Marco Debolini and Avantea: Shaping the Future of Sport Horse Breeding with OPU-ICSI

Horse Breeding and Reproduction

Everything began in Tuscany, thanks to Marco’s father, a passionate horse enthusiast who was among the first in the region, thirty years ago, to experiment with what were then pioneering techniques such as frozen semen insemination and embryo transfer at the University of Pisa.

“My father wasn’t from the equestrian industry—he was a film entrepreneur—but he had an infectious curiosity and passion. My sister and I started riding thanks to him, and from there everything began.”

What started as an amateur passion gradually became, for Marco, a true profession. After earning a degree in Economics and Business, he decided to devote himself almost entirely to breeding, transforming a family dream into a structured and modern enterprise.

“Today I handle everything—from semen sales and pregnancy management to raising foals and preparing them for sport. We offer a complete package, from A to Z.”

From Pedigree to the Competition Arena

Debolini’s philosophy is clear: to oversee every stage of the process, from genetic selection to the horse’s debut in competition.

At his reproduction clinic, all the most advanced techniques are employed—fresh and frozen semen insemination, embryo transfer, and OPU-ICSI—and around fifty foalings are managed every year.

“I enjoy starting from an idea—from pairing a mare with a stallion all the way to seeing the horse compete. It’s the entire journey that fascinates me, from the initial concept to the sporting result.”

His operation, MVD Stalloni, is now a reference point for breeders and show jumping enthusiasts. The selection is strictly focused on the sport horse sector.

“I work exclusively with show jumping horses. It’s a complex world, but it’s the one I truly know and love.”

Debolini personally oversees mares, pregnancies, foals, and their training, while also collaborating with other owners who entrust him with their mares or embryos.

“I do for others what I do for myself—for those who don’t have the time or the know-how to manage the entire process.”

The Importance of Genetics and the Bigger Picture

For Marco, genetics is the indispensable starting point.

“To produce a champion horse, you need an idea. Luck certainly plays a role, but behind every success there is always a vision—the one that leads you to choose the right pedigrees, the correct bloodlines, and the most suitable crosses.”

It is not merely a matter of chance, but a true selection strategy: identifying promising stallions, studying genealogies, and recognizing the potential of future equine athletes.

This philosophy also underpins his collaboration with Avantea, an internationally renowned center for reproductive biotechnology based in Cremona.

“We have been working with Avantea for several years,” Debolini explains, “because their technology represents an extraordinary opportunity. Just as my father recognized the potential of embryo transfer thirty years ago, today ICSI and OPU represent the future of breeding.”

Avantea and the OPU-ICSI Revolution

The introduction of the OPU-ICSI technique (ovum pick-up and intracytoplasmic sperm injection) has revolutionized equine reproduction, making it possible to obtain pregnancies from mares that could no longer carry a natural gestation, or from stallions with limited semen availability.

“It’s a technique that fascinated me from the very beginning because it allows us to create horses that previously would have been impossible to produce,” Debolini explains, “either due to semen limitations or physiological constraints in mares.”

Today, approximately 70% of the pregnancies at his facility derive from this technique.

The results are significant:

“In recent years we have averaged two embryos per procedure, and with younger mares we can reach as many as four. This makes the technique extremely advantageous, both in terms of efficiency and planning.”

Thanks to this method, sport mares can continue competing without seasonal interruptions—an essential advantage for professionals operating at high levels.

Debolini’s clinic also uses the Avantea protocol for embryo transfers, an approach borrowed from bovine research that involves placing the embryo directly into the uterine horn.

“This aspect is very important to me,” he emphasizes, “because scientific literature shows higher success rates. Only a few centers in Italy follow the Avantea protocol exactly, and I’m proud to be among them.”

A Reliable Team and a Clear Working Philosophy

Debolini works alongside a highly specialized team coordinated by veterinarian Dr. Claudia Morellato, whom he personally trained.

As the key point of reference for the team, she supervises and organizes daily activities, collaborating during the season with other professionals specializing in surgery, neonatology, orthopedics, and general medicine.

“I’ve always believed that to truly master what you do, you need to understand every detail. Even though I’m not a veterinarian, I make sure I stay informed about everything. It’s the only way to guarantee results.”

And the results speak for themselves: more than 70 pregnancies per year, with an average 70% implantation rate, and a production of young horses already demonstrating remarkable potential.

“Belle Z won the Italian Championship for five-year-olds and competed at the World Breeding Championship for Young Horses; another, Bijou van ’t Klavertje Vier, finished seventh in the Championship and second on the final day in Lanaken.”

In addition, three stallions have been approved in Belgium in partnership with the renowned Stal de Muze – De Brabander stud, a milestone that confirms the quality of the breeding program.

“I see no difference between horses born through ICSI and those born through traditional techniques,” he adds. “On the contrary, my results confirm that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. Two years ago, one of my foals born using this technique was the top price at the most prestigious international auction in the sector.”

Looking to the Future

For Debolini, ICSI represents a decisive step forward in the way sport horse breeding is conceived.

“If you weigh the pros and cons of OPU-ICSI, the advantages are clearly more numerous. It’s an extraordinary opportunity—one that must always be approached with awareness and expertise.”

Marco Debolini’s work reflects a passion inherited and transformed into professional excellence, combining research, intuition, and collaboration.

His experience, together with scientific innovation, shapes a breeding operation that is modern, efficient, and capable of looking realistically toward the future.

Follow on Instagram @mvdstalloni
Learn more at www.avantea.it

By A. Ceserani | HSJ (c)

© Rights Reserved.