The World No. 1 rider, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, heads up the star-studded cast of top showjumpers from all around the globe who are descending on the Italian capital city for the 87th CSIO Rome Piazza di Siena. Guerdat has long been one of the most consistent competitors in the sport, and has remained in sparkling form since clinching individual bronze at the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Tryon, USA last September. He claimed the FEI World Cup title for the third time in his stellar career in Gothenburg, Sweden six weeks ago and, bringing his top ride Albfuehren’s Bianca, looks set to present a really formidable challenge throughout the exciting week of top sport.

Like all the world’s leading riders Guerdat always looks forward to competing at Piazza di Siena, and he will be joined by fellow-countryman Martin Fuchs who stood one step ahead of him on that WEG podium when taking individual silver last year. It’s the long history and sheer class of this show that sets it apart from the rest and attracts so many of the big names, and five of the top ten and 11 of the top 20 in the latest world rankings will be taking part.

Reigning European Champion Peder Fredricson from Sweden (No 2), Fuchs (No 5), Germany’s Daniel Deusser (No 6) and America’s Kent Farrington (No 8) will be joined by Great Britain’s Ben Maher (No 12), Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann (No 13), Canada’s Eric Lamaze and Kevin Staut from France (equal 16) while Italy’s Lorenzo De Luca (No 18) and Frenchman Simon Delestre (No 19) round up the top-20 contenders.

Steve Guerdat riding Bianca - photo CONI/S.Ferraro