Dressage-News

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

MIAMI, Nov. 2, 2021–Fiontini, the triple World Young Horse Champion, arrived in the United States Tuesday to be competed by Anna Buffini, the 27-year-old American team rider.

Fiontini, 11-year-old Danish Warmblood mare, was flown by Dutta Corp. from Europe to Miami for quarantine before heading to Wellington for the Global Dressage Festival winter-long circuit beginning in January with an eye on a place on the U.S. team for the world championships in Herning next August that would be a homecoming for the Danish-bred horse.

Fiontini is the second Grand Prix horse for  Anna, 27, of San Diego, California. She bought FRH Davinia la Douce two years ago that had been competed by Anabel Balkenhol, daughter of German Olympic gold medalist and former coach of the U.S. dressage team. Anna rode the 14-year-old Hanoverian mare on American teams at Nation Cups in July and September. She was successful on Sundayboy on whom she won North American Young Rider team gold in 2014.

Fiontini (Fassbinder x Romanov) was ridden by Severo Jurado Lopez of Spain for Helgstrand Dressage for world titles at the ages of five, six and seven in 2015 through 2017.

Andreas took over competing Fontini at Grand Prix a year ago, but the press of business led to him turning over the ride to Patrik Kittel, Sweden’s top ranked rider and three-time Olympian in August. After six starts, the duo was ranked 145th in the world.

Andreas coincidentally is in a partnership that includes German multi-Olympic jumping gold medalist Ludger Beerbaum as the new owners of Wellington’s Palm Beach International Equestrian Center and five years ago extended his successful horse sales business from Europe to Wellington.

Anna works with Günter Seidel, a three-time U.S. Olympian who is based Cardiff, California.