Nucci, Merli, Arturi, Remold, Paoli Win 2018 Italian Dressage Championships

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2018 Italian Dressage Championships

Pony rider Maria Beatrice Nucci, children rider Valentina Merli, junior rider Beatrice Arturi, young rider Valentina Remold, and Grand Prix rider Norma Paoli became the winners of the 2018 Italian Dressage Championships, which were held at the Riviera horse resort in San Giovanni in Marignano on 27 - 29 April 2018.

For 2018, the Italian Nationals were surprisingly pushed forward from its autumn/winter date September to April, the earliest time in any European country for hosting a National championship right at the beginning of the spring outdoor show season. Dressage countries normally stage their nationals is usually in June and the majority hosts them between August or September.

Nucci, Merli, Arturi, Remold, Paoli Persevere

The Italian Championships are always divided into two separate Championships: the technical championship consisting of two rounds of which the points are totalled and a freestyle championship.

In the pony class, Maria Beatrice Nucci and her 13-year old German Riding pony gelding Prisco WE (by Pilgrim's Red x Valentino) reigned supreme with a total of 133,387%. She won the team test with 66.000% and was third in the individual test with 67.387%. The silver went to Silvia Diciatteo on the experienced Italian team pony Duesmann, a 14-year old Westfalian by Der Feine Lord x Domingo. They totaled 133,285 points for silver after placing second in the team and individual test (65.762% and 67.523%). Mia Zamperetti and her 15-year old Chantre's Held (by Chantre B x Nobel) earned bronze with a total of 127.706 points. They were third in the team test (60.048%) and won the individual with 67.658%.

In the Children championship Valentina Merli and the bay Lusitano bred Gin D'Atela topped the board with a total of 129,333%. Vittoria Azzaroni and De Rino RS got silver (128.972%) while Sofia Forato on Cleopatra scored bronze with 127.511 points.

In the junior riders' division routinier Beatrice Arturi saddled the 15-year old Trakehner Donaudistel (by Distelzar), which she began competing internationally this year, and immediately claimed the national title with a total of 142.096 points. She won the team test with 70.273% and the individual with 71.823%. Alessia Volpini and her new ride, the 9-year old KWPN bred Easy Deasy (by Vivaldi x Houston) finished with silver on 136.439 points after scoring 66.939% in the team test and 69.500% in the individual. Former pony rider Nina Teresa Zennaro and the 12-year old Hanoverian bred Rommel (by Royal Blend x Donnerhall) got bronze with 132.551 points. They were third twice with 65.727% and 66.824%.

In the Young Riders classes there was no beating Valentina Remold on her 12-year old Dutch warmblood gelding Broadway (by Vivaldi x Clavecimbel) with a total of 137.941%. She won the team test with 68.431% and the individual with 69.510%. Genevra Coperchio and her 11-year old PRE Edipo El Bayo (by Albino el Bayo x Solitario VIII) followed in the distance with silver on 133,383 points after earning 66.961% and 66.422%. Lucia Berni and her grey 15-year old Westfalian Ebony (by Ehrentusch) were good for bronze with 130,784 points.

In the senior Grand Prix division Norma Paoli scored the overall victory, title and gold medal aboard her 14-year old Dutch warmblood Zandor (by Florencio x Amulet). The combinations has not competed internationally for little over a year, but at national level they rose to the top. She won the Intermediaire II with 71.794% and was third in the Grand Prix with 69.587% to still total a winning 141.381 points. Valentina Truppa and the 13-year old Danish warmblood Ranieri (by Romanov x Leandro) got the silver with a second place in the Intermediaire II (69.147%) and a win the Grand Prix with 70.826%. She finishe second overall with 139.973%. Pierluigi Sangiorgi and the 11-year old Italian sport horse Gelo della Schiave (by Stakkato x Contendro) got bronze with 138.272 points after scoring 68.294% and 69.978%.

Separate Medals for the Freestyle Classes

At the Italian Championships, a whole new set of medals is given to the three top ranked riders in all the freestyle classes.

In the pony classes, Mia Zamperetti scored gold with 69.250%, while Maria Beatrice Nucci got silver with 68.083%, whereas Silvia Diciatteo earned bronze on 67.792%.

For the podium in the Junior riders kur, Beatrice Arturi climbed on the highest step with 73.858%, while Nina Teresa Zennaro got silver with 69.058%, whereas Kiliane Angelico earned bronze with 67.167%.

In the Young Riders class Valentina Remold got gold with 71.730%, Ginevra Coperchio landed silver with 69.500%, and Lucia Berni grabbed bronze with 68.060%.

In the senior Grand Prix kur division the five judges were all over the place with their scores and revealed a huge deficiency in good, consistent judging at a national level in Italy. The gold went to Valentina Truppa with 75.025% (her marks ranged from 73.375% to 81.050%!!!). Norma Paoli-Cirocchi finished with silver on 74.725% (71.500 - 79.475%!!), and Pierluigi Sangiorgi got kur bronze with 73.325% (67.250 - 79.725%!!!).

The Grand Prix kur was judged by four Italian judges Massimo Buzzi, Laura Berruto, Roberto Gatti and Alessandro Poncino, and one foreign judge Leif Tornblad (DEN).