Dressage-News

Salvino and Adrienne Lyle wearing silver medals from the Tokyo Olympics and the World Equestrian Games in Tryon in 2018. © Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

April 4, 2024

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

Salvino has been officially retired by owner Betsy Juliano after a career with rider Adrienne Lyle that earned historic Olympic and World Equestrian Games silver medals for the United States.

Salvino, who arrived from Spain nine years ago with the name Sandronnerhall, is leaving the sport as one of only two U.S. combinations ever to achieve the distinction of earning silver medals at both Olympics and world championships.

“Salvino is still quite fit and energetic, but Adrienne and I feel the rigors of the qualifying process, in addition to the leadup to the Olympics would not be in his best long-term interests,” Betsy said in a statement

“He will soon transition to a life of retirement while still being ridden at home. We are also very proud to be able to offer Salvino for breeding.”

“There has always been a great deal of interest in Salvino as a breeding stallion,” Adrienne said. “We feel it’s time to explore this as the next phase of his career. Salvino has far surpassed any expectations we ever had for him.

“This has been a very difficult decision to make, but more than anything we feel it is the right decision for him. He continues to be ridden at home; he loves to work and show the other horses how it should be done. He has given us so much, and Betsy and I are committed to making sure he keeps on living his best life.”

“Vinnie,” as the black stallion is called in the barn, competed in 55 international competitions from the first CDI on Mar. 23, 2017 to the finale on Jan. 13, 2023. The duo was first in 25 of the starts on both sides of the Atlantic. Aside from their home grounds of the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida the pair started 10 times at the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany, considered the pinnacle of international horse sports.

During the most successful period for American dressage, Salvino and Adrienne were team mates of Laura Graves on Verdades, Steffen Peters on Suppenkasper, Kasey Perry-Glass on Dublet and Sabine Schut-Kerry on Sanceo. Steffen and “Mopsie,” as Suppenkasper is nicknamed, were on the American teams with Salvino and Adrienne to earn silver at the world championships in Tryon in 2018 and the Olympics in Tokyo. A top sixth placing at the world championships in 2022 that was the last international championship for Adrienne and Salvino left a legacy of earning a starting place for the U.S. at the Olympics in Paris this summer but, if qualified, the rider will be on a different horse.

A stallion with the name of Sandronnerhall arriving in Wellington, Florida in May 2015 as a prospective USA team horse for Adrienne Lyle. The horse’s name was quickly changed to Salvino. © Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS com

Salvino ridden by Adrienne Lyle in their first competition in the United States at the end of 2016. © Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

Adrienne on Salvino being congratulated by Debbie McDonald, her long-time mentor and coach, after the stallion’s first CDI Grand Prix at the age of 10 at Wellington in 2017. Ownership of Salvino moved to Betsy Juliano who had been part of the original purchasing syndicate. © Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

Not everything goes according to best laid plans. Coming into a strange arena packed with thousands of partying spectators in Rotterdam a broken noseband on Salvino was replaced by groom Morgan Klingensmith with the help of fellow Americans Olivia LaGoy-Weltz and Ashley Holzer. © Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

Celebrating the first Nations Cup appearance, at the premier World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany. © Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

Debbie McDonald, long time coach of Adrienne, and Betsy Juliano, owner of Salvino, applauding the performance of the rider and horse at Aachen, Germany. © Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

Adrienne on Salvino at the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon. © Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

Adrienne wearing silver medal earned on Salvino at the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon. © Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

At the only World Cup Final for the duo–in the Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden in 2019. © Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com

Adrienne and Salvino in Tokyo to earn Olympic silver medal for USA team.

Bowing Out! The final competition for the partnership of Salvino and Adrienne for victory in the Grand Prix Freestyle at the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington under the lights on Friday, Jan. 13, 2023. Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com