Milano Jumping Cup: Martin Fuchs turns on the San Siro Hippodrome in Milan

29 June 2022 Denisa Kucik

Milano Jumping Cup has come to its second edition, which took place from 24 to 26 June in the Horse Theatre of the San Siro Hippodrome. Top seed Martin Fuchs triumphed in the Grand Prix that concluded the equestrian event on Sunday. The Swiss rider did not disappoint the expectations of the large public that filled the hippodrome. Among the novelties of this second edition it is worth to mention the public in the stands and the addition of a star. In fact, the MJC went from being a Csi3* to a Csi4*. The first edition of 2020, in the mids of the pandemic, was held without spectators.

New Partners for the Milano Jumping Cup 2022

In addition to the Snaitech group, creator and promoter of the competition, as well as host at the San Siro Racecourse and driving force of Italian horse racing, RCS Sport – RCS Sports & Events, one of the best-known players on the international sports scene for the organisation of events such as the Giro d’Italia and the Milano Marathon, has played an important role for the 2022 edition together with FISE, the Federation of Equestrian Sports, the protagonist of an unprecedented relaunch of equestrian sports in Italy. Another important partner of MJC 2022 has been Sport and Health Spa, a public company and promoter of the development of sport in
Italian territory, with particular attention to the themes of inclusion, well-being and socialisation through sport.

Title sponsor of the event was Frecciarossa, whose red is synonymous with Trenitalia‘s ‘High Speed’ brand, which merged with the red of MJC logo. The points of contact are not only about mobility, speed or the way in which trains and horses have revolutionised travel, discovery and movement in human history, but also an unmistakably measured encounter on the bio-green nature of equestrian sports and the eco-sustainability of electric rail.

Frecciarossa Milano Jumping Cup thus becomes a ‘four-star event‘ on the Italian sports scene, thanks to an organisational collaboration that has been a guarantee not only for this ‘second season’, but also in the future, namely for the next edition, when the MJC will be the location of the European 2023.

A New Sporting Philosophy

Milano Jumping Cup is not only a Great Show Jumping Event, but a new sporting philosophy that, already with the first edition put the horse at the centre of the scene, regardless of the discipline, be it horse racing or riding, summed up in the hashtag #1horse1world. A hashtag that this year was changed to #1horse1world4you to celebrate the return of the public, who was able to attend free of charge.

For the future, the organising committee would like to offer horse enthusiasts a sort of ‘combo‘, as in skiing. A single great show for the Milano Jumping Cup that could offer horse racing and equestrian competitions together, or an equestrian reinterpretation of the pentathlon, in which the most exciting competitions of the man-horse pair could be brought together. If we think of horse races in history, our thoughts go back to ancient Greece, when chariot and horse races were the highlight of the Olympic Games, for example.

The Milano Jumping Cup is, moreover, the passion of many fans in an single event that fits perfectly with the dynamism, power and speed that have always characterised Milanese entrepreneurship, that which makes Milan the capital of innovation, and not only technological innovation. A passion that in a weekend at the end of June gave shape to a great celebration of sport in a unique venue, the San Siro racecourse, which for over a century has offered itself to the city, its citizens and tourists in the most diverse guises, embracing art, culture, fashion, music and, of course, sport, with the Great Equestrian Sport.

All the Bigs of MJC 2022

Among the big names taking part were world number one Martin Fuchs and Steve Guerdat, gold medallist at London 2012, both from Switzerland. Among the Italians, Emanuele Gaudiano, Bruno Chimirri, Filippo Bologni, and Emilio Bicocchi, author of a double victory in the Snaipay and Vargroup prizes.

Martin Fuchs honoured his position as number one in the FEI world ranking in the best possible way. At the San Siro Racecourse show he won the Frecciarossa Grand Prix – Graziano Mancinelli Trophy (two rounds – h 1.55m – 100.000 €), which was the final and most exciting class in the 2022 Frecciarossa Milano Jumping Cup. The 29-year-old Swiss rider posted a double clear round completing an exciting second round in which riding The Sinner he stopped the clock at an amazing 37”90 beating by 1”55 his American fiancée Paris Sellon riding Remix.

Fuchs had to hold his breath right to the very last fence or at least until his compatriot Steve Guerdat made a fatal mistake that relegated him to seventh place. It was a decidedly challenging Grand Prix with only six clear rounds in the first round over a course built by Uliano Vezzani and with three others collecting time penalties.

Fuchs, who received the award from Pietro Diamantini (Director of Business AV for Trenitalia) and Fabio Schiavolin, AD Snaitech, was also awarded with the Graziano Mancinelli Trophy by Fabio Schiavoli (AD Snaitech) and Marco Mancinelli, son of the unforgettable Italian champion, who declared:

I am really moved and very touched. This acknowledgment in memory of my father was created last year and this time is especially important as he died exactly thirty years ago. This is all extraordinarily beautiful and I wish to thank the Milano Jumping Cup Organising Committee with gratitude”.

Goodbye to Milan and San Siro, we will meet again with the next edition of MJC, but also with the 2023 European Show Jumping Championships.

By Denisa Kucik

Frecciarossa Grand Prix – Graziano Mancinelli Trophy (two rounds – h 1.55m – 100.000 €)

1. Martin Fuchs SUI (The Sinner) pen. 0/0, 37”90
2. Paris Sellon USA (Remix) 0/0, 39”45
3. Giacomo Bassi ITA (Find Touch GR) 0/0, 39”51
4. Mathias Northeden Johansen DEN (Camelot 124) 0/0, 43”08
5. Patrick Lam HKG (Claron CR) 1/0, 47”59