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San Patrignano CSI-A (ITA)
Equestrian sport against drugs and social
outcasting
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The fifth international San
Patrignano CSI-A Show Jumping, devoted to the memory of its late founder,
Vincenzo Muccioli, will be held on next July 20-22 in the equestrian
centre of the largest European drug rehabilitation centre. San Patrignano CSI-A
represents a unique event in the sports world, because on this occasion
horse-riding becomes the leader of an initiative of solidarity concerning
social plagues as drug addiction and social outcasting.
Giacomo Muccioli,
Vincenzo’s son and President of the CSI-A Organizing Committee, has
highlighted the important role of the equestrian sport in this event: "The
sports world is often committed in social events, but San Patrignano CSI-A is
completely different from the other ones. It is the only event which takes
place in a drug rehabilitation centre where it is entirely managed and
organized by its young guests. The San Patrignano CSI-A’s participants
take part not only in a top Show Jumping, but they also demonstrate a
commitment towards social problems. I believe that horse-riding is a
fundamental example of the role that sports could play in the social
field".
San Patrignano community
is located close to Rimini, on the Adriatic coast, in the Northern part
of Italy (Bologna is the nearest International airport) and it extends on
250 hectares. Over the past 20 years the Community has hosted more than
16.000 people and the majority of them, with the support and help
received, have been able to regain their place in society, as responsible
people, active and free at last from drugs. Due to Vincenzo Muccioli's great
love of horses, in the past decade breeding and equestrian activities have
become more and more important to the community's life and San Patrignano is
now a name known world wide in the equestrian field.
Top riders will take part to the
2001 San Patrignano CSI-A: the last Olympic champion, the Dutch Jeroen
Dubbeldam (currently 5th in the FEI Rankings), the 2001
World Champion, Markus Fuchs (6th) from Switzerland, current
European champion and best rider of the
world ranking, the French lady
Alexandra Ledermann (17th), the strong Swiss team led by its
captain, Willi Melliger (2nd), Beat Mandli
(11th) and Urs Fah (45th). The
Belgian riders Ludo Philippaerts (9th), Philippe
Lejeune and the winner of the last Gran Prix, François Mathy
Jr., Peter Charles (29th) from Ireland and Richard
Fellers (40th) from the United States. Italy will be represented
by its three best riders, the Italian champion Roberto
Arioldi(22th), Jerry Smit (31th) and
Gianni GovoniThe Spanish rider Fernando Fourcade will be
the representative of the home colours - the San Patrignano Jumping Team
– riding the best young horses of the community’s breeding. For
the second year running, H.M. Princess Haja of Jordan will take part to
the San Patrignano CSI-A, where last year she gained the audience’s esteem
thanks to her charm and competitive determination.
The competitions will run every
day (in the magnificent grass arena – 70 x 100 metres) from 5:30 pm. The
night competitions will take place in the evening at 9:30 pm. Among these ones,
the highlights of the show will be: "Acqua Uliveto Prize" on
Saturday 21st, a derby-like competition using natural fences and
"Infostrada Gran Prix - Challenge Vincenzo Muccioli" on
Sunday 22nd. Show Director will be, as for the past sessions,
Eleonora Ottaviani, director of the Riders International Association and
of last World Championship held in Rome, while the course designer will be
Olaf Petersen, Chairman of the FEI Show Jumping Committee and
course director during next Olympic Games in Athens. San Patrignano CSI-A will
have a total prize-money of 400 millions lira, of which 150 millions
lira are the purse of the Infostrada Grand Prix, a competition that
saw, in the past years, the victory of the best riders such as Jos Lansink,
Guido Dominici, Alexandra Ledermann and François Mathy Jr.
Technical consultant will be the
Dutch rider, Emile Hendrix, Vice President of the Riders Association and
member of the FEI Show Jumping Committee, who has said: "I am really proud
to offer my cooperation in carrying out this Show Jumping and above all it is a
boundless pleasure to work together with the young guests of the community. I
think this event is to open people’s eyes on a social problem which
involves all the countries: drug addiction".
http://www.sanpatrignano.org/
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