Andrea Pisani: Three Weeks at the Sunshine Tour Between First Milestones, Victories and New Goals
The young Italian rider reflects on his experience in Spain — from his first Longines Ranking class to his 1.50 debut, with dreams of a future Nations Cup
“It was a very positive tour all my horses jumped really well.”
Last Sunday, promising young Italian rider Andrea Pisani concluded three intense weeks at the Sunshine Tour, one of Europe’s most important circuits for developing riders aiming toward top-level sport. For Pisani, the tour represented much more than a competition: it marked a significant step forward in his career, including his first class counting toward the Longines Ranking and his debut at the 1.50 level.
Overall, the experience exceeded expectations, combining strong results with valuable experience.
“It was a very positive tour. I had great results and I’m really happy with these weeks. It’s a shame about the two weeks of rain, but the competitions were always high level and all my horses jumped very well.”
Among the highlights was his victory with Charlemagne in the 1.45 Small Tour two weeks ago, alongside several placings that confirmed his consistency and progress.
Learning Through Different Horses
A key part of Pisani’s development is his collaboration with Schockemöhle, which allows him to compete with a variety of horses of different ages and experience levels.
“We are working a lot with Schockemöhle and we have several horses together. Here I had two — one seven-year-old and one twelve-year-old, which I rode in my first 1.50. Then I have four more horses for the 1.40 and 1.20 classes.”
For a young rider, this diversity is an important learning opportunity.
“By riding different types of horses you learn to adapt more. You don’t always ride the same kind of horse, and that really helps your training — you become more precise and more consistent.”
The Horse of the Heart
When asked about a special partner, Pisani doesn’t hesitate: Charlemagne.
“He is my heart horse at the moment. I’ve been riding him for about two years and he has given me so many great results, including winning the Italian Championships last year. Here he is also jumping very well, and we hope for a good result in the Grand Prix.”
A Family Foundation
Behind Andrea’s progress is a strong equestrian family. His mother, Silvia Bazzani, and his father, international rider Riccardo Pisani, provide both technical guidance and emotional support.
“It’s fantastic because they help me so much with every detail. My dad is very busy with many horses, so he follows me a bit less at competitions, while my mum is always very present. We have a really strong relationship and we discuss the courses a lot.”
Goals: Europeans and Beyond
Looking ahead, Pisani’s ambitions for the season are clear.
“My goals are to do well this year and try to jump at the European Championships again.”
And for the long term, the dream is even bigger:
“To keep improving more and more, and one day maybe jump a Nations Cup together with my dad. That would be a dream.”
Valentina Sozzi Senn
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