Truppa's recipe. "We must focus on young horses"

The name of Enzo Truppa He needs no introduction: a successful accountant in life, a former international level rider, FEI judge, his most recent commitment at the Paris Olympics as FEI technical delegate for the dressage. His daughter Valentina she is our most titled Amazon, the only Italian, considering all the other disciplines, to have climbed onto a World Cup podium.

Why do we rarely see Italian riders and cavaliers in major international dressage competitions in this historical moment? "In dressage and other equestrian disciplines, as in F1, the means is also needed, which for us is the horse. In the nations that are protagonists of dressage, riders and cavaliers make use of horses of incredible quality, produced by breeders in their respective countries, mainly Germany, Holland, Denmark. Purchased at very high prices both by private stables and by consortia of owners, who then entrust them to their riders. Figures even in the millions: the legendary Totilas, a Dutch Kwpn breed, was sold for over 12 million Euros. There are no horses like this in Italy, for many reasons, historical and otherwise".

Yet a few years ago we often saw an Italian team competing, and in 2012 his daughter Valentina won bronze in the World Cup final in s'Hertogenbosch… "Yes, we had a team, often riding horses trained by us: in addition to Vale, I would mention Rustignoli on Corallo Nero, Scolari on Bendonweld, and others. 'Vale' with Chablis was the most titled junior and under 21 of all time, then the only Italian to have beaten Olympic riders with Eremo del Castegno, born and bred in Italy, trained by us up to GP level. In Italy it is difficult to have a horse like Eremo, because they lack investors and sponsors".

Why are there no sponsors that invest in quality horses? "In our country there have never been sponsors of this magnitude in dressage. For well-known reasons, linked to our equestrian 'culture', to the history of Italian horse riding".

In recent meetings, including international ones, in Italy we have seen a growth not only in numbers in the youth sector: what future prospects do these young people have? "The only way forward for an Italian rider who is already trained on a technical level with good technicians is to dedicate himself to young horses and raise them at home, hoping to be lucky. In fact, 'buying young' costs relatively less but presents many unknowns, also related to the state of health, and also for this reason the young horse should always go into the hands of a rider-trainer of great ability and experience".

Are there Italian breeders who 'produce' quality subjects? "There are some, but the prices are still high because if an Italian breeder has a young quality horse he tends to sell it abroad at very high prices. It's a question of the market".

Is Valentina training any promising subjects at the moment? "Yes, the bay Italian saddlebred Iulia Impero, born in 2018 from one of our mares and from Blue Horse Zack x Halley's Comet, bred by Antonella Parrucci, owner of Scuderia Impero near Macerata. The hope is that she will become like Eremo".