It was Italy all the way in the MAG Two-Phase competition at CSIO Rome - Master d’Inzeo 2024 at Piazza di Siena this afternoon where home riders claimed the top four placings and five of the top seven spots.

And it was all the nicer for the Italian supporters when experienced campaigner Emilio Bicocchi took pole position with the 10-year-old mare Divina, while second place went to promising 25-year-old Guido Franchi riding the 10-year-old stallion Enjoy One.

Emanuele Gaudiano and his extraordinary 15-year-old gelding Chalou finished third while Roberto Turcheto and Asjenemou Sr Z filled fourth spot. Fifth and sixth places went to Germany’s Mario Stevens (Carrie 22) and The Netherlands’ Lars Kersten (Boebka vh Marienshof Z) while Italy was back in the line-up again with seventh spot for Francesco Turturiello and the unlikely-named Chicken George 3.

At home

Bicocchi is very much at home in Piazza di Siena having competed at 14 editions since 2004 and posting eight wins over those years, the latest when sharing victory in the Loro Piana Six-Bar with Great Britain’s John Whitaker last year.

“I know this place and I love it!”, the 47-year-old rider said today when his victory was confirmed.

“This is not the best moment for me because my best horses are not here, but I’m happy for this mare and for her owner and breeder (Giuliani Silvio) who lives here in Rome!”, he added.

He was 61st to go in the massive starting field of 75 that included 17 Italians and was chasing Franchi’s brilliant time of 24.98 seconds. Talking about the influential spots on Uliano Vezzani’s 13-fence course Bicocchi said the second double, at fence eight, proved difficult for some because of when it came on the course and where it was located.

“The previous water jump with the vertical was difficult for some and the first element of the double was really square and delicate and the fence was close to the side of the arena so the horses were sometimes not quite concentrating there”, he explained. But as he pointed out it was his relentless ride on the turn to the penultimate oxer at fence 12, which proved the undoing of many others, that clinched it for him. “I was really direct and that’s where I won it!”, he pointed out.

Lanaken

Divina placed fourth in the 7-Year-Old category at the WBF Finals in Lanaken, Belgium. “She’s really fast and a really positive mare”, Bicocchi said. “Her grandfather is Baloubet and she is a real Baloubet with a lot of character, but she always fights in the right direction!”, he pointed out.

And Divina’s groom, Henna Keranen who hails from Finland, was in complete agreement, describing the mare as “really great but hot and spicey, like all the best horses!”