Govoni at San Pat: it’s a… Love Affair

The first day of competition at San Patrignano’s CSI5* finished with a sepctacular victory by Italian Gianni Govoni and Love Affair in the small Grand Prix.

The Modena born rider placed earlier in the day, but was not satisfied until he was victorious in the evening competition on his quick Selle Francais, which completed a double clean with a time in the jump off of just 33”02’ in the APT Emilia Romagna Prize.

“I can say”, explained Govoni, “to have ridden a perfect round, The first round went well and Love Affair was going well. When I saw the corse for the jump off I felt like I could win. Then when I saw our time I didn’t have any doubts about the results we would have, It was a great victory, which I would like to dedicate to the owner of the horse, my father in law. Now we just have to keep giving it our all for the rest of the show and Sunday’s Grand Prix”.

On Govoni’s heels was Dutch rider Jeroen Dubbeldam, Olympic Gold Medal at Sydney in 2000, team and individual bronze at the European Championship at San Patrignano 2005. But he was unable, with BMC Van Grunsven Simon Says, to beat the incredible time of Govoni with 35”45’.Third place went to the winner of last year’s Grand Prix here at San Patrignano, Dutch rider Harry Smolders on Exquis Walnute de Muze,which rode two great clean rounds in 36”63’. Fourth place went to another Italian, Juan Carlos Garcia on Hamilton de Perhet (0/0; 36,84).

Besides the great competition and the home town cheering for Govoni, all hearts were set on Valentina Interlenghi and the grey stallion Nadir, born and raised inside San Patrignano. A Holsteiner by Corrado and out of Lancerina (by Lancer II), he was the winner of the first UNIRE perfo
Rmance test. Born in 1995, he began competine in 2000 with Fernando Fourcade, winning 12 titles in his maiden year. In 2001 he continued his success in the young horse categories, including ten victories. In 2002 he won the national seven year old title and competed in the World Championships at Lanaken. That year he was also approved into the prestigious Zangersheide studbook. In the following years, with Jerry Smit, he continues to do well in CSI and CSIO and in 2005 he competed as part of the Italian team in the European Championship at San Patrignano, the team had the best result ever that year in such a competition.

The fourteen year old stallion will be concentratine mostly on his breeding career from this year onwards, but some competition is not to be excluded if his physical shape and will to compete call for it. The request for mounts is high and rising, and so he will continue this “second” career from his home, San Patrignano, leaving Germany to be with his very own “family”.
The first day began with soaring temperatures, eased in the afternoon by a pleasant breeze. The first prize of the day, SCM group, was won by the American rider Lauren Hough on Availoable Versace. She rode to two clean and fast rounds, with a 57”81’.
“It’s a great start, it feels good toh ave won the first class of the show”, stated Hough after she left the ring, “Available Versace is a very young horse, but he is competitive”.

Italy also fared well with a second place finish for Juan Carlos Garcia on Cadetto Van Het Keizeshof , clean with 58”37’.
One hundredth of a second was enough to bump Ducth rider Marc Houtzager on Voulez Vou (58”38’) into third place.
Irish rider Billy Twomey on Blue Thunder won the second class of the day at San Patrignano, with a double clean and a time of 30”55’. He claimed his victory in the Deutz Fahr Prize, a consecutive phase class which had 46 riders at the starting gate of the grass competition arena.
Twomey was the only one to beat the time of 3”88’ set by Gianni Covoni on Joyau d’Opale (first to enter the ring), who ended tied for second place with Egypt’s Abel Said on Pablis.
“I’m very happy, declared Twomey, “to have won here at San Patrignano. My horse is only eight years old, but he is easy to ride, talented and careful. This show is absolutely top quality, the people here are amazing and everything was perfect from the moment they came to pick me up at the airport to the footing in the arena”.

The opening days’ courses, designed by Switzerland’s Rolf Ludi, gave horses a challenge and took advantage of the incredibile footing provided by the striking green competition arena.