After 32 Years, Italy Wins FEI Nations Cup Again in Heart of Rome

The victory at the historic Piazza di Siena gave the Italians 100 points and moved them into fourth place in the Europe Division 1 qualifying group toward the 2017 FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona at the end of September. The Italians, the ‘squadra azzurra’, have participated in two Nations Cup qualifiers so far this year, while the three countries ahead of them in the standings — France, Sweden and Spain — have ridden in all three opening competitions, Lummen, Belgium, La Baule, France and Rome.

After coming out on top in front of a jubilant home crowd, World No.6 rider Lorenzo de Luca spoke about the winning team’s experience in the Eternal City: “There was so much expectation and a lot of pressure, but in the end we had a really strong team and we are very proud…it was time!”

There are eight legs on the qualifying circuit for the powerful Europe Division 1, and seven of the eight teams will earn a spot for Barcelona, where Team Germany took the global title last year. Still to come are the St Gallen 5* in Switzerland from June 1-4, the Rotterdam 5* in the Netherlands from June 22-25, the Falsterbo 5* in Sweden from July 13-16, the Hickstead 5* in Great Britain from July 27-30, and the Dublin 5* in Ireland from August 9-13.

On the grounds of the beautiful centuries-old Villa Borghese in Rome this weekend, the Italian team (taking home €64,000 on top of the maximum points up for grabs) was made up of Piergiorgio Bucci with Casallo Z, Alberto Zorzi with Fair Light van T Heike, De Luca with Ensor de Litrange Lxii and Bruno Chimirri with Tower Mouche. Chef d’Equipe Roberto Arioldi’s group finished with nine penalty points overall, ahead of the Netherlands in second (13 total penalties) and Ireland (17). While some of their riders had not even been born when the Italy last won a Nations Cup qualifier in Rome, the performances of De Luca and others so far this year likely put them in the group favourites to go all the way.