Cowboys as a stars and stripes exclusive? A myth that needs to be dispelled, because in Italy too horse enthusiasts and disciplines associated with traditional American riding constitute a supply chain that involves 75,500 people, has 32,000 registered horses, three main associations, 2,500 riding schools and breeding farms, with a direct turnover of 9 million Euro. A world of which VeronaFiere, through Fieracavalli, wants to be the spokesman, creating a bridge between Italy and the United States to explore new opportunities for exchanges and business in this sector, in particular looking at the area of sports, saddle tourism and food-experience.
At the centre, undoubtedly, was the passion for the three main equestrian breeds of the Old West: American quarter horse, Appaloosa and Paint horse, the favourite of the Comanche Indians for its dappled coat with mimetic properties. The same breeds that, after the Westernshow at the 124th Fieracavalli, were still the absolute protagonists at Veronafiere from 9 to 19 November.
Until last weekend, in fact, the halls of the Verona exhibition centre hosted two highlights for reining, the ‘queen’ of American sports disciplines: the IRBHA Futurity IRHA, in which the most promising three-year-old foals made their debut, and the finals of the absolute national championships organised by FISE, the Italian Federation of Equestrian Sports.
And it was precisely on this occasion that a b2b meeting was held at Veronafiere with all the main sporting and breeding associations of reference in Italy for these breeds to identify, through Fieracavalli, new commercial and cultural initiatives between the two sides of the Atlantic, with the American horse as a common denominator. A mission that sees the collaboration of the Transatlantic Investment Committee (TIC), a platform that works in close connection with the diplomatic representations in the United States and Italy to strengthen ties in the field of strategic co-investments between the two countries.
“American horse riding,” explained Federico Bricolo, President of Veronafiere, “undoubtedly represents one of the areas of Fieracavalli that together with the TIC, breeding associations and companies we can further expand by looking at the affinities that naturally link it to the US market. The idea is to make the horse an ambassador for new transatlantic cooperation and exchange in the fields of sport, trade, tourism and food and wine. Veronafiere is already present in North America in the promotion of the wine & food and natural stone sectors: now with Fieracavalli we want to take another of its historical and successful brands overseas, strengthening our presence in the area”.
“The success of the mission to the United States that the TIC organised in October in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Washington DC and the US diplomatic mission in Italy,” commented Andrea Gumina, president of the Transatlantic Investment Committee, “shows that there is great attention in the field of economic-commercial relations between our two countries. For this reason, we have decided to adhere to the proposal of Veronafiere, through Fieracavalli, and start a project that will lead us to maximise the potential of reining as a vehicle for joint Italy-US investments and the enhancement of our Made in Italy”.
