The Azevedo Family, A Legacy Across Four Generations
Few families in international show jumping have maintained a presence at the highest level of the sport across four generations. The Azevedo family is one of them. From Olympic podiums to Nations Cups, World Cup Finals and five-star Grand Prix victories, the Azevedo name has remained part of international show jumping for more than fifty years. This week at Piazza di Siena in Rome, that legacy was once again visible, with three generations of the family present at one of the sport’s most prestigious events.For the Azevedos, Rome has always held special significance.
Luiz Felipe de Azevedo and the Piazza di Siena Connection
Few Brazilian riders have had a career as influential as Luiz Felipe de Azevedo.
His greatest achievements came with Team Brazil, winning Olympic bronze medals at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and again at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. Those two podium finishes established him among the most successful Brazilian riders in the history of the sport.
Beyond the Olympic arena, Piazza di Siena became one of the defining venues of his career.
In 1985, he finished third in the prestigious Gran Premio Roma, one of the most important results of his early international career. In 1993, Piazza di Siena became the setting for a unique family moment when Luiz Felipe de Azevedo and his son, Luiz Felipe de Azevedo Filho, competed together for Brazil in the Nations Cup team.
His final appearance in Rome came in 2002 and produced another memorable achievement. Riding the mare Silverland, he cleared the puissance wall at 2.32 metres, setting a record that remains one of the most iconic moments in the history of the event.
The Second Generation
The success of the Azevedo family continued with Luiz Felipe’s sons, both of whom built international careers representing Brazil at the highest level.
Luiz Felipe de Azevedo Filho
Throughout his international career, Luiz Felipe de Azevedo Filho has established himself as one of the most experienced and consistent Brazilian riders on the FEI circuit, maintaining a presence at the highest level of show jumping for more than three decades.
Among his most significant achievements is the team bronze medal at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky 2010 and the team gold medal at the Pan American Games in Lima 2019, confirming his role in Brazil’s top championship performances.
At continental level, he earned an individual silver medal and a team gold medal at the South American Championships in Juiz de Fora in 1998, as well as the title of Brazilian Senior Champion in 2010 with the horse Special.
He has represented Brazil in 46 Nations Cups, contributing to multiple team results in major CSIO events worldwide, including the historic victory at La Baule in 2018 and appearances in top venues such as Rome, Aachen, Falsterbo and Samorin.
Alongside his sporting career, he is also a noted trainer and serves as Team Manager of the Rome Gladiators for the 2026 Global Champions League season, combining his competition experience with international team leadership.
One of his most recent highlights includes victory in the CSI5* Grand Prix of Sharjah in 2025 aboard Sierra du Piedroux Z, confirming his continued presence at the highest level of the sport.
Sierra du Piedroux Z and Sir 99 du Piedroux Z
Piazza di Siena 2026 also highlighted the strength of the horses behind Luiz Felipe de Azevedo Filho’s current sport program, with two generations from the same dam competing at the same CSIO.
Sierra du Piedroux Z is a proven five-star mare with consistent results at the highest level of international show jumping. She has multiple Grand Prix placings at CSI5* level and has shown regular competitiveness over 1.60m tracks against the world’s strongest combinations. Her record includes top results across major international venues, confirming her reliability at championship level and five-star Grand Prix competitions.
Her son, Sir 99 du Piedroux Z, represents the next generation. At only eight years old, he made his debut at CSIO5* level in Rome during Piazza di Siena, where he immediately confirmed his potential with a clear round and a placing in the 1.45m Winning Round class. His performance against far more experienced horses marked him as a developing prospect for future top sport.
Together, Sierra and Sir 99 represent continuity within the same sport line, with experience and progression meeting at one of the most historic stages in international show jumping.
Francisco de Azevedo
Francisco de Azevedo also developed a successful international career representing Brazil.
A former Brazilian Champion and South American Champion, he competed at major international championships and established himself as one of the country’s most consistent riders at Grand Prix level.
Among his best international results are three second-place finishes in CSI5* Grand Prix competitions, including the Rolex Grand Prix of Wellington, one of the most prestigious events on the American circuit.
In 2012, he qualified for the FEI World Cup Final in ’s-Hertogenbosch, competing among the world’s leading riders at one of show jumping’s premier championships.
Celine Schoonbroodt-De Azevedo
An important part of the family’s international success is also Celine Schoonbroodt-De Azevedo, wife of Luiz Felipe de Azevedo Filho and mother of Luiz Felipe de Azevedo Neto.
Representing Belgium at the highest level of international show jumping, Celine has built an impressive career of her own with more than 65 international victories and nearly 3,000 FEI starts.
She has competed consistently on the Longines Global Champions Tour circuit and achieved major international results, including second place in the LGCT Grand Prix of Paris in 2019.
In 2023, she won the CSI4* Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi with Déesse des Embruns, while her husband Luiz Felipe de Azevedo Filho finished third in the same Grand Prix aboard Sierra du Piedroux Z, making it a memorable family result at international level.
Together, Luiz Felipe de Azevedo Filho and Celine also manage Ecurie FAPE in Belgium, where they develop horses and support the next generation of riders.
The Fourth Generation
At only 20 years old, Luiz Felipe de Azevedo Neto has already established himself as one of the most promising young riders of his generation.
Initially representing Belgium in youth competition, he won Team Gold at the 2022 FEI European Junior Championships, one of the defining achievements of his junior career.
Since moving into senior competition, he has already participated in 12 Senior Nations Cups for Brazil and accumulated important international results at CSI4* and CSI5* level.
Among his standout performances are:
- Clear round in the Rolex Nations Cup of Falsterbo CSIO5*
- Third place with Team Brazil in the League of Nations CSIO5* in Abu Dhabi
- Fifth place in the CSI4* Grand Prix of Münster
- Fourth place in the CSI4* Grand Prix of El Jadida
- Second place in the CSIO3* Grand Prix of Budapest
- Twelfth place in the CSI5* Grand Prix of Paris
- Eighth place in the CSI5* 1.55m class in Shanghai
- Tenth place in the CSI5* Grand Prix of Sharjah
His absence from Piazza di Siena this year was strategic, as he focused on preparations for upcoming Longines Global Champions Tour events on the French Riviera.
A Historic Weekend Ahead
What now awaits the Azevedo family in Thessaloniki carries a level of significance rarely seen in modern sport.
For the first time in the history of international show jumping, four members of the same family, across four generations, are expected to compete in the same official FEI Nations Cup event: Luiz Felipe de Azevedo, Luiz Felipe de Azevedo Filho, Francisco de Azevedo and Luiz Felipe de Azevedo Neto.
It is not only a family milestone. It is an unprecedented moment in the sport itself.
Three generations have competed together before. Two generations have won medals together. Father and son have shared Nations Cup teams.
What is about to happen in Greece goes further.
Four generations, active in the same team competition, at senior international level, under the Brazilian flag.
It places the Azevedo name into a category of sporting continuity that is almost without comparison in equestrian sport.
More Than Results
The Azevedo story is not only about medals, rankings or victories.
It is about continuity at the highest level of the sport. Across four generations, the family has remained active in Olympic Games, Nations Cups, World Cup Finals, European Championships and five-star Grand Prix competition.
At Piazza di Siena this year, that history was visible once again.
A family connected by horses and united by a lasting commitment to international show jumping.
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