For some countries, the final decision will depend on the results at the second Italian CVI (30th May – 2nd June), hold in Villasanta (MB) at the Club Ippico Monzese.
The participation of the Swiss vaulters was massive, many of whom achieved great results and were appreciated for the quality of their performances.
Since we are so close to the final decision regarding the counties representative to the most important competitions of the year, the results in the categories 2* Junior and Young Vaulters and 3* Senior are decisive and indicative of the fitness of the athletes. So let’s start with these.
As always, the participation in the 2* Junior class was numerous and competitive. Mara Hofer (SUI, R. Blieske, Nashville Grandia Z) clearly dominated the women class, especially thanks to a brilliant second round, that increased her advantage on the Swedish Nora Sandberg Muller (M. Heuer, Don Dorador). On the third step of the podium another Swiss, Eva Carraro (C. Tribolet, Black Beauty VI).
Two Italian boys fought to the last thousandth of a point for the junior male win. In the end Ettore Arena (K. Moneuse, Filon) imposed himself with an excellent freetest, clean and choreographically pleasing, despite an accident during the compulsory round, that had made fear even his retirement. Fortunately, the doctors’ prompt intervention allowed Ettore to return to the arena in time for the next tests. Little disappointment for Jan Stellahaegi (ITA, N. Vidoni, Monaco Franze 4), whose second round was below his standards and lost, even if only by 3 thousandths, the advantage rightly accumulated in the first round. Actually, it wasn’t just a two-man competition. The two Italians are followed by the German Sebastian Renkl (J. Storey, Wildcard), very close to the two leading, and behind him, still a few thousandths of a point behind, Romain Simonet (SUI, C. Tribolet, Black Beauty VI). In short, a very balanced and uncertain race until the very end.
The Young Vaulters class saw only female competitors. Switzerland’s Noemi Licci (R. Blieske, Nashville Grandia Z) took home the gold, her superiority in the three rounds never questioned, neither by the now solid column of the Italian team Giorgia Fanucci (E. Lambardi, Doll), who ended up on the second step of the podium. In third place Marlene Lippl (GER, J. Storey, Wildcard).
The Junior pas de deux 2* were not many, but they did not disappoint. The duo Nora Sandberg Muller / Hilma Bernstrom (SWE, J. Grossglauser RG Bar Le Duc H) stands out.
Great satisfaction not only for the victory, but especially for the achievement of the most important goal, the qualification, without ifs and buts, at the European Championships 2024, of the Italian Junior Team 2* (N. A. Vidoni, Robert Redford 5). The young athletes have convinced everyone, they led the race from start to finish, and despite a fall during the first freetest. The second one was really good, both from a technical and artistic point of view. Clean and fluid in the execution. During this competition, we definitely saw the great progress made by all the elements of the team, both two-legged and four-legged, now they just have to maintain the standard of the last performance. 
The Italian team prevailed over two Swiss teams of great prestige and tradition, that of Rita Blieske’s Harlekin, on Karlito and Martina Brander’s Lutisburg Junior with Solitario.
The most competitive class was the queen of this CVI: the individual 3* female. In this class competed the queens of the sport, great athletes who, with very high probability, will walk the arena in Bern, and with considerable chances of podium. At the end of the first round the gaps between the first three was minimal, but also the fourth followed shortly. In the end, Nadja Buttiker (SUI, M. Winkler-Bischofberger Rayo de la Luz) won the event, a veteran who, like a good wine, improves more and more with time. 
Buttiker excels in everything, is the only one to score above 8 in all three tests.Kimberly Palmer (USA, L. Carnabuci, Rosenstolz 99), who now has her second home in Monza, shows all her talent especially in freetest, which was the best of the day. Danielle Burgi(SUI, S. Burgi, Donareva), after a solid in compulsory test, was penalized on some technical aspects of the freetest, which did obtain a score high enough to keep her in the first place, despite scoring above 8. The competition was ruthless!
The individual men’s competition reserves a nice news. After the retirement of Andrin Muller, Sven Ris (SUI, M. Winkler-Bischofberger, HCHCS Fuerst Fabelhaft) returns to compete. His performance in Villasanta was good – he won with a discrete detachment – but we are sure that he will improve again: we hope that we will see him again this July, at his home. In pursuit of qualifying for the World Cup was also Jace Brooks (USA, C. Petersohn, Dorian), whose weak point was the technical test, where he must definitely acquire more confidence.
Although the competition was limited, the show offered by the 3* teams was superb, in particular that of Lutisburg (SUI, M. Winkler-Bischofberger, Acardi Van De Kapel) that deservedly won the competition. The Swiss team, always one of the great on the international scene, has produced a truly exciting show, with attention to detail, performed masterfully. Despite being an all-female team, the spectacle did not suffer, thanks to the safe and powerful contribution of athletes such as Buttiker and Hannich. Strength and harmony, a winning combination.
More than good, even if objectively not at the same level as the previous one, the performance of the Oberland I team (GER, Lena Knopf, Classic Dancer 15).
And let’s come to another clash between titans, the one that took place in the Pas de Deux 3*. An exceptional show to say the least! Davide Zanella and Rebacca Greggio, winner of the last World Cup Final, debuted a new choreography. With Orlando Tancredi, their trusty gray, led by Claudia Petersohn, the Italian pair imposed itself leaving the public and jury speechless. A real roar of triumph greeted the end of the performance, in particular the first test, an exercise so rich in difficulty, well built, accompanied by an appropriate and engaging musical choice, evocative costumes… in short, a beauty!
But the show was not limited only to the performance of the Italian pair, even the historic duo Zoe Maruccio/Syra Schmid (SUI, M. Heuer, Latino V. Forst CH) competed in Villasanta with an exercise that, in our opinion, is their best ever. High exercises, original passages, a complicity and harmony between the two girls that transpires throughout the routine. The most recent Swiss pair, Ilona Hannich/Li Laffer (S.N. Nyffenegger, C Limited Edition), who won the bronze at last year’s European Championships in Fliynge (SWE), has also grown. With the new program, Hannich and Laffer propose themselves again as Pas de Deux outsiders, perhaps, but competitive and not to be underestimated. 
While the race for qualifications at the European and World Championships has certainly attracted the greatest attention, even in the categories not concerned there have been very promising exercises, also with a view to future development.
In the individual 1*, Lucia Mescalchin (ITA, C. Petersohn Opus van DBay), winner of the category Children, followed by Sophia Lucciola (SUI, S.N. Nyffenegger, Miss Callas DMH) and Silvia Paradisi (ITA, E. Capovilla, Conguistador).
Still Italy on top of the podium among the Junor 1*: Aurora Bellinato (ITA, A. Cavallaro, Monaco Franze 4) won the competition, immediately after her Seraina Foster (SUI, R. Blieske, Karlito) and Isabel Dal Mistro (ITA, E. Capovilla, Conguistador). Argentina won the male 1* event. Thiago Agustin prevails over Tiziano Francia both on Adonis and lunged by Silvia Lucchesi.
Victory granted that of Giorgia Fanucci (ITA, K. Moneuse, Sperlari Gold) in the individual Senior 1*, here to try her horse on the bigger stage. Leonie Koller (AUT, K. Haidacher, Petit Noir 13) and Eleonora Casali (ITA, M. Callegari Dublin, VDM) follow. If among the juniors, there are only Argentines, in the senior men there is an all-Italian derby: Vitaly Davide Vertua (ITA, I. Magnani, High Dancer) vs Filippo Garbinetto (ITA, C. Petersohn, Dorian). Garbinetto is superior in the compulsory but is overtaken by Vertua with the free.
The new Italian Pas de Deux Aurora Girelli/Gaia Davoli (N. Vidoni, Dante) easily overcome Diletta Caldart and Aurora Zuanel (ITA, D. Dai Pra, Artù) penalized by a free trial in which they found themselves in obvious difficulties.
Still immature in the compulsory the young Junior Team France (J. Hoerdt, Vegas de la Vallee).
Particularly interesting, as usual, the category Children 2*. Matilde Resente (ITA, N. Vidoni, Robert Redford 5) confirms every day more her role of promise of the Italian vaulting. She is followed a short distance in the standings by Isalotte Van Agteren (NED, D. Martin, Cairo), while Lea Maeder (SUI, S.N. Nyffenegger, C Limited Edition) is third. The differences between the three are not great and all have distinguished themselves in particular in at least one of the free exercises.
Liam Tixier (FRA) is competing against himself, and seems perfectly comfortable with both Ursus De La Folusiere, longing for Daniele Nousse, with whom he scored best, than with Cairo, led by Darina Martin.
Chiara Tavoso (ITA, N. Vidoni, Monaco Franze 4) finally made it, she deservedly won the individual senior 2* category, thanks to a perfect second round, in total harmony with the horse, clean and elegant. However, her position was undermined by Michelle Worz (AUT, D. Dunst, Fuerstenberg 3) who remained in the second position just for a few points. The podium was then concluded by Lena Gaedtke (GER, J. Storey, Wildcard).
We conclude the roundup of the winners with the Pas de Deux Senior 2: overall satisfying exhibition that of Leonie Auracher and Charlotte Storey (GER, J. Storey, Wildcard) preceding Joana Daria Bachmann and Noelle Weise (SUI, A. P, Caradetto STUMCH) whose excellent performance in the second round was not enough to overtake the German opponents. The Swiss, on the other hand, managed to overtake the Argentine colleagues Natasha Nicole Arrizzabalaga and Morena Rocio Benitez (J. Hoerdt, Vegas de la Vallee) who had the undoubted merit of having been the most regular among the three couples.
