11 April 2017
Successful CAI2* & CAN Caravino (Turin)
Satisfaction is the keyword for the driving event that took place on the second week-end in April not far away from Turin, in Italy’s north-west, an easy destination from all central European countries.Spark
After 2 years of limited participation from abroad, this year’s early entry of the date in the FEI calendar was the spark that moved 15 competitors from across the border to venture southwards, where the weather promised to be favorable – and so it was! It almost seemed an anticipation of Easter vacation time, if it weren’t for the hard work that a demanding driving event involves. Besides the foreign athletes, 30 drivers from Italy accepted the challenge and were fully rewarded.
Impressive Judging Panel
It was an ideal competition for the start of the outdoor season, where a big accent was set on the judging panel, with two level 4 Judges, Andrew Counsell and Stefan Keszycki, two level 3 Judges, Barna Fejer and Giuseppe Del Grande and one level 2 Judge Roland Morat. The dressage scores were very well balanced which gave the competitors a solid hint on their early-season performances. Plenty of space to accommodate the athletes prior to entering the dressage arena, with a sand area for lunge work and riding, a second working area with grass footing for driven turnouts, an additional training area and finally a collecting ring staked out with a regular size driving arena complete with letters.
The marathon was very horse friendly, with section A partly in the woods and partly along the river and around a small lake, most of it in the shade, no transfer, and section B with 6 obstacles 2 of which with water and 3 on sloping terrain.
According to the positive comments of the competitors and the results which show quite few clear rounds, the cones course was challenging but still possible, altogether a well designed competition by Italian level 2 Course Designer Gabriele Panier Suffat.
Professional staff
Excellent work done by the Hungarian TD Zsuzsi Mityko, fully engaged, very professional but also loaded with common sense when dealing with local peculiarities and the necessity to harmonize the international event and the collateral competition for lower level national drivers (another bunch of 15) efficiently supported by the Show Secretary Valeria Nicolis, well acquainted with other disciplines but at her first international driving event. Well, in spite of the many hours of engagement, her personal test was definitely a big success, well appreciated by Officials and Competitors alike. Excellent Chief Steward Adam Szepesi from Hungary and his Swiss assistant, Marjorie Magnin, although for the first time involved in a driving event south of the Alps, very well compensated with professionalism and adaptability to all unforeseen occurrences. Altogether a wonderful teamwork that accounts for the general satisfaction and the promise by all competitors to come back next year.
The atmosphere is maybe far from the striking set ups of consolidated driving events in countries like the Netherlands, Germany, France, Austria or Slovenia, but the owner of the Riding Club where the event was organized tried his best to make people feel comfortable in a family-oriented location.
Horses
As far as the competition results are concerned, the two classes for Horse Singles and Horse Pairs were the most attended.
In the Singles, local Top Driver Cristiano Cividini who presented his new horse Farro, had an annoying problem with harness during the dressage which accounted for a disappointing final results if it weren’t for the assessment of a promising future for a young horse at his first international outing.
This gave his two high level countrymen Luca Cassottana and Luca Bordet the possibility to take hold of the first two positions on the podium, followed by Giacomin Barbüda from Switzerland.
In the Pairs Class home drivers Jozsef Dibak, starting twice with 2 new Pairs, and Francesco Aletti Montano, with his last World Championship Pair, after retaining the first 3 positions in the dressage, had to put up a vigorous fight trying to keep a good positions in the final. Thus Dibak ended up 2nd and 4th while Aletti Montano refrained from asking too much from his horses, satisfied with their general going. Unbeatable Miha Tavcar from Slovenia who won the class after a cones course considered by everybody as a masterpiece of what a perfect understanding with one’s horses should be; third position for Beat Schenk from Switzerland: a good panel of drivers that will probably meet again at this year’s World Championship in Lipica, Slovenia.
Ponies
2017 is also the year dedicated to the Combined World Championship for Ponies, some of which tried their luck at Caravino. Of the Single Pony drivers Cristiano Cividini made up for the unrewarding result in the Horse class by winning in front of German driver Edwin Kiefer, who had to give up in the Pony Team class for overturning in the marathon, with Rebecca Nick from Austria on the third step of the podium.
The Pony Pairs were not much represented, with only 4 turnouts competing. This ended up in a victory for home driver Johann Weitlaner by over 20 points over his countryman Alessandro Calzavara followed by Swiss driver Sandra Chardonnens.
For lack of horse teams, it was the Pony Team class that accounted for keeping up the most spectacular show. For German Dieter Höfs it ended up in a clear victory in front of Nicolas Clair from France and home driver Marco Perinotto, who demonstrated substantial improvement in his performances, also thanks to precious advice from his trainer, Bram Chardon.
As part of the international competition also classes for Children and Juniors were organized. Obviously it is a difficult time of the year for young people attending school, thus only 4 Italian youngsters competed, one of which starting twice: for them an almost unique opportunity to deal with a combined driving event in Italy with the chance to be judged by such important Officials and with a marathon and cones course set up with the same characteristics as they experienced last year at the European Championship.
Considering the general satisfaction, the OC hopes that next year there will be an even stronger motivation for attending the CAI In Caravino.
Elvezia Ferrari
