NEWS

"It is wonderful that the organisers of the Milano Jumping Cup had the idea of dedicating the Grand Prix to Graziano Mancinelli, the extraordinary international rider and Olympic Champion at the Games held in Munich in 1972, because while it is true that sport is the present and the future, it is equally true that the great feats of the past inspire all athletes, competitors and even ordinary amateurs,” said the president of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) Giovanni Malagò, in a message sent to mark the end of the three days of show jumping held at the Snai San Siro Racecourse.

Fabio Schiavolin, Snaitech’s CEO and event organiser was also satisfied saying, "The Grand Prix Snaitech now named after Graziano Mancinelli, was the perfect ending for the Milano Jumping Cup both because it was moving as well as being a sporting challenge. The excitement is what encourages to get straight back to work tomorrow on the next edition of the MJC, embarking on those plans for growth that we have had in mind from the very beginning."

The president of the Lombardy Region Attilio Fontana also visited the San Siro Racecourse during the afternoon and considering his personal past as a rider it felt more like a get together. Between greetings exchanges with old friends, he also met with the Italian national show jumping team’s coach Duccio Bartalucci, which resulted in bringing back memories of a long-gone Italian championship held in 1969 in Rome. On that occasion the national coach had been beaten by Fontana who finished second.

“I thought the work done by the Organising Committee would have been excellent, but everything I have seen at the Snai San Siro Racecourse has gone beyond my expectations,” said Vittorio Orlandi, one of Italy’s top riders during Italian equestrianism’s  golden years and currently President of the Lombardy Regional Equestrian Committee. “The Milano San Siro Jumping Cup’s debut, with an international programme that is already programmed so as to follow a three-year plan that will take this show to the very top of the categories allowed by the Federation and this is excellent news for Lombard equestrianism.”