O-judge Vincenzo Truppa is a familiar face on the dressage scene. Usually wearing a slick suit, Vincenzo is probably one of the friendliest judges out there. The 62-year old Truppa is based in Milan, Italy, and his renown in the equestrian world is not limited to his function as judge, but reaches further. His daughter Valentina Truppa is a multiple European Young Rider gold medallist and is the triple consecutive winner of the World Cup Finals for Young Riders in Frankfurt.
Vincenzo, or "Enzo" to friends, got involved with horses during his university years studying economics and commercial sciences. A German girlfriend, who was enrolled in medicine courses in Italy, put him on a horse and everything started from there. The girlfriend went, but the horses stayed.
Truppa was the first Italian dressage rider to compete in a World Equestrian Games. With Scorpio, he participated in the 1982 WEG in Lausanne and twice he represented Italy at the European Dressage Championships. He was twice Italian Grand Prix champion, won two silver and three bronze medals at the national championships and trained several horses up to Grand Prix level.
Truppa officiated as a judge at every major championship at all levels. He sat on the panel of judges at three World Cup Finals, two European JR/YR Championships, the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, the 2005 and 2007 European Dressage Championships, and the 2008 World Young Dressage Horse Championships.
His 2009 show season is fully booked. You'll find him seated at one of the five spots next to the dressage ring at the 2009 World Cup Finals in Las Vegas and afterwards, he'll travel to the CDI's in Hagen, Wiesbaden, Lingen, and Verden.
On a national level Truppa has been responsible for the training and formation of dressage judges for the Italian Equestrian Federation and served as a member on the board of the Italian federation for four years. He also organized the first European Young Riders Championships in Italy (Cervia 1987) and was a driving force behind the CDI's in Villanova d'Asti, Rome, Venice, and Monza. He directed the CDI Barzago and now heads the organization of the CDI La Mandria in Turin. Truppa was also a member of the FEI Dressage Committee until November 2008.
His tireless dedication to the development of dressage in Italy is exemplary, but Truppa's life extends the limited world of horses. Formerly a partner and managing director with Deloitte Haskin, Truppa now heads his own firm Studio Truppa Medici. With two partners and a staff of 25, Truppa provides services such as statutory auditing, company valuations and tax consultancy and has built up a clientele of more than 300. Vincenzo embraces life to the fullest which is obvious from our Between Heaven and Hell interview:
Vincenzo, what's your favourite dish?
Vincenzo: Being an Italian, all kinds of pasta, but mainly fish
If you were to chose a different profession, what would it be?
Vincenzo: A Millionaire!!! No that was a joke, probably a lawyer
What is the biggest intellectual joy for you?
Vincenzo: A discussion on any matter with people who are intelligent and with good sense of humour. In the dressage world that would be with Jan Bemelmans or Wolfram Wittig.
What gives you the most artistic pleasure?
Vincenzo: Watching paintings by Vincent van Gogh.
What gives you the most physical pleasure?
Vincenzo: Surely this is a very dangerous question for an Italian. Try to figure it out
What makes you cry?
Vincenzo: When anyone I know and especially my family suffers from any health problems
What annoys you the most?
Vincenzo: Ignorance, not meaning ignoring, but having a stubborn attitude towards any matter without trying to understand someone else's point of view
What does heaven look like to you?
Vincenzo: Health, love, money in this order
And Hell?
Vincenzo: A lack of the above, in the same order
What is the most beautiful place you've ever visited?
Vincenzo: Sardinia! There is no place in the entire world compared to the Sardinian sea!
What is the ugliest place you've ever visited?
Vincenzo: Suburbs of big towns in the USA, but I guess you can extend it to suburbs anywhere
At what moment were you the happiest in your life?
Vincenzo: During the birth of my sons
When were you the saddest in your life?
Vincenzo: When my mother died.
Who would be your favourite one-night stand?
Vincenzo: With permission of my wife: Charlize Theron.