Giacomo Bassi: “The child I was would be proud of the rider I am today”

Some dreams begin in a small local riding school and seem impossibly far away. So distant, in fact, that they hardly feel real. Then the years pass, the first competitions arrive, along with sacrifices, disappointments, and hard work, and before you know it, you find yourself living the very reality that once seemed to belong to another world.

For Giacomo Bassi, competing today at Piazza di Siena represents exactly that: the meeting point between the child who grew up admiring top riders and the professional athlete who continues to work every day to improve.

During an interview conducted at the 93rd CSIO of Rome, held as part of the 100th edition of Piazza di Siena, Bassi looked back on the key moments of his sporting journey, sharing with remarkable honesty how everything began.

“I started like many people do, at the riding school closest to my grandparents’ house, because they were the ones who used to take me there. I began with riding lessons, then moved on to pre-competitive classes, earned my first licence and entered my first competitions. It all started that way, just as it does for ninety per cent of the people who get involved in this sport.”

His story did not begin within a major equestrian operation or an established family business. While horses were already part of the family thanks to his father’s passion, the path ahead still had to be built from the ground up.

“My father was passionate about horses. He owned a few of them and competed at First Degree level. That certainly made it easier for me to get started, but there wasn’t an established stable behind me and, above all, there wasn’t the know-how required to compete at a certain level.”

As with many athletes, there eventually comes a moment when a decision must be made about the direction of one’s future. For Bassi, that moment arrived while he was still in school.

“Fortunately, before I had even finished my studies, I was already competing in Grand Prix classes and important events. They weren’t international competitions yet, but they were enough to make me realise that perhaps I could achieve something more. So I told my family: I’ll finish high school, and then I’d like to travel, gain experience and try to become a better rider than I am today, because I believe I can achieve good results.”

His family accepted the decision with understanding, partly because horses had already become the centre of his daily life.

“They accepted it quite well. By that point I had already devoted a large part of my life to horses. I had a very small group of friends, I rarely went out in the evenings, and I didn’t really have any other major interests. It was clear that this was my path.”

When speaking to young riders who dream of following a similar journey, Bassi avoids romanticising the realities of the sport. His reflections on sacrifice are among the most thought-provoking moments of the interview.

“I believe the same principle applies to any sport when you want to reach a high level. However, in equestrian sport—especially if you start from scratch as I did—the amount you have to put on the table to keep the balance level is enormous. The most important thing is that it must not feel like a burden. If you begin to see everything as a sacrifice, then you stop viewing it as something you genuinely enjoy. That’s when you start thinking about evenings with friends and everything you’re missing out on, and it becomes much harder to keep going.”

According to the Tuscan rider, the difference between those who continue and those who eventually walk away often lies precisely in this mindset: seeing the time devoted to horses not as a sacrifice, but as a conscious and meaningful choice.

When asked what the child who dreamed of competing at Piazza di Siena would think of the rider he has become, his answer comes without hesitation.

“I think the child I was would be proud of the rider I am today. I believe young Giacomo would like the person I’ve become. Adult Giacomo, on the other hand, still sees many things he would like to improve.”

It is a response that reveals much about his character. Because behind every achievement lies an ambition to go even further.

“I’m very ambitious, perhaps too ambitious. Piazza di Siena has always been one of my dreams. Performing well here, just like winning the Coppa Roma, is still one of my goals. The difference today is that I now understand these objectives are achievable. As a child, they seemed to belong to another planet.”

Yet behind every rider who enters the arena lies a reality far greater than what spectators witness during a single minute of competition.

This is a subject Bassi speaks about at length when discussing the people who work alongside him and the companies that support his career.

“This is an individual sport for one minute a day. For the rest of the year, it’s a team sport. There are people who work with me and for me, owners, sponsors, those who invest in young horses, those who provide equipment. Without all of these people, none of this would be possible. I’m simply the person standing in front of the goal, trying to score.”

The football analogy perfectly illustrates the role that technical partners play within a sporting project. Their contribution extends beyond providing products; they become part of a broader system that allows athletes to focus entirely on their performance.

Among those partnerships is his collaboration with Equestro, which has now been ongoing for several years.

“I believe this is our third year together, and I’m very happy with the type of partnership we’ve built. It has been rewarding to see how the company has grown over time. Now we’ll see what the future has in store.”

Over recent years, advances in equipment and technology have significantly transformed the daily routine of riders and grooms alike.

“From clothing and riding boots to helmets, airbags, transport equipment and tack, there has been incredible development in every area. Compared to a few years ago, so much has changed.”

Of course, no technology can replace the sensitivity and intuition developed through spending every day alongside horses.

“I believe that a sensitive rider’s eye often allows you to understand many things before they happen. If you feel that something isn’t right, then there’s probably a reason. Being around horses every day, watching them grow and develop, is one of the most rewarding parts of this job. When problems arise, it’s less enjoyable, but that’s part of working with living animals rather than machines. As a team, we have to do everything possible to ensure things go in the right direction.”

Looking ahead, Bassi’s ambitions remain firmly focused on representing Italy at the highest level.

“I would love to have more opportunities to represent Italy and contribute to Nations Cup teams. Things have gone well so far, and I feel ready to continue supporting the national squad. Right now, we need to focus on what we have, take things one day at a time and aim to achieve the best results possible.”

His words paint the portrait of a rider who is proud of the journey he has undertaken but still hungry for new goals. And perhaps that is what stands out most when listening to his story: the ability to keep looking forward while never forgetting the child who, one day, in a small riding school near his grandparents’ home, first began dreaming of Piazza di Siena.

Alessandra Ceserani

ph.Stefano Secchi / HSJ

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