A Victory That Meant More Than a Score
On Friday, 5 June, Ducati and I won the Grand Prix Special with a score of 71.23%.
And while I am naturally very happy with the result itself, what made this victory particularly meaningful had little to do with the percentage on the scoreboard.
It started early in the morning, as competition days usually do.
Before the class, I attended a supervised training session led by an international judge. Together, we reviewed the final preparations and made a decision that represented something I have been working toward for years:
to present Ducati in the Grand Prix Special in a snaffle bridle.
For many riders, this may seem like a small detail.
For me, it is not.
For a long time, I have believed that true performance and horse welfare should never be seen as opposing goals.
My personal commitment has always been to develop horses that are educated, balanced and responsive enough to perform at every level while being ridden in a snaffle.
From young horse classes all the way to Grand Prix.
That has become one of the principles that guides my work.
Not because it is the easiest path.
But because I believe it is the right one.
Over the years, every horse has taught me something different.
Every horse has required patience, adaptation and countless hours of work behind the scenes.
Ducati has been no exception.
Anyone who knows him understands that he is a horse with enormous energy, power and presence.
But what makes him special is his ability to combine that power with concentration and willingness to work.
Those qualities are what allow us to keep progressing together.
Winning the Grand Prix Special with Ducati in a snaffle was therefore more than just a competition result.
It was confirmation that the direction we have chosen is working.
Of course, there are still details I want to improve.
There are always things to refine, always areas where we can become more precise, more harmonious and more effective.
That is part of the process.
And honestly, I would not want it any other way.
Because growth in dressage never truly ends.
What matters is knowing that the work is moving in the right direction.
Friday gave me exactly that feeling.
Not perfection.
Not a final destination.
Simply the reassurance that years of work, patience and belief in a certain philosophy are producing the results I hoped they would.
For that reason, this victory will remain a special one.
And I could not be prouder of Ducati for showing, once again, the remarkable balance between strength, focus and partnership that makes him such an extraordinary horse.
Silvia
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