San Patrignano CSI5* 14 years of Remembering Vincenzo Muccioli

There will be forty seven riders on 116 horses from twenty two nations (Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, the United States, Switzerland, Sweden, Ukraine, Hungary) at the starting gate of San Patrignano’s 14th CSI5*. The show, namesake of the drug rehabilitation Community’s founder, Vincenzo Muccioli, is set for this July 30 to August 1st.

Among the competitors are five of the top eleven riders on the FEI ranking list. Even after Marcus Ehning’s (4th) withdrawal, the list is still impressive: Ireland’s Jessica Kurten (6th), Australia’s Edwina Alexander (7th), German riders Ludger Beerbaum (9th) and Marco Kutscher (10th), Dutch rider Albert Zoer (11th). Included in the list of well known names also Richard Spooner (22nd) from the United States, Swiss rider Beat Mandli (24th), Germany’s Christian Ahlmann (27th) and Belgium’s Leon Thijssen (36th), who is consequently also the “star” of the photo which accompanies the show’s promotional material with the headline “change your perspective”.

Eleven Italian riders will be present, along with trainer Markus Fuchs, which will be keeping an eye on the performances as October’s World Championships in Lexington, Kentucky (USA) nears. The Italian group will be led by top riders such as Giani Govoni (number 23 on the FEI world ranking list), Natale Chiaudani (41st) and Juan Carlos Garcia (69th). Garcia is the only rider in history to obtain two silver medals in two different equestrian sports: eventing and show jumping, repesctively at the European trials at Windsor and Fontainbleau. Also jumping at San Patrignano will be Giuseppe D’Onofrio (a member of the silver medal team at Windsor), Emilio Bicocchi, Roberto Cristofoletti, Emanuele Gaudiano, Gabriele Grassi, and Andrè Sakakini. With them Luca Marziani and Fabio Maiorchini, invited by the show’s Organizing Committee.

The prize money offered during the competition totals 350,000 euro, 100,000 of which in the Grand Prix Acqua Uliveto “Vincenzo Muccioli Challenge”, the three day event’s last class. For the first time in Italy, Louis Koninckx (Csio Rotterdam) will design the courses, all to be jumped in the evening.

As every year there will be copious TV coverage, on a National and International level. The show, organized by the 1500 young men and women of the Community, will be followed by Raisport 1 on Satellite and digital cable (specifically the last class every evening). Horse Class TV (number 221 Sky in Italy) will play the first two classes of the day live (Friday through Sunday) and the final classes prerecorded. On Monday, August 2 the Acqua Uliveto Grand Prix Vincenzo Muccioli Challenge will be broadcast on E’ TV and later on Sportitalia. On August 4th evening the Grand Prix will be broadcast in Europe on Eurosport, while in France Equidia will broadcast the final class on Sunday, August 8 at 9pm.