The 124th edition of Fieracavalli, the unmissable international event for the equestrian world, closed today. Among the crowds of curious visitors and enthusiasts, there were also many well-known faces, unsuspected lovers not only of the disciplines on show, but also of the undisputed protagonist of every activity at the event: the horse.
First of all, the renowned chef and beloved showman Alessandro Borghese returns for the second year in a row. Drawn into the equestrian world by his wife Wilma and little Arizona – who have been fans of the sector for a long time – now the chef has also caught ‘horse fever’. “It’s a pleasure to be here,” says Alessandro. “Fieracavalli is a fantastic event that I got to know last year thanks to my family, now we are all true fans of the equestrian world!
This year, the chef was at the forefront of the Sapori di Razza (Breed Flavours) project: the contest that highlighted the best of Italian regional cuisine influenced by the equestrian and agricultural culture of our territories and that he himself awarded. ‘A well-organised contest,’ says Borghese, ‘I liked the focus on territoriality and the gastronomic traditions that Verona and other Italian regions offer. It was also good to see the participation of the public, the stands in the food area these days were full of people looking for the perfect street food!”
Matilde Gioli climbs into the saddle to ride the first permanent urban horse trail in Italy, sponsored by the City of Verona. The actress, a lover of the equestrian world, did not miss the opportunity to visit the ‘city of the horse’ from a different perspective and above all at a different pace.
Matilde’s relationship with horses started four years ago when, for a film, she had to learn to ride from there it became a real passion. “My relationship with horses is very complex, positive of course, made up of many moments of growth but also of failures. Being together with these animals has been one of the most important opportunities in my life to grow, to make a journey with a being you cannot lie to. The horse puts you in front of yourself and the inner work you have to do is authentic and real,’ Matilde says.
Manuela Arcuri and Antonella Clerici also let themselves be swept away by equestrian passion, espousing, moreover, a noble cause. On the opening evening of Fieracavalli, both were godmothers of the Riding the Blue Dinner & Charity, the charity event in support of the crowdfunding campaign “Riding the Blue – A horse for a friend” conceived to finance the experimental Riding the Blue project that aims at the recognition of Horse-Assisted Interventions by the National Health Service as a practice for the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder in children.
