- Category: Show jumping
- April 26, 2024
The Azzurri immediately take the lead in the ‘South Region’ of the Nations Cup circuit
The first Nations Cup of 2024 ends with a placing for the show jumping Team Italia.
In Gorla Minore, which inaugurated the Nations Cup circuit of the European Equestrian Federation, the team made up of the 1st graduate of the Air Force Giulia Martinengo Marquet with Captain Morgan Weering Z (22/2), from the policeman Giacomo Casadei with Chagracon PS (4/8), by the corporal of the Italian Army Nico Lupino (4/0) and by 1st Airman Giampiero Garofalo with Hero (0/4) in fact ranked fourth (14 penalties) among the 11 nations at the start.
With fourth place, Team Italia acquired 100 points in the ranking useful for qualifying for the Budapest semifinal of the Longines EEF Series. For the ‘South Region’ also competing today in Gorla Minore were Ukraine (6th place; 90 points), Greece (8th place; 80 points), Turkey (9th place; 70 points) and Bulgaria (el.).
After the barrage, the victory in the Longines EEF Nations Cup in Gorla Minore went to Switzerland (0/4; 0-38.71) who had finished the two rounds of the competition tied with Germany (0/4; 0-37.93). Third place is the United Arab Emirates (0/8) – click HERE for the final ranking
The next CSIO3* of the Longines EEF Series 2024 is scheduled in Mannheim (1/7 May), while the second, and last, qualifier for the ‘South Region’ will be that of Athens (29 May/2 June).
“I’m quite satisfied with this day – said the coach of the national show jumping team Marco Porro – with a fourth place and therefore one step away from the podium and with, on this important occasion, in field of new binomials. With this result, Italy was the best team in its group, a performance that allows us to take full points towards the next match which will be in Athens, a week after Piazza di Siena. Our main objective is to train new pairs and give them the opportunity to express themselves and compete in high-level competitions, offering riders and horses the opportunity to gain experience in the Nations Cup in order to structure a path of growth and preparation to achieve the most prestigious objectives.”
The tests of the Azzurri
Giulia Martinengo Marquet presented the 9 year old Captain Morgan Weering Z, a dog she has been riding for a year and who was at his first Nations Cup.
After an impeccable route in the first round, there was an uncertainty on the last obstacle of the route traced by Elio Travagliati, with a stop and relative out of time.
Time infringement also in the second lap for the new Italian champion, but Captain Morgan Weering Z reiterated that he has all the qualities to be competitive at the highest levels, as already demonstrated by the victory achieved in the CSI2* GP in Gorla Less than last year.
Giacomo Casadei made a mistake with Chagracon PS on obstacle number 11, the penultimate of the course, an oxer coming out of the cage, in both rounds of the competition, adding another mistake in the second round.
What matters most, however, is that race after race the young Casadei is continuing his path of growth and competitiveness, showing that he is increasingly at ease even in important races.
The fact remains that this one in Gorla Minore was the second senior Nations Cup of his career for the 21-year-old Italian. Precisely with Chagracon PS, they both debuted together in 2022 in Ebreichsdorf.
Today Nico Lupino faced his fourth Nations Cup, while Iniesta his second. Together they signed one of the two clear paths of the blue team, contributing decisively to the team’s placing. At the 4 penalties for a first-round out without touching a barrier, Lupino and Iniesta responded with an impeccable second round, confirming that they are a solid pairing that can be counted on.
The other clear path of the Italian team was that of Giampiero Garofalo with Hero. At his second Nations Cup, Hero is a practically ‘unpublished’ horse for the blue. In fact, Garofalo rode it in the race for the first time in ‘weeks 3 and 4’ of the Toscana Tour of Arezzo, achieving a victory and a second place. With the clear in the first round and the 4 penalties in the second, even today the Italian demonstrated that he immediately found a good understanding with this jumper and that he has ample room for improvement.
(In the photos Giampiero Garofalo with Hero and Nico Lupino with Iniesta – Sassofotografie.it)
