The Board
Sylvia Loch - Order of Merit (Por) - Founder and Honorary President
Sylvia Loch started with ponies aged 8 and by the age of 15 was teaching children and their parents. Originally a keen hunter and jumper, she became involved with classical dressage when she first landed on Portuguese soil in l969 and fell in love with the Lusitano. Award winning, international best-selling author of many DVDs and books on classical riding and the Lusitano horse including the Royal Horse of Europe and The Classical Seat. Her last book The Balanced Horse includes a foreword by British Olympic gold medal winning dressage rider Carl Hester. She is currently working on a new book, 'The Balanced Rider'. Sylvia also founded the Classical Riding Club and has travelled the world giving lecture demonstrations, training clinics, judging Lusitanos, and is much in demand for lessons on her advanced Lusitano schoolmaster Prazer.
She is probably one of the best known aficionados of Lusitanos who, with her late husband Lord Loch, was the first to import Lusitanos into the country in numbers.
Sylvia Loch Classical Dressage
Amanda Birch - Chair, Marketing & PR Director
Amanda is a choreographer and musical arranger for dressage and equestrian productions.
She was drawn to the Lusitano breed via her work with music, and was truly enamoured with their grace, agility and intelligence., this led to the “accidental purchase of a 2 year old PSL colt Eborio in 2009.
He came dancing aross an orange grove.The rest is history and was the beginning of a wonderful and enlightening adventure.
Amanda is passionate about her role as chairman which allows her to promote this
wonderful breed and share the very best of Portuguese tradition, heritage and integrity.
She sits on the Showing council on behalf of the society, and also promotes the charity “Riders minds” via our social media pages.
She feels it is important that the Society supports its members and that the day to day running processes of LBSGB are robust and secure.
Email: info@lusitanosociety.co.uk
Rui Campeão - Director and Trainers Representative
Rui was apprenticed to Francisco Bessa de Carvalho (Chief rider for the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art) for 17 years before turning professional and setting up his own riding establishment near Lisbon. Based in Portugal, he holds monthly clinics at Saddlesdane Equestrian Centre, near Faversham in Kent. He has been in this country for the last 8 years training and competing in dressage and showing Lusitanos with multiple results at regional and national shows.
Photo: Bertaimeges
Ida de Fouw - Stud Book Secretary
Ida’s very first horse was a cheap TB which ended up being named Double Dutch (AKA Bruce), he was a brave little horse doing Riding Club competitions and (BE) evented, regularly ending in the rosettes including winning a Novice Open Two Day in the days there was still a steeplechase. They also were part of the British Riding Club Rural Riders European Championships (Event) Team in Holland, 1* course but sadly had to withdraw on the final day to an overreach.
From there Ida progressed onto warmbloods all KWPN. Successfully taking part in BRC competitions, young horse classes, FSM and “straight dressage”. Her last WB called Willem van Oranje Ida trained from a very green opinionated 6-year-old to Inter 2 and training at GP. They also represented Holland.
Ida had the pleasure of having training sessions on the continent with Tineke and Imke Bartels and the late Arjen Teeuwissen. Plus was greatly influenced by Char Lassetter and Angela Niemeyer over the years.
In 2019 following the retirement of Willem, Ida found herself in need of a change and bought her first Luso. A brave little soul but turned out to be better suited to a quieter lifestyle. This prompted a rethink of her life as so much else was happening. Give up horses? Then amongst all sorts of (unsuitable) offers a short video clip pinged up on the mobile, it caused tears of joy. Just a month or so before the first lock down, Ida travelled to Portugal with a friend to check out Impune. In typical Portuguese style, great hospitality, wined and dined. Impune was all she could wish for and better.
In the daytime Ida works full time and has been involved in the animal health Blue Chip pharmaceutical veterinary world for 30 years including cats, dogs, horses, sheep, cattle and swine. Traveling many 10.000s miles taking her all over the UK. A great way to see the country.
Tel: 0345 0678 079
Email: studbook@lusitanosociety.co.uk
Manda King - Membership and Show Secretary
Horses have loomed large in my life, all of my life. I clearly remember the look of terror on my fathers face when I had my first riding lesson and was put on a 16.2 hunter, to see if I "had what it took". Apparently I had. I was 6 years old. That was 60 plus years ago, and I am still addicted. I was given my first Luso, (Girassol from the Casa Cadaval stud) 20 years ago, by a very dear friend. Little did I realise he was almost Luso royalty, having been one of Felix Brasseurs double gold medal winning team at the WEG. That was it, I fell in love with these very special horses, and I hope to enjoy them for many years to come.
Email: membership@lusitanosociety.co.uk
Emma Nuttall - Co-opted Treasurer
Emma is an integral part of the Lusitano display teams that perform around the UK promoting the breed.
Riding her Lusitano stallion Raven she has also competed successfully in the UK and Europe on multiple occasions and had prestigious wins at Royal Windsor for the last two years
Emma is owner of White Horse Equestrian in Meopham Kent, which is also home to The Bravo Show, a beautiful extravaganza featuring music and Iberian horses in an entertaining and enlightening sell out show.
Alongside all of that she is also an accomplished professional carriage driver.
Emma a valuable member of the board since May this year bringing with her the experience in commerece as a key member of the management team for one of the largest global software houses.
She is also director of 4 companies.
Her nomination was announced to members on our website when she joined , and we trust you will vote for her continued presence on the board.
White Horse Farm