Roma Piazza di Siena 2012 "Show Jumping" 26-29 May 2012

Piazza di Siena takes its name from the city of origin of one of the most ancient and noble families of Rome: the Borghese. At the end of 16th century, Prince Marcantonio Borghese commissioned to architects Mario and Antonio Asprucci a new space, able to recall the places he beloved. His desire, in fact, was to bring, in the city of Rome, the traditional popular celebrations atmosphere they enjoyed, since the Middle Ages, in Tuscany. Unfortunately Prince Marcantonio died before he could see it. Piazza di Siena’s debut in equestrian competitions was in 1922, but only in 1926 the International Equestrian Federation included the Roman competition in the international agenda. The 1928 edition will remain in annals, not only because this date is usually considered the birth of the of the Piazza di Siena Horse Show - with four teams competing: France, Poland, Spain and Italy, and with the triumph of Italian captain Sandro Bettoni - but also because, from then the official numeration of the CSIO of Rome began. Some of the most relevant episodes of Italian riding took place in this public park, which is considered the biggest and more elegant of Rome: unforgettable challenges between extraordinary protagonists such as Bettoni, D’Inzeo or Graziano Mancinelli and other flagmen of this noble sport. The appointment with the horse show was suspended only from 1940 to 1947, during the second world war. In 1960, while Piazza di Siena hosted the competitions of the Olympic Games of Rome, the C.S.I.O. moved to Turin. In 1998, instead, the International Official Horse Show left place to the World Equestrian Games performed in the Flaminio Stadium. But in 2000, Piazza di Siena had its reprisal hosting two CSIO, in May and in October, when it witnessed the final of the Super Samsung League. In 2003 the International Show Jumping of Piazza Siena joined the eight best international show jumping of the Top League.