Happy birthday San Patrignano!

The seventh International Show Jumping "Challenge Vincenzo Muccioli" will take place from 18th to 20th July in the San Patrignano equestrian facilities, the largest European drug rehabilitation centre which celebrate its 25th anniversary this year.

"25 years of history mean 18,000 young people which San Patrignano has taken in over, thousand of young boys and girls who left drug behind them and now have a house, a job, a family - says Giacomo Muccioli, President of the Show Jumping Organizing Committee - It also includes our work and commitment in the equestrian world. At San Patrignano the horses play a therapeutic role and represent a tool which can help our guests in overcoming their problems. They are and will always be a constant presence in our community. Thanks to our horses and to the fantastic goals we reached, as the victories at the World Championship, at the Olympic Games and at the main international show jumpings, San Patrignano has spread its human and social message all over the world".
After the 1998 WEG in Rome, where we won the individual bronze medal and the team gold medal, San Patrignano has put many of its efforts in the jumping horses breeding and with the passage of some horses like Weihaiwej to breeding activities, our stud have bred foals which are appreciated and required by riders and studs all over the world.

Now San Patrignano is ready to face another important challenge: the organization of the 2005 European Championship. "This year, the "Vincenzo Muccioli Challenge" will be the first test in view of the European Championship" says the Show Jumping technical counsellor, the Dutch Emile Hendrix - "We are so exciting and we are working hard in order to improve the quality we can offer. We are aware that a ground breaking historical event is going to happen in the whole sports world. For the first time, such a high quality event as an European Championship will take place in a drug rehabilitation community and not in a stadium or sports centre".

According to tradition, the German Olaf Petersen will be the Show Jumping Field Director, and Eleonora Ottaviani, the Event Director. Many world top riders have confirmed their participation in the Show Jumping: the Swiss Markus Fuchs (no.2 of the FEI ranking), the Belgium Jos Lansink (no. 5) and Ludo Philippaerts (no.8), the Irish Dermot Lennon who is the current world champion, the bronze medalist of the Jerez Weg the Usa rider Peter Wylde (n°18), the French Michel Robert (n°13) and the English ace Michael whitaker. Italy will have a consistent participation drawing up the number one of the Italian team, Gianni Govoni (n°10). The San Patrignano Jumping Team will be represented by the Spanish Fernando Fourcade with Nadir, a 8 years old grey stallion which won the Italian championship in the 7 years old category last year and which is one of the most important horses of the San Patrignano stud.

www.sanpatrignano.org

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