Francesco Zaza Welcomes Vanotti and Louane in His Barn

Dressage

Italy

Italian Olympian Francesco Zaza has welcomed two new future Grand Prix hopefuls in his barn through a collaboration with sponsor Chiara Olper.

The 38-year old Zaza has secured the ride on Vanotti and Louane, both previously competed by Jasmin Schaudt in Germany.

Vanotti and Louane

Vanotti is a 9-year old Westfalian gelding by Vitalis out of Farell (by Florestan x Donnersberg). He is bred by Stefan Heinz Köhler. He was trained from young horse to scholing Grand Prix level by Jasmin Schaudt. She first competed the bay as a 4-year old in 2017. In 2021 the pair showed in the Nurnberger Burgpokal qualifier in Donaueschingen.

Louane is a 7-year old German Sport Horse mare by Lemony's Nicket out of Lucy (by Laurentio x Gribaldi). She is bred by Matthias Schönenberger. Jasmin Schaudt also trained this mare and introduced her to competition in 2019 at age four. This year the pair competed at Prix St Georges level at regional shows. Louane was listed as owned by Marie Schaudt before selling to Olper in the summer of 2022.

From Eventing to Dressage

Zaza on Louane with sponsor Chiara Olper

Zaza began his international sport career in 2002 in both dressage and eventing. He competed in his first Europeans - the 2002 European Junior Riders Championships - in dressage on Wesenfurst, bu as of 2003 began focusing exclusively on eventing and rode in three further European Young Rider Championships in eventing, on horses Rivo del Terricio and Joli Roger III. In 2007 he rode his first Eventing Europeans as a senior on Joli Roger III and stuck to eventing until 2010.

After a 7-year absence from the international arena, Zaza returned to international competition as a dressage rider in March 2017 with Wispering Romance (by Weltmeyer x Bergkristall). They competed at small tour level at the CDI Caselle di Sommacampagne and two years later returned to the CDI ring at Grand Prix level in Ornago. Their partnership culminated last year to a career highlight, the Tokyo Olympics where the pair was 43rd in the Grand Prix with 66.941%.

Wispering Romance was 18 years old at the Olympics and withdrawn from showing on the Italian team at the 2021 European Championships six weeks after Tokyo. A retirement was expected after their career highlight, but one month ago the pair resurfaced at the 2022 CDI Ornago, where they placed second twice in the big tour and wzs the high scorer in the 2022 Italian Grand Prix Championships which took place at the same time, but he didnt win a medal as he hadnt competed nationally and thereby qualified for those championships.

Zaza and Wispering Romance at the 2021 Olympics

With the arrival of Vanotti and Louane, Zaza has several Grand Prix prospects in his stable alongside the 10-year KWPN bred High Hopes (by Wynton x Day Dream).