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“She is a very special horse with a strong personality,” Italy’s Francesca Ciriesi says about her chestnut mare Cape Coral (Comme Il Faut 5 x Friedenstraum). “I am sure that if you would ride her at home, you would not be able to imagine how much she gives me in the ring; you cannot understand the feeling I have on her. When I go into the ring with her, I know she will be there for me. I believe that top horses must be like this; they have to enjoy themselves and have fun in the ring, and I feel like she is her happiest when we compete.” 

With Cape Coral, 30-year-old Ciriesi was part of the Italian team at the 2022 World Championships in Herning, Denmark, and in May this year, the two placed 9th in the CSIO5* Rolex Grand Prix of Rome after also helping Italy take the runner-up position in the Intesa Sanpaolo Nations Cup. 

Originally, it was Francesca’s brother Federico that bought Cape Coral as a five-year-old. “I have had many horses that still have a piece of my heart, but I think she has the most of it by now,” Ciriesi says about her chestnut mare. “My brother used to ride her. She was really difficult, had a strong personality and was challenging to manage… However, my brother thought she had something special in her. When Cape Coral was at the end of her 8th year, my brother said that he thought she would fit me better, because I like to work with difficult horses; I like to work on their mind. It was not easy though, and it still isn’t.”

Cape Coral is the type that can do anything – if she wants to

“I never pushed her to jump bigger until she was confident with what she was doing; I knew she had the ability. She is the type that can do anything – if she wants to,” Ciriesi continues. “Without any pressure, we started to work with her and we did a lot on the flat. She does not like to jump at all at home or in the warm-up, so we cannot work on the jumps; the only thing we can do is work on the flat. Step by step, she improved and every time we competed, she gave me something more in the ring. Now, she is easier to manage at home and in the warm-up, but even on the first day in Rome it was impossible to jump with her in the collecting ring.” 

“Now I do about six jumps, starting in trot and asking not one thing more than she expects; she knows that we do about six jumps and you cannot ask her more. Then, I usually let her cool down a little bit just a few horses before, then I do one oxer and one vertical and then we go,” Ciriesi explains about the routine that she has found helpful in the warm-up. 

When you enter the ring with her, it feels as if she holds out a hand and says ‘ok let’s go’

“My trainer Markus Fuchs has helped me a lot with Cape Coral. From him, I learned how to manage the warm-up and he gave me some tips that really made a difference,” Ciriesi continues. “He taught me when to ask her and how to ask her; this is important. In the beginning I was not so confident, but day by day, I have learned to trust her and now I know that no matter the challenges in the ring, as soon as we go in, she will be with me. When you enter the ring with her, it feels as if she holds out a hand and says ‘ok let’s go’ – and she takes you. She is like two different horses – one inside and one outside the ring. In the ring, I trust her in everything; when she is outside, she is a strong personality to manage.” 

Training with Fuchs was an idea Francesca’s brother came up with four years ago. “Switzerland is close to us, and we really like Markus’ way of working with the horses,” Ciriesi says. “We are so happy, and with Cape Coral, training with him has made a massive difference. They were not big changes that he did, but necessary ones – she is a difficult horse. Markus has so much experience with special horses, and he gave me some tips on how to make her happy, how to make her understand that we were going in the same direction – he has been really helpful. He has so much experience that everything I will ever do, he has already done; he has the answers before I even ask. It is faster to grow with someone like him by my side. He can give me the right help at the right moment, and he has a super feeling with horses – he is really important to me.” 

We are simply trying to make a living out of our passion – just like everyone else

In addition to Fuchs, it is her family that Ciriesi is quick to thank. “My entire family is involved with horses – not as professionals but as a passion, and before I started to ride, they were riding as a hobby. My brother and I started to ride at the age of 6, but during university, we had to decide what we wanted to do with our lives. We had to choose – and we both wanted to ride professionally. Now we run our own place in Modena, Italy. We have about 50 horses, with a few owners, clients and students. My brother Federico is more involved with the clients and the students, since he is better at it. We also sell horses and are simply trying to make a living out of our passion – just like everyone else. I could not do this without my brother and our family that has helped us a lot along the way.”

In 2017, Francesca was part of the Young Riders Academy (YRA), an initiative that she says has had a huge impact on her professional career. “Thanks to YRA, I got an opportunity to go abroad and train with Henk Nooren. For me, something shifted in my mind in those months; then I knew 100% that I wanted to ride for a living. In Rome, there were three YRA graduates on the Irish team and two on the Italian team. What the YRA has done in the past years, is showing now.” 

After winning the Italian championship last year, and coming second in 2021, Ciriesi felt that it was time for a new plan for 2023. “I decided to not jump the championship and do another program for Cape Coral this year,” she explains. “Together with the Italian Chef d’Equipe Marco Porro, we decided that Rome was our first main goal of the year and Cape Coral was super there.” 

In Italy, we have a saying – ‘keep your dreams in your pocket’

“I think Rome is a special place for everyone, but for us Italians it is the venue of the year, and everyone really wants to do well there. As always, the venue was perfect – being in the centre of Rome is really amazing. Cape Coral jumped six courses in three days, always in a good way, and I am really happy with her – our mistakes were mine. We had a young team for the Nations Cup – it was the first time in this Nations Cup for both me and Gianpiero Garofalo – and I think there were no expectations. Even we as a team had no expectations of being in the jump-off for the win. It was really difficult for me to do the jump-off, because I know how fast Pender can be. However, we tried – and I think we have to be happy with our second place. Everyone had arrived in Rome in great shape, and in the end, we were so close to winning. I think getting this result in Rome gives us confidence; it is a good start for the year. And after the Nations Cup, we had the Rolex Grand Prix on Sunday. It was a tough Grand Prix, we had one down, but were fast enough to get to the second round where we had the last fence down. I am happy with Cape Coral, I felt her in good shape. I know we have to improve, but she is bringing me to this level and helping me to gather experience.” 

As a team, Italy is not in good place at the moment, Ciriesi points out. “Last year was difficult as we were in Division 2 and now, we are trying to get back to a higher level, but it is not easy – finding the horses and staying at the top. I think we have many good riders, but we have to be well organized to stay at a high level and plan a bit better. Personally, my next goal will be the European Championships in Milan, to help Italy get the qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games. It is really important for us to get that ticket to Paris, so the goal is not only to compete but to get this qualification done. However, in Italy, we have a saying – ‘keep your dreams in your pocket’ – so I better not tell all about my goals.” 

After winning the Italian championship last year, Ciriesi and Cape Coral went from strength to strength – jumping clear in the Rolex Grand Prix of Rome, doing their five-star Nations Cup debut in Rotterdam with one down and showing great consistency in Falsterbo – and earned their place on the Italian team for the World Championship in Herning. “Everything was going really well last season,” Ciriesi says as she looks back. “Our Chef d’Equipe Marco Porro has been really nice to me, he started to work with me and my horses three years ago, and we have gone step by step from the smaller three-star Nations Cups to the top team – without forcing anything. And every show, as we were gradually asking more of Cape Coral, she was answering in a very positive way. Last year, we got to go to the World Championship in Herning and even if we had a fall on the second day, and it was really demanding for us, I do think that experience changed us. Now, I think we are stronger. When you touch the higher level, you understand where you have to go; now we are working towards that.” 

When you touch the higher level, you understand where you have to go

“The first day in Herning, she jumped super and she was really fast. We had one down, but I was very happy with it – it was maybe not even my expectation to be that fast on the first day,” Ciriesi tells. “Then, on the second day, I was maybe a little bit stressed, maybe it was too much, and I fell off. It was a hard experience; it is not easy to have an elimination when you are there with your team and riding for your nation. However, I told myself that now I knew where I was at, what I had to improve and then we could try again. Prior to Herning, my aim was to grow, but after that experience, I knew exactly where and in which direction – and I want to reach that level. This year, I started like new, knowing more about my strengths and weaknesses.” 

“To reach the top, I have to be consistent, keep my horse happy and confident in what we are doing, so that she gives me everything in the ring. I can never force anything with her, I can’t jump too much, I can’t do too many shows… I have to do a well-organized plan and keep my aim clearly in my mind,” Ciriesi says. “Other riders might be jumping at big shows every week, but I know my options are limited with one horse – I have to do a good plan for her. I think Herning made me understand how important it is to plan everything, and to keep working on your own issues. Looking at other people who were there – all those super riders – seeing them close and understanding how they work and what they are doing, was important.” 

“I believe that the most challenging part in our sport is to keep growing,” Ciriesi says. “For sure everyone is going to have some bad experiences – and I’m speaking about Herning in my case – and the most difficult part is to move on. However, if you are able to keep going through these experiences, you will improve a lot.” 

Sometimes to grow, we have to touch the lowest feelings and really feel them

“Personally, it was really hard to go on after Herning and to start over again,” Ciriesi tells. “I was not confident anymore, and I was feeling bad for the team. We were riding for Olympic qualification, so there was a lot more to this fall – it was not just a fall. Fortunately, we did not get hurt, my horse did not get scared, and we have managed to grow from this experience. Sometimes to grow, we have to touch the lowest feelings and really feel them – before we get on our feet and get going again.” 

“This sport gives us emotions that are difficult to find anywhere else; the feelings, the adrenaline, the love for your horse… It is an incredible combination. You have to sacrifice a lot for this sport, it takes your whole life – but for me, it is a happy life.” 

20.6.2023 No reproduction of any of the content in this article will be accepted without a written permission, all rights reserved © World of Showjumping.com. If copyright violations occur, a penalty fee will apply.