Talking about the Purunã Institute is also talking about the Cabanha São Rafael, that — betting on development through sustainable tourism — idealized the Institute as its ally in social action in São Luiz do Purunã.

And it is in the figure of the Founder and President of the Purunã Mariano Lemanski Institute, that the passion for horses and for the gaucho culture that are part of the history of Cabanha São Rafael are kept alive and remain inspiring the actions of the Institute, carrying customs of the movimento tropeiro and investing in the valuation and repercussion of the traditions of its ancestors, always focusing on local development through the promotion of new alternatives and technologies.

Cabanha São Rafael History

Starting rom Mariano’s passion for Crioulo horses, in April 1987 Cabanha São Rafael began its selection, with the acquisition of seven mares and a stallion, during the Autumn Fair of Pelotas – RS (headquarters of the Brazilian Association of Crioulo Horse Breeders) (ABCCC). In the beginning, the intention was to obtain work animals (cattle management) that were registered, to guarantee the quality of the breed that aroused interest through its renowned rusticity, resistance and unmatched horse posture in the Americas that conquest so many. But little by little, the enthusiasm for the breed grew and what was supposed to be just a work animal became a passion, a way of life, an objective.


Archive: Cabanha São Rafael

The lack of technical-based follow-up made the beginning difficult and that São Rafael consulted traditional creators and technicians from ABCCC. From that moment on, the breeding started to take professionalism patterns driven by the growing excitement in discovering where the breed could take Cabanha.

And so, since the creation of the Official Ranking of the ABCCC – which certifies and awards riders, horses, breeders and institutions that act in harmony with the culture of horses in Brazil –, Cabanha São Rafael is among the best in the country.

The legacy

São Rafael is a symbol that marks generations and, by believing in the horse as an agent of social transformation, it is dedicated to building a home of new dreams and possibilities to fulfill them by encouraging the actions of the Purunã Institute. Therefore, as of this year, Cabanha’s focus of action and investment is focused on the execution of the Plano de Turismo of the region, aiming to consolidate São Luiz do Purunã as a special address for breeding and refuge for horses, and Cabanha São Rafael as a hub that integrates tourism, environmental conservation and positive social impact.

In line with the objective of Cabanha São Rafael, the Institute has been working to promote social transformation for the sustainable development of tourism in the region for three years. From the beauties of Campos NaturaisFloresta com Araucárias, the imposing Escarpa Devoniana and its geological riches, the valorization of the history and traditions of the Tropeiros, the cuisine and the estabelecimentos locais, we aspire to São Luiz do Purunã as a space where all people can share, being a reference for refuge, both for those who pass and those who stay.

In this way, we will not only be building a more inclusive and promising reality through education, but we will also be valuing each of the stories that are part of our reality. Thus, together, we can build new possibilities and grow more and more, being a reference in sustainable development and in the use of clean and renewable technologies.

Learn more about the Cabanha São Rafael

To follow the actions and events of Cabanha São Rafael, you can access the page on FacebookInstagram profile, or YouTube channel. In addition to, of course, visiting São Luiz do Purunã to get inspired and experience the good energies in contact with nature and local traditions. Learn more at Visite Purunã.