Intro:

Brazilian riders made a strong start to the 2012 CHIO at Aachen in eastern Germany on Tuesday.

Script:

On the first morning at the 2012 CHIO, Brazil's Rodrigo Pessoa finished second in the NetAachen Prize behind 46 year-old Frenchman Roger-Yves Bost, who rode to victory on stallion Castle Forbes Vivaldo van Het.

In the afternoon, Pessoa's fellow-countryman, Alvaro Miranda, rode to victory in the STAWAG Prize.

The 35-year-old mastered the course of high obstacles in the fastest time.

It took the Brazilian rider 68.50 seconds to reach the finish line - he was too fast even for Hans-Dieter Dreher who was forced to settle for second place.

Amid bright sunshine the rider from Baden took the second step on the podium with a time of 69.32 seconds, which made up for him coming 84th in the morning after having to ride first in the NetAachen Prize.

Third place went to the Dutch rider Harrie Smolders atop Regina Z.