Edited press release from CSIO Roma - Piazza di Siena 

America’s McLain Ward, world number eight and double Olympic gold medallist, snatched a late victory with High Star Hero (Zazu x Darco) in the CSIO5* 1.50m Range Rover Speed on the opening day of CSIO Rome 2025 in Piazza di Siena on Thursday evening. 

Stephan de Freitas Barcha (BRA) looked set to post his second triumph of the afternoon having topped the podium in the previous CSIO5* 1.45m MAG Two-Phase. Going nineteenth of the 60 starters with the 12-year-old Dinozo Imperio Egipcio (Diamant de Semilly x Urbain du Monnai), the Brazilian produced another super-fast effort in 64.96 seconds, and for much of the class he was out in front, with his closest rival being Frenchman Kevin Staut who brought Queen’s Balou B (Balou du Rouet x For Feeling) home in 66.96.

With just four left to go however, Ward set off with his game-face on and High Star Hero in top gear but always under complete control, and this pair romped home with a clean sheet and a big smile from the US rider after shaving 0.19 seconds off the leading time, stopping the clock in 64.77 seconds. That would prove untouchable, while third-last into the ring, Italy’s Emilio Bicocchi and Excaliburg (Kannan x Euro-Star) overtook Staut for that third spot behind de Freitas Barcha when crossing the line in 66.48.

“That was nice, we are very happy with him," Ward said of the 12-year-old gelding. “This is a horse owned by Mike and Wendy Smith, and he was with Thaisa Erwin (AUS) last year and had some success. I took over the ride at the end of last summer and we’ve had some very good days, a little bit of inconsistency - he’s a very sensitive horse and we’re just trying to dial that in - but he has a lot of quality and he wants to be good," he explained.

Ward felt that Stephan de Freitas Barcha had given them all plenty to do with his super-quick run. However, Ward trusted in his horse’s scope and speed. “We have a very big stride, and this big ring is a huge help. Uliano (Vezzani, course designer) allows you to get into a good gallop and just stay on it, and the more you can just not interfere the more this horse relaxes and does a very good job. I was able to do one less to the last I think, and that probably sealed it." 

It was the Brazilian national anthem that rang out across the historic oval at Piazza di Siena on Thursday afternoon when Stephan de Freitas Barcha won the second competition at CSIO Rome 2025, the CSIO5* 1.45m MAG Two-Phase.

Running 29th in a big field of 68 starters, the 35-year-old rider and his 16-year-old gelding Chevaux Hex Lup Imperio Egipcio (X-Rated GMS x Clinton Jmen) stormed through the timers to set the target when clear in 24.39 seconds, and that was never truly threatened until Ireland’s Cian O’Connor came closest in 24.76 with his new ride, Kaspar R (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Baloubet du Rouet), to slot into runner-up spot.

Italian riders Neri Pieraccini with Newton van’T Zorgvliet (Thunder vd Zuuthoeve x Balou du Rouet) and Federico Ciriesi with Quincy Juice (Quidam de Revel x Cristo) slotted into third and fourth places while Ireland’s Seamus Hughes-Kenny and Dure de Semily (Diamant de Semilly x Oklund) finished fifth.

Winning rider de Freitas Barcha is no stranger to success and is a busy man running his competitive career alongside the big horse-trading business he operates across venues in Brasilia and in San Paolo. With his top ride Chevaux Primavera Imperio Egipcio (Calvaro Z x Paroli), he finished individually fifth at last summer’s Olympic Games in Paris. He was also a team gold medallist at the Pan-American Games in Peru in 2022 and took individual gold at the 2023 Pan-Americans in Santiago, Chile with Primavera.

“Hex Lup is my speed horse”, he explained on Thursday afternoon. “He’s a top horse for this type of class. I am really happy, he’s a Brazilian horse and I have him since I was in Brazil. He’s a real winner, he already has had first place in Geneva, first place in Barcelona, and a lot of good shows. But these kinds of classes are his speciality. For me it is fantastic to have a horse like him. And he loves this big arena here in Rome!”

Runner-up Cian O’Connor was also very pleased, particularly since he has only recently taken up the ride on the 10-year-old Kaspar R.

“He’s an experienced horse, I just got him two weeks ago and this is our first show together, but he was ridden to a good level by Harrie Smolders (NED) and he’s been competitive and jumped well so it’s lovely to have gotten him. He’s 10-years-old and he knows his job well. Harrie had him for one year and he brought him up to 4* level," the Irishman explained.

It was still quite an achievement to finish so close to the winner on a horse he so recently acquired. “Of course when you don’t know a horse you don’t know what buttons to press but I think we got on well, we had a nice bond together for our first time, and he has a lovely temperament. He’s a very pleasant horse and very calm," said O’Connor who hopes to move Kaspar up to 1.60m level in due course.

Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs and L&L Upgrade (Ultimo x Baloubet du Rouet) claimed the first honours of the week at CSIO5* Rome 2025 at Piazza di Siena on Thursday morning when pinning home hero, Italy’s Lorenzo De Luca with Aphrodite Van Spalbeek Z (Atomic Z x Flamenco Desemilly), into runner-up spot in the opening CSIO5* 1.45m Safe Riding Winning Round.

Some of the 54 starters in this competition were just keen to let their horses stretch their legs and get familiar with the big, iconic grass arena, but Fuchs made his intentions clear with a swift first run that left him comfortably inside the top-14 to qualify for the second and deciding round.

Brazil’s Yuri Mansur and Vitiki (Valentino 240 x For Expo 2000) set the early target against the clock when breaking the beam in 35.39 seconds but, seventh to go, Fuchs blew the class wide open when scorching home in 32.92 to really pile the pressure on the rest.

Germany’s Katrin Eckermann steered Iron Dames Cydello (Cascadello x Forsyth FRH) through the timers in 34.46 to sneak in ahead of Mansur, but only De Luca seriously challenged Fuchs’ leading time, setting off like he really meant business with his 10-year-old mare with just four left to go. And the Italian pair were only just over a quarter of a second slower when galloping through the timers in 33.20 seconds to slot into second place.

De Luca’s great record at Piazza di Siena includes victory with Halifax vh Kluizebos (Heartbreaker x Fetiche du Pas) in the Grand Prix in 2018. And he was pleased with this morning’s result. “My mare is very competitive and I knew she would give her best in a fast class," he said. “We were so close to Martin... I am really satisfied and my opinion is that the competitions at the CSIO Rome are starting on a high level from the very beginning. This is the second year that I have Aphrodite Van Spalbeek Z in Piazza di Siena and she always gives me good emotions. With today's competition, I would say that we have started on the right note, which we will do everything to keep in the coming days too." 

Fuchs, who is currently sixth in the world rankings, was delighted to get his week off to such a flying start. “L&L Uprgrade is a fantastic horse, so fast and competitive, and he also has scope for the bigger classes. Today coming here to this incredible venue I really felt it would be nice to get my first win in this ring, so it’s a nice experience for both of us," he said. 

Fuchs describes the 12-year-old gelding as “a real fighter with a really lovely attitude. He won the Grand Prix in Helsinki and has won also quite a few classes this year already," he explained. The L&L prefix stands for the horse’s joint owners, Switzerland’s Luigi Baleri and America’s Laura Connolly.

Talking about the other horses he will compete at CSIO Rome this week, Fuchs said: “I also brought L&L Lorde (Clyde LVB Z x Elan de La Cour), he will jump his first Nations Cup this week, so I’m very excited about that! And then of course my top horse Leone Jei (Baltic VDL x Corland) for the Rolex Grand Prix."