Iconic equestrian site in Rome returns to its roots

But the Piazza di Siena, or Sienna Square, located in the Villa Borghese gardens in central Rome, is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful arenas for Show Jumping in the world. And now those who oversee the umbrella pine-ringed site hope new renovations will consolidate its status as a unique, Wimbledon-like venue for the sport.

Having hosted its first CSIO5* Nations Cup in 1926, the prestigious Roman competition celebrated its 85th anniversary last year after a pause during the Second World War — a history which includes highlights such as the equestrian competition at the 1960 Summer Olympics in the Eternal City. The Villa Borghese gardens themselves, on the Pincian Hill, make up the third largest park in Rome and were begun in 1605 by Cardinal Borghese, who wished to turn his former vineyard into one of the biggest gardens in Rome since Antiquity. The piazza is named after the city of Siena, where the Borghese family originally came from.

Reflecting part of a wider safety trend at jumping grounds like Rotterdam and (recently) Valkenswaard, the Netherlands, the piazza’s grass surface was replaced by white silica sand in 2007. But now organizers in Rome are looking to reintegrate more of the original grass and replicate the initial shape of the oval. The guiding philosophy is to enhance the beauty of this cultural jewel, an important part of Italy’s rich patrimony, ensuring a backdrop which showcases the “technique, art and science” of equestrian riding. At the same time, the Piazza di Sienna competition reportedly anticipates increasing its prize money from €600,000 to €800,000.

And after last year’s victory by the Italian squad in the CSIO Nations Cup there, as well as several other successes by Azzuri riders, the Italian national federation (FISE) President Marco Di Paola said: “I couldn’t have dreamed of anything better! The results, the emotion of winning the Nations Cup and the partnership with our Olympic Committee (CONI) that we had really been looking forward to, made this year’s show really amazing!”

“This collaboration has been a fantastic experience and we are delighted for the second year in a row to be the title sponsors at this special event,” added private partner Carlo Messina, CEO of Banca Intesa Sanpaolo. “The 2017 edition has once again been able to bring together the beauty of sport and its competitive side. We hope that beyond the competition aspects, after experiencing Piazza di Siena, many young riders will  strive to be in the spotlight of sport themselves.”