
| 2004 | World Cup Final | Baloubet du Rouet | 38th | ||||||||
| 2004 | Olympic Games | Baloubet du Rouet | 9th | Team | |||||||
| Individual | |||||||||||
| 2005 | World Cup Final | Baloubet du Rouet | 7th | ||||||||
| 2007 | World Cup Final | Oasis | 31st | ||||||||
| 2007 | Pan American Games | HH Rufus | Team | ||||||||
| Individual | |||||||||||
| 2008 | Olympic Games | HH Rufus | DSQ | Team | |||||||
| DSQ | Individual | ||||||||||
| 2009 | World Cup Final | HH Rufus | 5th | ||||||||
| 2010 | World Cup Final | HH Lets Fly | 16th | ||||||||
| 2010 | World Equestrian Games | HH Rebozo | 4th | Team | |||||||
| 4th | Individual | ||||||||||
| 2011 | Pan American Games | HH Ashley | Team | ||||||||
| 26th | Individual | ||||||||||
| 2012 | Olympic Games | HH Rebozo | 8th | Team | |||||||
| 22nd | Individual | ||||||||||
| 2014 | World Equestrian Games | Status | 5th | Team | |||||||
| 21st | Individual | ||||||||||
| EL = Eliminated; RET = Retired; WD = Withdrew; DSQ = Disqualified | |||||||||||