- Written by Clare Taylor Hayes and Cordelia Hemming
- BBC 100 Women
Antinesca, Alberto and Michel are ready to compete
There are only five weeks to go until one of Italy’s regional equestrian jumping competitions begins, and all eyes are on Antinesca Sensi who hopes to snatch the prize.
Eight-year-old Beatrice is also preparing for her moment in the spotlight, but with the tension leading up to the competition, there are concerns about whether she will be ready in time.
They both attend La Fenice, just outside Verona, an association founded in 2001 to train people with disabilities, as well as people without disabilities, in the sport of equestrian vaulting.
Equestrian vaulting is often described as a physical sport on horseback.
It has a more recent history in circuses, however, and it is believed that people have been performing acrobatic stunts while riding moving horses for over 2,000 years.
Now it is recognized by the International Federation of Equestrian Sports and competitions are held around the world.
It can also be a form of therapy for disabled people. Horseback riding, accompanied by rhythmic music and balance exercises, can help improve strength, coordination and movement.
In Italy, jumping was the first equestrian discipline to welcome disabled athletes to compete with non-disabled riders. These are known as integrated categories and this year is the first year that the Veneto Regional Championship has offered them.
Disabled riders in Italy compete in gymnastics on horseback
Antinesca, who has Down Syndrome, took up equestrian vaulting in her 30s as part of a program launched by the Italian National Association for Families and People with Disabilities (ANFFAS).
She is now 45 years old and is training with a team that will participate in the Veneto Championship.
She is one of the women included in the BBC’s 100 Most Important Women list, which every year includes the names of 100 inspiring and influential women around the world.
ANFFAS has collaborated with La Fenice, where students learn dressage jumping from the best in the field.
Their coaches include world champion jumper, Anna Cavallaro, and the man who coached her when she was a young girl, Nelson Vidoni.
Anna Cavallaro discovered jumping at the age of 11, when her father took her to the riding school where Nelson taught.
She was instantly hooked.
“He put me on a horse and the next Saturday I was jumping,” Anna says.
The duo wrote history when Cavallaro became the first Italian to win the World Cup three times.
After her injury, she no longer competed. Instead, she dedicated her life to becoming a coach.
“Now I know what it means to jump, to love horses, and to put all your passion into them,” she says.
Antisca trains with former world champion Anna Cavallaro and coach Nelson Vidoni
Nelson Vidoni, or “Grandpa” as his students call him, explains how beneficial the sport is to those who participate.
“The animal becomes a friend, and this helps improve coordination, self-esteem, find balance and socialize,” he says.
But he is also keen to show how focused he is on the competitive side of the sport.
“I’m very hard on them, even if I hug them afterward,” Nelson says. “People with disabilities need guidance too. It should be the same as with other people we train, there is no difference.”
With everyone laser-focused on competing, it’s Anna’s job to make sure the team will be ready to perform.
Antisca looks ready to go, but it’s not clear if Beatrice will hit the ground running.
Nelson insists he won’t put anyone into the competition who he doesn’t think is ready.
“I want people to say ‘Wow, how great are these riders’ when we compete,” says Coach Fidoni.
Beatrice, or Pia for short, arrived in La Fenice four years ago and immediately became passionate about the world of horses.
Anna notices that when Bea does an exercise routine, she does it half-heartedly, without any brilliance.
“But when she does freestyle and does new exercises…she puts her whole heart into it,” she says.
Bea’s mother, Alice, speaks of her daughter with a great sense of pride.
She says Pia, who has Down Syndrome like Anteyska, is achieving goals she never thought possible.
People said Pia would never ride alone, but now she goes on long rides, Alice says.
She doesn’t see Pea Down syndrome as a disability. “It’s a distinctive feature,” she says. “Nothing more.”
So, does her mother think Bea is ready for the regional tournament?
“I want to,” she says with a smile. “I’ll be the one cheering like crazy. I’m naturally very competitive.”
But she admits that this is not her decision. It’s up to Nelson and Anna to decide.
Beatrice trained hard and made it to the regional competition
With one week left until the competition, the riders undergo their final training session.
They used to train on a mechanical horse, which is a non-mechanical horse-shaped mass controlled by the movement of the rider. Now they are trying to perfect their moves for a freestyle routine on a real horse.
“You have to go back a little bit,” Nelson says as he gives Antiniska some final instructions. “Are you moving forward with your shoulders and legs down? No,” he orders.
Antesca says she feels prepared to compete but admits she had some last-minute jitters.
The day of the Veneto Regional Competition has finally arrived, and Antinesca and her jumping team are huddled together in a corner of the indoor arena where horses and competitors mill about, discussing final details before the performance.
Pia can be seen warming up. Does this mean she is ready to compete?
Nelson confirms he gave it the green light.
“It’s a small success,” her mother says. “I hope it’s the first of many.”
Dressed as Minnie Mouse, with red and white polka dots and hair in pigtails, Bea takes to the ring alongside her jumping partner.
The audience and other competitors watch closely as Pia begins her routine.
With Anna’s help, she rides the horse gracefully and performs every movement with a smile on her face, earning her huge applause from the audience.
Bea’s first performance was a success. She and her partner Cecilia won silver in their category.
Now it’s Antinesca’s turn with partners Michele and Alberto. She goes from riding the horse to standing on it behind Michelle, who is sitting in front of her. Then she moves gracefully through well-rehearsed gymnastic movements.
As they complete their routine, there is another round of applause.
The team won gold at the regional championship this year
Is Antiniska happy with their performance? “Yes, very happy,” she says.
The judges were also impressed when they announced the team had won the gold medal.
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