By Roberta Milani (translated by Caroline Padilla) / ABCCH
Photography: Courtesy Marco Appel

Iberon Jmen, a Brazilian Sport Horse (BH) was born on October 14, 2002 at Haras Agromen, in the countryside outside São Paulo, and will be travelling to Tokyo for the postponed 2020 Olympic Games. He is son of Indoctro out of Landina Jmen, a daughter of Landino.

The Confederação Brasileira de Hipismo, the National Equestrian Confederation, announced the official summons on June 5. Iberon Jmen and Marcio Appel, who is his owner/rider, will be Brazil’s alternative combination for the eventing competition. “We were summoned to be in Tokyo. It wasn’t easy. Not only have we competed against our adversaries in competition, we have also fought Covid, the postponing of the Olympic Games, difficult times for travelling and competing, questions about the horse’s age, and more. I kept my hopes up until the end and finally got it. I am very happy; I couldn’t imagine this even in my wildest dreams. Iberon, you’re out of this world,” said Appel.
The 2020 Summer Olympic Games, a multi-sport event scheduled to be held in the metropolitan areas of Tokyo in the summer of 2021, was originally scheduled to take place between July 24 and August 9, 2020. However, on March 24 2020, the games were postponed to the summer of 2021, as one of the main victims of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Even though 42-year-old Marcio Appel lives in Brazil, n2016 he has made the decision to keep his main horse, Iberon Jmen, in England. “I could be there a few times a year and that’s how I managed to compete in European tournaments and be near the sport’s elite,” he explained.

Appel started his career as a showjumping rider, but in 2012 self-designed an ambitious goal… To convert to eventing and become an Olympic rider in his new discipline. With absolute focus and persistence Appel evolved and gained in confidence until he was listed among the top 100 in the 2015 world rider ranking. Ever gaining more knowledge and experience, Appel achieved his initial goal by finishing seventh in the team competition at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games riding Iberon Jmen, alongside Carlos Parro, Marcio Carvalho Jorge, Ruy Leme Fonseca, and Nilson Moreira.
The team, to which Appel contributed as a member, took part in the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon, NC, USA, and at the 2019 Pan-American Games in Lima, Peru. Appel also won the Brazilian Championship in 2019. Among other accomplishments are dual championship titles in the Braziling eventing ranking (2017 and 2018), and a silver medal in the test event for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Marcio Appel said; “I’d like to thank my whole team, especially Marcio Carvalho Jorge for the amazing physical and technical work with Iberon since 2016.” A complimentary message from the athlete who had already recorded two Olympic qualifying standards before receiving his official summons.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Eventing Program

• Thursday, July 29 Eventing 1st horse inspection • Friday, July 30 Eventing Dressage Team and Individual Day 1 (44 participants) • Saturday, July 31 Eventing Dressage Team and Individual Day 2 (21 participants) Jumping 1st horse inspection • Sunday, August 1 Eventing Team and Individual (65 participants) Jumping re-inspection Jumping training session • Monday, August 2 Eventing 2nd horse inspection Eventing Jumping Team and Individual Finals Eventing Team Victory Ceremony Eventing Individual Victory Ceremony (25 participants)