Release date: 17/10/2011 |    

Interview with Uliano Vezzani – International Course designer for the Global Champions Tour 2011 final in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Course designing at international competitions as the caliber of the Global Champions Tour final does not present anything greater in terms of required professionalism.

The course building is one of the most important elements to the competition to ensure that great sport is attained. Horses, riders, sponsors and fans need to be satisfied with the competition as well as the event promoting a great sport to the wider audience.

Uliano Vezzani of Italy talks about his approach to designing the courses for the final round of the 2011 Global Champions Tour in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

GCT: In terms of course designing how important has it been to follow the GCT progress throughout the year?

Uliano: It is first of all a big honor to be a course designer at the GCT. To work in more than one GCT show helps me to understand better the spirit of these competitions. To build at more than one venue gives a better feeling of the quality of the participants thus helping me in my job.

GCT: Your course designing expertise has been on show this year at the Global Champions Tour in Chantilly and Valkenswaard and now in Abu Dhabi.  What considerations are at play in terms of course designing at different venues?

Uliano: Each show has a different story by itself. Considerations have to be made as to the period of the year in which they occur. For example Chantilly was right after a big and hard show like Aachen therefore I tried to build more technical courses than “big” ones. Valkenswaard had 30 of the best 33 riders and horses of the world thus the course designs had to be appropriate for the high quality of the participants, technical courses were maintained but the dimensions of the obstacles were augmented.

Above right: Uliano sharing a magical moment with Beezie Madden (USA) following her winning round in the GCT Grand Prix of Valkenswaard this year. Course designing is met with great passion for the sport alongside the professional riders.

GCT: You have the best horses and riders in the world competing. This can create particular pressures on a course designer in it self. How do you intend to cater for the variety of riders and horses coming to Abu Dhabi?

Uliano: In all the venues of the GCT there is “pressure” due to the fantastic quality of riders and horses. As in all the shows my first intent is to care for the respect of the horse independently of the variety of riders and horses. My objective is to work for a good sport.

GCT: As the course designer for the final round you will be setting a series of tests culminating in the final Grand Prix. What will be your approach to designing over the first two days for the 1.60m horses?

Uliano: The progression will be the important approach to the final. The horses must arrive “fresh” and with good will to jump. All this is obtained by doing good preparation courses during the first two days.

GCT: Height, width, designed track, fence construction, technical striding, timing are just some important aspects of course designing today. Considering your style of course designing, what elements of course designing will be mostly in play in Abu Dhabi?

Uliano: The technical elements will be the most predominating, with a particular eye on the technical strides so that the riders can decide the strides according to the type of horse they are riding. Important will also be the choice of the different fences, having in Abu Dhabi a great variety of obstacles.

GCT: What tests do you intend to present to the horses for the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates?

Uliano: To say today what the tests will be is relative because it is important to verify the conditions of the horses at the moment itself. Certainly there will be all the ingredients for a Grand Prix of an important final.

GCT: Course designing is a balancing act to ensure that there is enough challenge to gain an outright winner in an exciting sporting event measured against protecting the welfare of the fantastic sporting horses. The horses and riders do a lot of jumping throughout the year, what do you do in course designing to protect the horses and the sport?

Uliano: As said before I always take in first consideration the welfare of the horse. I always try to balance the difficulties throughout the courses and the days. I do not like to strain the horse with the width of oxers. I try to put “correct” distances in the combinations so that the horse can come out with less effort possible. When the horses are put in a condition to jump well the sport is also protected thus a good show. 

GCT: What are you most looking forward to in Abu Dhabi- professionally and personally?

Uliano: From Abu Dhabi I look forward for great days of sport where riders and horses will be the protagonists of a marvelous show and this will be a great professional satisfaction and therefore also personal.

Left: Uliano always has a discerning eye for detail with his course desgin and construction.   Here he makes a last minute check before the GCT Grand Prix in Chantilly in 2011.

Photo credits: Stefano Grasso/GCT