Italian FEI Dressage Pony rider Alice Campanella has made the dive into the junior riders' pool and stepped up one level by competing her new horse Varisto in the junior riders' classes. While ponies remain her main focus for the year, Campanella is eager to gain experience on horses.
Trained by her mom, Polish born Italian Grand Prix rider Anna Paprocka-Campanella, Alice got the ride on the newly acquired Varisto (by Jazz x Houston) in February 2014. Varisto is not new to the family, though, as Anna owned the horse two years ago but sold it to Great Britain, where he became one of the country's most successful small tour horses under Andrew Gould. Last year Varisto relocated to Italy to be trained by Italian Grand Prix rider Roberta Brenna, before returning to Campanella's yard.
The now 12-year old Dutch warmblood gelding will serve as a schoolmaster and ambitious junior riders' project for 14-year old Alice. The pair already made their show debut on the liver chestnut stallion at a national show in Lombardia, Italy, where they scored 71.1% and 72.6%.
Alice has her show schedule already mapped out for the 2014 outdoor season and will travel to the 2014 CDI Barcelona in Spain next week, where she will show Varisto in the international junior riders classes to gain ring experience as well as qualify for the European Junior Riders Championship.
"For a long time we were looking for a proper horse for Alice. Because her pony Flamenco Star is such great quality we were expecting the same in her junior horse," Anna Campanella told Eurodressage. "Varisto is a typical Jazz, but also very ambitious in the ring."
While Varisto is a fun endeavour this year, Alice's principal focus will be on her top pony Flamenco Star (by Flying Dream). She was the best performing rider on the Italian team at the 2013 European Pony Championships in Arezzo, Italy, where they finished 15th in the Kur. The duo also earned the bronze at the 2013 Italian Pony Championships.
"My priority is Flamenco Star. He's in top form and ready to compete," said an enthusiastic Alice. "Varisto is a great ride and a fun horse, but we need to get to know each other and I will take my time with him this year. I will still try to qualify him for the European Junior Riders Championships and will make my definite choice right before the Europeans."
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