Text © World of Showjumping

This weekend, the Rolex Series continues in Italy, in the spectacular setting of Rome’s Villa Borghese. The 2026-edition of CSIO Rome Piazza di Siena – the second from the seven legs in the 2026-season in the Rolex Series – marks a significant milestone, as the event celebrates its 100th edition.

Italy’s very own Riccardo Pisani and Emilio Bicocchi dominated the opening day in Rome on Thursday; Pisani won the CSIO5* 1.50m presented by Range Rover with the 11-year-old stallion Chacco’s Lawito PS (Chacco-Blue x Lawito), while Bicocchi topped the CSIO5* 1.45m presented by MAG with the 9-year-old mare Hemerald d’Argonne (Emerald x Quidam de Revel).

A total of 55 horse-and-rider combinations came to start in Thursday’s CSIO5* 1.50m presented by Land Rover, a competition judged as a Table A against the clock. With a time of 63.57 seconds, Pisani and Chacco’s Lawito PS took a long-awaited victory on home soil, taking the top honours ahead of their compatriot Giulia Martinengo Marquet on Scuderia 1918 Calle Deluxe (Cesano x Con Air 7) in second in 64.81. The current world number five, Belgium’s Gilles Thomas aboard Qiara de Kalvarie (Sea Coast Don’t Touch Tiji Hero x Zandor Z) completed the top three when crossing the finish line in 65 seconds, followed by Giacomo Casadei (ITA) and Corradiena van’T Klein Asdonk Z (Cornet Obolensky x Andiamo Z) in fourth in 65.20 and Denis Lynch (IRL) aboard Brooklyn Heights (Nabab de Reve x For Pleasure) in fifth in 66.41.

In the CSIO5* 1.45m presented by MAG, Emilio Bicocchi and Hemerald d’Argonne topped a starting field of 71 horse-and-rider combinations. Clocking a time of 24.16 in the second phase, the Italian duo finished ahead of Sophie Hinners (GER) and Diamanda 4 (Diarado x Quinnus I) in second in 24.42 and Lorenzo Correnddu (ITA) aboard Dalakani Chardonnet (Padock du Plessis HN x Baloubet du Rouet) in third in 24.50.

The third five-star competition of the day, the opening CSIO5* 1.45m presented by Safe Riding, went to Ireland’s Denis Lynch and the 12-year-old gelding Conterno-Blue Ps (Veyron x Chacco-Blue). With a time of 39.27 seconds in the winning round, the Irish took the win ahead of Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) with Giorgio d’Ellipse (Prestigio LS La Silla x Kannan) in second in 39.50 and Lorenzo de Luca (ITA) aboard Golden du Breuil (Kannan x Untouchable 27) in third in 39.61.