After 45 years of absence of an Italian from the prestigious equestrian competition held annually at the Sandown racecourse, near London, on Friday 10 last March the major Domenico D'Alò, an officer on duty at NATO's rapid reaction corps in Italy (NRDC-ITA), not only participated in "The Elisabeth Queen Mother Memorial", winning the race, but also won the record to have been the first non-British military to win the prestigious trophy.
About 10.000 spectators followed the traditional “meeting” of obstacle racing preceding the week of the important Cheltenham horse festival. Two races reserved for military riders, the "Grand Military Gold Cup" and "The Elisabeth Queen Mother Memorial", on treacherous routes and over distances greater than 2 miles.
It is a competition born in the 1841 and open to horses at least five years old, over a distance of just under five kilometers. Only soldiers in service who are amateur riders can participate, while the horses are all owned by soldiers in service or retired by the Armed Forces.
The last Italian to take part in the race was, in the 1972, the Marquis Rolando Rovereto of Rivanazzano, with the team leader the col. Piero D'Inzeo, famous Olympic athlete who died in 2014, who with his brother Raimondo formed the pair of "invincible brothers" of Italian equitation.
The major D'Alò, Officer of the Transmission Corps and in support of the Support Division (J6) of the NRDC-ITA, was invited to take part in the competition directly by the event's organizing committee, due to the valuable sporting results obtained at numerous competitions.
“Silverhow”, the horse ridden by Maj. D'Alò, is owned by the gen. b. Christopher Price, and was coached by Mr. Nicky Henderson, England's top obstacle course coach. The path faced by the duo led by D'Alò was made difficult by the presence of 22 obstacles on undulating terrain, with 3 large ditches, a wide coast and several "railway fences". The officer was among the first at the last hedge and, launching a deadly attack on the tread, then beat him by 3 and a half lengths.
After the award ceremony, presided over by Princess Anna (the first member of the British royal family to become an Olympic athlete and a great fan of horse riding), Magg. D'Alò was received by Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle for a private meeting, during which the monarch congratulated herself on the prestigious result.
The participation of major D'Alò at "The Elisabeth Queen Mother Memorial" is an example of integration and synergy between the Italian and British contingents of the NRDC-ITA, for which the maj became a facilitator. January Sir Edward Alexander Smyth-Osbourne, deputy commander of the NRDC-ITA. The activities were therefore coordinated by the col. Toby Bridge, also in service at NRDC-ITA as deputy head of operations division and his wife, the ten. with the. Erica Bridge.
