Video: Rio Olympics star Carlos Parro joins in Shropshire nurseries mini-games

The three-day event rider represented his home county of Brazil at the Rio games despite the fact he lives in Shropshire.

Mr Parro lives and trains near Shrewsbury and has been based full-time in the UK since shortly after the Sydney Games in 2000.

His son, Luca, now attends Shrewsbury Prepatoria nursery in Park Plaza, Shrewsbury, and when he heard that nursery principal Jane Smalley had arranged for the children to take part in their own Olympic-themed event, he offered to attend and bring a little VIP glamour to the day.

He said: "Nowadays there's so much of a buzz around events such as the Olympics and even young children are aware of the range of sports that they could one day compete in.

"It's important to inspire young people and I was delighted to be able to support Jane and her team here at Shrewsbury Prepatoria by attending their own Olympic event."

Carlos, his wife Nicola and Luca visited the nursery school with horses for the children to stroke.

He said of his Olympic experience: "It is back to normal life for me now.

"The horses are back home and it is back to business."

And he added that he had brought the horse to the school to let the children know there was nothing to be afraid of.

"He is an ex-race horse and we have had him for a few years. He has always been really sweet and Luca sits on him. He has always been really good," he said.

Nicola, who met Carlos, aged 37, at a yard where she was working, added: "We flew out to Brazil for a week and it was amazing as it was a home Olympics for Carlos.

"The crowd was great, it was just unbelievable. The dressage was great and I really loved that."

Established less than three years ago, Shrewsbury Prepatoria uses the Italian Reggio Emilia Approach which focuses on how the early years of development are formative in the growth of children as individuals.

Principal Jane Smalley praised the value of special events and VIP visitors to the pre-school children.

She said: "We are very lucky that by having Carlos as a parent here at the Prepatoria we are able to give our children the chance to meet a real life Olympian – and so soon after his return from Brazil, too.

"I believe passionately that, regardless of their age, we should provide our children with a rich and varied up-bringing so they grow up with as many experiences as possible.

"It's not always easy to stage an event like this – especially with the risk assessment linked to having a horse on site – but I am certain it's worth it to enrich their education."

Mr Parro is an event rider who won a team bronze medal in the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2007 and also a team silver medal in the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, in eventing for Brazil.

At the Rio games he took part in the individual and team eventing disciplines but missed out on a medal.

The Brazilian team finished seventh overall.

He is the only Brazilian to complete Badminton Horse Trials and Burghley Horse Trials several times.