GIULIO DI RENZO V.FREYMANN
BORN ITALIAN AND FINNISH GIULIO STARTED RIDING AGED 6, TRAINED IN SEVERAL STABLES IN GERMANY AND WITH THE BEST RIDERS IN ITALY SUCH AS THE THREE TIMES OLYMPIAN GIORGIO NUTI AND LUCA MARZIANI. CURRENTLY TRAINING IN HIS OWN STABLE HE SUCCESSFULLY PREPARED HIS HORSES TO COMPETE IN NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS
HOW DID YOU START RIDING?
I WAS BORN IN A HORSE-LOVING FAMILY. MY GRANDFATHER MICHELE AND MY PARENTS USED TO ENJOY LONG WEEKENDS IN THEIR COUNTRY HOUSE NEAR ROME TO RIDE IN THE BEAUTIFUL SURROUNDINGS OF THE "PRATONI DEL VIVARO"(LEGENDARY OLYMPIC EVENTING LOCATION OF ROME 1960) AND ENJOY LONG WALKS IN THE WOODS. I WASN'T SURPRISED AT ALL WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT PRESENTED WITH A CHOICE BETWEEN A NEW RING AND A HORSE MY MOTHER CHOSE THE LATTER AS A WEDDING GIFT. HER FAMILY TOO COMES FROM A CENTURIES OLD TRADITION OF CAVALRY..... LONG STORY SHORT WHEN I WAS BORN EVERYONE AT HOME RODE HORSES. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO START AGED 6 IN ONE OF THE OLDEST CLUBS IN ROME THE "ROME PONY CLUB" WHERE I SET OFF FOR A LIFE LONG JOURNEY I STILL HAD NO CLUE I HAD EMBARKED ON
WHAT ARE YOUR MEMORIES OF YOUR PONY DAYS?
THE PONY WORLD WAS THE ONLY WAY TO GET STARTED IN MY DAYS AS THE CHILDREN SHOWS WITH FULL SIZED HORSES DIDN'T REALLY EXIST. I WITHIN FEW YEARS I WAS ALREADY JUMPING IN NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PONY SHOWS WITH THE FENOMENAL PONIBOY DE LETREQUERCE, MY INSEPARABLE COMPANION AT THE TIME. TOGETHER WE TOOK PART IN THE ITALIAN NATIONA CHAMPIIONSHIPS MANY TIMES AND EVEN MY FIRST EVER CSIO
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN RIDING ABROAD?
FROM THE AGE OF 14 TO 16 I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF RIDING IN SEVERAL STABLES NEAR VERDEN, GERMANY, HEADQUARTER OF THE WORLD FAMOUS STUD BOOK "HANNOVERANER".
IT WAS DEFINITELY A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE, NOT ONLY HAD I THE CHANCE TO LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE AND CULTURE, BUT ALSO I'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO WITNESS AND SOME TIMES TAKE PART AS WELL IN, THE PREPARATION OF BOTH YOUN HORSES AND EXPERIENCED JUMPERS WITH EXCELLENT GERMAN RIDERS.
HOW DID YOU AND CANDY GIRL MEET?
CANDY GIRL WAS RAISED AT HOME, SO SHE WAS ALWAYS AROUND.... HER CHARACTER IS QUITE RESERVED THOUGH AND AT THE BEGINNING HER CONTEMPT FOR SNUGGLES MADE HER SEEM LIKE A WALLFLOWER IN THE STABLE. IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME, THE LONGER WE SPENT TOGETHER THE MORE I WAS HELPLESSLY FALLING IN LOVE WITH HER. TRUE, SHE IS A HORSE OF HER OWN, SHE POLITELY REFUSES TO BE TREATED LIKE A NORMAL HORSE, BUT SHE TURNED OUT TO BE THE BEST COMPANION I COULD WISH FOR.
CONGRATS ON BECOMING A LICENSED TRAINER...HOW DID IT HAPPEN?
IT HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS BY CHOICE. WHILE MY SPORT LICENCE AND ACTIVITY ALLOWED ME TO RIDE JUST THE EXAM I DECIDED TO TAKE THE CHANCE TO GET THROUGH THE WHOLE PROGRAM OF THE FEDERATION. IN HINDSIGHT IT HAS BEEN THE RIGHT CHOICE, IT ALLOWED ME TO RETRACE MY STEPS TO A BEGINNER WITH THE PERSPECTIVE OF A RIDER AND TO SHARE THE PROCESS WITH GREAT TRAINERS AND COLLEAGUES. DEFINITELY THE BEST BECOMING EXPERIENCE I COULD WISH FOR
HOW COMES YOU REPRESENT FINLAND IN INTERNATIONAL SHOWS?
IT WASN'T ALWAYS THE CASE. UNTIL 2016 I REPRESENTED ITALY ONLY...ACTUALLY I DIDN'T EVEN THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE. THE IDEA CAME ONE SUMMER I WAS VISITING MY GRANDFATHER'S HOUSE IN HELSINKI. WE GOT IN TOUCH WITH THE FINNISH FEDERATION AND THEY WELCOMED ME. ACTUALLY I LIKE IT A LOT, I FEEL IT REPRESENTS BETTER WHO I AM ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I GET TO KEEP THE ITALIAN FLAG IN NATIONAL SHOWS IN ITALY TOO.
YOUR FAVOURITE BIT TYPE?
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF MY RIDING JOURNEY I HAVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO MEET TRAINERS WHO BELIEVED IN FLATWORK TO SOLVE COMUNICATION ISSUES INSTEAD OF MORE COMPLEX BITS. I REALLY LIKE THE DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE HORSE'S MOUTH WITHOUT THE USE OF LEVERS AND STILL TODAY I STILL USE A SIMPLE OR DOUBLE JOINTED BIT FOR BOTH JUMPING AND FLATWORK.
GRASS OR SAND ARENA?
TOUGH CHOICE! WELL FROM A BACKSTAGE POINT OF VIEW SAND ARENAS ARE STILL BEAUTIFUL BUT MUCH MORE PRACTICAL TO RIDE, YOU GET THE SAME SURFACE AS WARM UP ARENA AND JUMPING RING, NO NEED OF STUDS AND YOU GET TO JUMP IN A MOSTLY FLAT SURFACE. GRASS ARENAS ARE DEFINITELY MY FAVOURITES THOUGH FIRST OF ALL BECAUSE THEY'RE RARE AND ICONIC, FOR ALL THE SPECIAL MEMORIES AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE ADRENALINE FOR ALL THE "CHALLENGES" IT BRINGS TO THE TABLE
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE SHOWJUMPING?
PASSION, JUST THAT. I HAVE DONE MY FAIR BIT OF DRESSAGE AND EVENTING AND BOTH ARE AMAZING BUT NOTHING BEATS JUMPING FOR ME. I LIKE ALL ABOUT IT, THE ESTHETIC, THE ARENAS, THE FENCES, THE COURSE DESIGN, THE WARM UP AND THAT FEELING OF FLYING, THE G FORCE. IT'S LIKE A ROLLERCOASTER BUT YOU'RE DRIVING IT
I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A "SERIOUS" CROSS COUNTRY COURSE AND IT IS SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE TO DO ONE DAY BUT NOTHING BEATS JUMPING
HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO SERVE IN THE ARMY AS A RIDER?
SINCE I WAS A KID I WAS FASCINATED BY THE UNIFORMS ESPECIALLY BECAUSE RIDING IN UNIFORM AS AN ATHLETE IS AN HONOUR RESERVED TO EXCEPTIONAL RIDERS. MY FAMILY HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN LINKED TO CAVALRY SINCE GENERATIONS AND IN MORE RECENT TIMES TO TO ITALY'S GENDARMERY CARABINIERI. THROUGH THE YEARS I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO RIDE IN THE FACILITIES OF THE ARMY BOTH FOR SHOWS AND TRAINING AND I HAVE BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES OF THOSE DAYS. THE OPPORTUNITY OF JOINING AS AN ATHLETE DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN AND LATER I DECIDED TO REPRESENT FINLAND THAT HAS NO CAVALRY ATHLETES CORP. I AM VERY HAPPY THAT THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT STILL KEEPS THE TRADITION ALIVE, IT'S HONOUR AND A PRIDE AS A NATION TO HAVE RIDERS STILL WORKING IN THE SAME ARENAS WHERE MODERN RIDING WAS BUILT THROUGH THE CENTURIES
WHICH IS THE TOUGHEST CHALLENGE FOR A RIDER?
THERE'S NO RIGHT ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION. RIDING IS AN ART AND AS SUCH IT PUTS YOU IN A POSITION WHERE TO GO FORWARD YOU MUST FACE YOUR INSECURITIES, EMOTIONS AND DEEPEST FEARS. RIDING HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN CONSIDERED THE BEST LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR ITS UNIQUE FUSION BETWEEN TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND EMPATHY WITH BETWEEN A PREDATOR AD A PREY. RATHER THAN A SHOW THAT GOES WRONG OR MOMENTS OF LOW THAT HAPPEN IN ANY SPORT THE REAL CHALLENGE, AT LEAST IN MY PERSPECIVE IS TO NOT GIVE UP IN THOSE MOMENTS WHEN EVEN THOUGH APPARENTLY WE TRIED EVERYTHING, STILL ,THINGS DON'T SEEM TO WORK. BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE OCCASIONS FOR A GAME CHANGING OVERHAUL AND EVERYTHING WILL MAKE SENSE IN THE END
THE BEST MOMENT IN SADDLE?
THERE ARE COUNTLESS PINCH ME MOMENTS WHEN ONE IS A RIDER. THE LAST JUMP IN A TOUGH ROUND, TRAINING IN THE "GOLDEN HOUR" ON A HOT SUMMER DAY....MAYBE NOTHING BEATS WALKING BACK TO THE STABLES AFTER THE PRIZEGIVING. IT'S THE MOMENT WHEN, AFTER THE COMPETITION, YOU REALLY GET THE SENSE OF HORSEWORLD COMUNITY. NO MATTER IF IT IS THE WORLD CUP OR A LOCAL SHOW AS YOU HEAD BACK WITH AN OPEN JACKET, YOUR HORSE STILL WEARING THE RIBBON, EVERYONE ON THE WAY TAKES TIME TO SMILE AT YOU, OFFER YOU A KIND WORD OR A PAT TO YOUR HORSE FOR YOUR SUCCESS, ESPECIALLY THOSE RIDING THE SAME CLASS WITH YOU FOR WHOM THAT DAY SIMPLY WASN'T THE RIGHT ONE. JUST SPECIAL
HAVE YOU EVER FALLEN OFF? HOW YOU DEAL WITH IT?
FALLING OFF IS NEVER NICE. THE RISK IS AN EVER PRESENT FACTOR IN THIS SPORT AND LUCKILY WE'RE IN AN AGE WHERE PROTECTIONS ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE ADVANCED. THERE' S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF BLOW THOUGH THAT NO AIR BAG OR HELMET CAN PROTECT YOU FROM. THE LACK OF CONFIDENCE AND THE NEGATIVE SPIRAL THAT ENSUES, THE REACTION IS UNIQUE TO ANY FALL BUT THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH IT IS FOR SURE TO TAKE A STEP BACK, BE PATIENT WITH ONESELF AND START AGAIN FROM THE GROUND UP. SOON IT WILL BE JUST ANOTHER MEMORY
CAROL'S UNEXPECTED SIDE?
IF CAROL EVER HAD AN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT SHE WOULD GET MILLIONS OF FOLLOWERS. HER BEAUTY IS LESS CLASSICAL THAN CANDY'S BUT SHE KNOWS THE WAY TO PEOPLE'S HEARTS. HER LOVE LANGUAGE IS PHYSICAL TOUCH AND SHE ALWAYS FINDS WAYS TO GET WHAT SHE WANTS. SHE IS A TRICKSTER TOO AND PLAYS PRANKS ON HER STABLE MATES. UNLIKE CANDY SHE ISN'T TOO PASSIONATE ABOUT TREATS ESPECIALLY SWEETS, SHE STILL ACCEPTS A JUICY APPLE, BUT NEVER EATS VORACIOUSLY OR IN A WAY THAT GIVES OUT HOW MUCH SHE LIKES IT. SHE WILL BE IN FOR A GOOD SCRATCH THOUGH! WHILE TRAVELING SHE LIKES LOOKING OUT HER WINDOW AND HER DREAM IS DEFINITELY BEING ONE DAY BETTER THAN CANDY, OF WHOM SHE COPIES EVERY POSE AND EVERY MOVE WITH HER PERSONAL TOUCH.
CANDY GIRL'S UNEXPECTED SIDE?
CANDY GIRL IS A MYSTERIOUS HORSE. SHE KNOWS SHE IS SPECIAL AND IS KEEN ON SHOWING IT. SINCE SHE WAS BORN HER OUTSTANDING BEAUTY SHONE IN FOAL AND MARES SHOWS WHERE SHE, OBVIOUSLY, WON THE FIRST PRIZE. THEN HER SPORT CAREER KICKED IN AND SHE WOWED EVERYONE WITH HER NATURAL TALENT AND PRECISION. SHE IS QUITE RESERVED AND DOESN'T LIKE TO BE TOUCHED BY STRANGERS ESPECIALLY IN HER FACE. THERE'S A SUBTLE PLEASURE FOR HER IN SHOWING HER GREAT MANNERS IN HORSE IMSPECTIONS OR AT SHOWS. HER GUILTY PLEASURE THOUGH IS SWEETS, SHE GETS REALLY EXCITED WITH EVERYTHING FROM FRUITS TO HARIBOS. WHILE TRAVELING SHE ENJOYS LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW AND JUDGING ON CAROL WHOM SHE LOOKS DOWN IN HER OWN DETACHED BUT FRIENDLY WAY
