Brazilian Brilliance in the Eternal City

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The 92nd CSIO5* Rome at Piazza di Siena proved once again why it's called the crown jewel of international showjumping. When Yuri Mansur and Miss Blue-Saint Blue Farm crossed the finish line in 35.65 seconds to claim the €500,000 Rolex Grand Prix, they didn't just win a class—they made history as only the second Brazilian to ever triumph in Rome's most prestigious prize.

Let's talk about this venue for a second. There's literally nothing like competing in the gardens of Villa Borghese, where art, nature, and sport collide in the most spectacular way possible. The grass arena—recently upgraded with a turf ring around the perimeter—gives course designer Uliano Vezzani the canvas to create something truly special. And "The Maestro," as he's known, didn't disappoint.

Vezzani's 1.60m track was everything you'd expect from a true Grand Prix: technical, complete, with height and strategy. The Italian designer admitted he'd "studied a few new lines and added some new jumps" specifically for this edition, and it showed. With fantastic footing despite recent rain, Vezzani was able to create what he called "a proper test" that separated the elite from the excellent.

The first round was a war of attrition. From 45 starters, only nine combinations managed to keep all the rails up, with the three fastest four-faulters also advancing to the second round—highlighting just how demanding Vezzani's initial track was. When the course walks that tough, you know the second round is going to be absolutely electric.

And electric it was. Mansur, sitting third-last to go in the second round, had the perfect position to watch the early pace-setters and plan his attack. The Brazilian later revealed his second-round strategy went out the window at the first fence:

That's elite riding right there—adapting mid-round while maintaining the nerve to push for time when it mattered most. Miss Blue-Saint Blue Farm, the 12-year-old Chacco-Blue mare he's developed since 2022, responded with the kind of performance that defines championship horses. "This is a mare from Brazil, she didn't have any experience when she left there but in three years since 2022 she has given me my best wins," Mansur said, and you could hear the emotion in his voice.

Breathing down his neck was Ireland's Cian O'Connor aboard Iron Man, just 0.11 seconds behind in 35.76. O'Connor, who picked up the Master d'Inzeo Award as Leading Rider of the Show for his week-long consistency, described Iron Man as "very special" but admitted they're still working on the horse's speed against the clock. That consistency earned him the week's top honor, but you could tell he wanted that extra tenth.

The story of the podium, though, belonged to 25-year-old Nina Mallevaey. The recently-crowned French National Champion guided Dynastie de Beaufour to third place in 36.35 seconds, and her reaction said it all: "This was a dream of mine to come here so I'm very, very happy." Right behind her in fourth was another young gun making waves—22-year-old Irishman Seamus Hughes Kennedy aboard ESI Rocky, the same horse that carried him to team and individual gold at the 2023 FEI European Young Riders Championship. When young talent like this steps up on stages like Rome, it's exactly what our sport needs.

Stars and Stripes End the Drought

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Friday's €220,000 Intesa Sanpaolo Nations Cup delivered drama in spades as Team USA clinched their first victory in Rome since 2009. The quartet of Laura Kraut (Bisquetta), Lillie Keenan (Kick ON), Karl Cook (Caracole de La Roque), and McLain Ward (Imperial Hbf) finished on just four faults—a remarkably low total that showcased the depth of American talent.

But let's be honest, it came down to the wire. McLain Ward, riding anchor for the Stars and Stripes, entered that arena knowing exactly what he needed: a clear round to seal the deal and avoid a potential jump-off against a strong French squad. No pressure, right? Ward, being Ward, delivered that masterful clear round with Imperial Hbf when it mattered most. That's why you have veterans in those pressure spots.

France fought hard for second, also finishing on four faults but losing out on time. The French effort was anchored by clear rounds from Nina Mallevaey (yes, her again) with Nikka Vd Bisschop and Antoine Ermann aboard Floyd des Pres. Germany rounded out the podium in third, while the home crowd had to settle for watching Italy finish seventh despite a crucial clear from Giulia Martinengo Marquet in the second round.

What made this U.S. victory even more impressive? Three of their four combinations were new to five-star Nations Cup competition. That's some serious pipeline development by Chef d'Équipe Robert Ridland.

Quick Hits

German Dominance at Home

Christian Kukuk made it look easy at CSI4* Hohenkirchen, piloting Chageorge to victory in the €105,500 Grand Prix. Even better? Germany swept the entire podium with Jens Wawrauschek/Mava S second and Markus Renzel/Pikeur Lemar NRW third. When you're playing at home with that kind of depth, good luck to everyone else.

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Epaillard’s Double

Julien Epaillard and Donatello d'Auge continued their ridiculous run of form at CSI4* Canteleu, claiming the Grand Prix ahead of Juliette Faligot/Arqana de Riverland and veteran Roger Yves Bost/Prins van't Eigenlo. This combination is absolutely flying right now—they're the pair everyone's watching.

EEF Series Results:

Denmark dominated at home in Martofte with Poland second and Germany third, while Antonia Andersson/Bella PS (SWE) took the individual Grand Prix. At Peelbergen, the Netherlands defended their title with Belgium second and Great Britain third, as Luciana Diniz/Vertigo du Desert (BRA) claimed the Grand Prix victory.

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Vancouver Vibes

Daniel Coyle stormed the Grand Prix qualifier at Thunderbird with Farrel (34.96s), ahead of Canada's Kara Chad/Igor GPH and Kyle King/Odysseus (USA). The Irish Olympian noted the grass surface suited his horse perfectly—sometimes it's all about finding the right stage.

Temecula Double

Kaitlin Campbell had herself a day at CSI3* Temecula, winning the Grand Prix with Armentos and grabbing third with Questa vd Heffinck. Keri Potter/Kalimera van de Nethe Z split them for second. Two horses in the top three of an FEI Grand Prix? That's serious depth.

Looking Ahead

Next week brings some serious decision-making for the world's top riders. Hamburg and St. Gallen both host CSIO5*/CSI5* events simultaneously—talk about splitting the elite field.

Hamburg's Double Feature (May 27-June 1) combines the modern LGCT Grand Prix with the historic German Jumping Derby. That Derby course, with Pulvermann's Grave and the infamous bank, separates the brave from the rest. It's a completely different test from the technical LGCT Grand Prix, often producing wildly different winners.

St. Gallen (May 28-June 1) just boosted their Grand Prix prize money to €500,000—a clear signal they want the absolute best. With nine nations confirmed for the Nations Cup and that kind of individual prize money, expect fireworks.

Also on the calendar: CSI4* events at Langley Vancouver, Gassin-St Tropez, and Cabourg, plus CSIO3*-W action at Thessaloniki's Ippos Club and CSI3* competition in Eindhoven and Tryon. The depth of international competition right now is insane.

The confluence of Hamburg and St. Gallen in the same week will test just how deep the elite talent pool really is. Strategic decisions about where to aim primary horses could open doors for other combinations to step up—exactly the kind of scenario that creates breakout performances.

Rome reminded us why it's special: the perfect blend of history, challenging sport, and that indefinable magic that only happens in certain places. Mansur and Miss Blue-Saint Blue Farm earned their place in the record books, but the real winner was the sport itself.

Rating: 8.4/10

Rome delivered exactly what we expect from a Rolex Series event: historic victories, clutch performances under maximum pressure, and emerging talent stepping up when it matters most. Mansur's masterclass in adaptability, Team USA's drought-ending Nations Cup triumph, and Nina Mallevaey's podium breakthrough created the kind of storylines that define great weeks in our sport. Add in the depth of quality across multiple continents—from German dominance at Hohenkirchen to Epaillard's continued brilliance in France—and you've got a week that showcased elite showjumping at its finest.

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