The Future of Sport Horse Breeding According to Rachele Rinaldini

A Forward-Looking Partnership with Avantea

Rider, owner, and breeder, Rachele Rinaldini has turned a lifelong passion—nurtured within her family and developed between Italy, Belgium, and Brazil—into a well-structured enterprise that combines sport, breeding and bringing out the best in show jumping horses.

Rachele’s story is that of a woman who built her own path in the equestrian world, starting from a genuine childhood passion and gradually transforming it, step by step, into a profession.

Born to a Brazilian mother and an Italian father, Rachele grew up in an environment where horses were part of everyday life—though at first in a simple way. “We had two horses at home,” she recalls. “My father used to ride them on hacks, and that’s how I started—without ever imagining it would one day become my job.”
But her passion grew along with her, soon pushing her beyond the boundaries of amateur riding.

The first major turning point came in Brazil, where Rachele moved for a time to ride professionally and refine her technique. There, she met some of the biggest names in international show jumping, such as Nelson Pessoa and Doda de Miranda. “It was an extraordinary experience,” she remembers.

After Brazil came Belgium, where Rachele settled for more than six years. There she continued riding but also began managing the commercial and operational sides of the horse business. “In Belgium, I learned to see the horse not just as an athlete, but as a project—from bloodlines to training, right through to sales.”

Over time, however, Italy became her base once again. Today she operates from the Girasole Team in the Marche region, run by Andrea Messersì, a key figure in young horse development and a close friend who has supported her in building her breeding venture. It was here, in 2019, that Allevamento Val di Castro took shape—“almost as a game,” Rachele says, “born from the idea of three friends.” In just a few years, it has grown into a structured reality, blending Italian roots with the international vision Rachele gained through her years in Belgium and Brazil.

“It was Andrea who passed on to me his passion for breeding and young horses,” she explains. “He opened up a whole new world for me.”

Today, Rachele is a rider, owner, and breeder. She trains and produces young horses, following them from their first experiences in the ring to their development at home, where the next generations are born.

The meeting with Avantea and the role of science

The real turning point came when Andrea Messersì introduced her to Avantea, a leading company in biotechnology applied to equine reproduction. “Andrea was already working with them and told me about this technique, OPU-ICSI. At first, I was just curious—but it soon became a fundamental part of my work.”

“With Avantea I’ve always found professionalism and achieved great results. After all, they are the pioneers of this technique—who better than the inventors themselves to support a breeding project like mine?”

Over the years, this partnership has strengthened. Even her active sport mares have responded well to the procedure. “I’ve never had any issues,” Rachele says. “Within two weeks they were back competing as if nothing had happened. It’s a safe procedure, and the advantage is huge—you can plan breeding without interrupting a horse’s sporting career.”

Through this collaboration, she has achieved an average of two to three embryos per OPU session—sometimes even up to eight. “Those are numbers you can build on,” she explains. “You can choose when to implant, keep the best embryos, and plan your stud’s future.”

Over time, OPU-ICSI has become an integral part of her breeding philosophy—not just a technical choice, but a way to preserve the genetic heritage of her most valuable mares.

One of Rachele’s most meaningful experiences involves Kussika T, a mare affected by a neurological issue that could have prevented her from reproducing. “Thanks to Avantea’s expertise, we were able to obtain embryos from her. It was the only way to save her bloodline, and it truly worked.”

Horses, results, and new generations

Over the years, Allevamento Val di Castro has consolidated its partnership with Avantea, producing embryos from some of the most sought-after show jumping bloodlines in the world. Among the most prestigious combinations are those involving Chacco Blue, Baloubet du Rouet, Cumano, and Big Star. The quality of these bloodlines has translated into tangible results.

Among the horses Rachele recalls most proudly is Orly, by Action-Breaker out of Quadrillo, bred by her and later sold to Steve Guerdat.

Her collaboration with Jens Nijs and the Stud de Nyze in Belgium allows Rachele to further develop her most promising young horses. One example is Cool Morhero, by Casall and Numero Uno—trained by Jens, later sold to Abdel Said, and now competing successfully in three- and four-star CSI events.

Then there’s Chloé Chanel di Val di Castro, twice qualified for Lanaken: “She embodies everything I look for in a horse,” says Rachele. “Blood, quality, balance, character—the proof that good genetics, combined with the right work, truly leads to results.”

Looking ahead: a modern idea of breeding

For Rachele Rinaldini, the collaboration with Avantea represents an innovative and forward-thinking way of approaching breeding—a modern vision built on synergy, respect for the horse, and trust in science.

“It’s a system that works,” she concludes. “And if today I can say that my horses are born in Italy, grow up well, and go far, it’s thanks to the work we’ve done together with Avantea.”

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