Team Italy members AB Captain Badger and Stefano Angelucci

Mario Sbrana has been named Chef D’Equipe. Sbrana has been coaching Team Italy since the very first FEI-sanctioned reining competition, and they’ve had quite a bit of success including Team Bronze medals at the 2002 and 2006 Games held in Spain and Germany respectively. They also were the Team Gold Medalists at the FEI World Reining Championships in 2008.

Team members include Stefano Angelucci, a 25-year-old non-pro rider from Rome. He will be riding AB Captain Badger (Frozen Sailor x Pap Little Sol x Sure Slide Solano), owned by Angelucci Quarter Horses.

Nicola Brunelli, head trainer at Claudio Risso’s Roberta’s Stables will be riding Spat A Blue (Spat Olena x ARC Joy Surprise x Surprise Enterprise), owned by Risso.

Seasoned international competitor Dario Carmignani will be riding Red Chic Peppy (Smart Genolena x Peppy Little Jensen x San Siete Leguas) owned by Maria Bianca Bianchi. Red Chic Peppy, ridden by Martin Larcombe, was the National Reining Horse Association’s 2006 Open World Champion.

Stefano Massignan, head trainer for Arcese Quarter Horses, Italy, will be riding Yellow Jersey (Wimpys Little Step x Ms Clara Melody x Mr Melody Jac), owned by Arcese Quarter Hoses, USA.

Marco Ricotta, Tioga, Texas, was born and raised in Italy, but has lived in the U.S. since 2007 as an assistant trainer to Tim McQuay. He will be representing his native country on Lyle Lovett’s Smart And Shiney (Smart Shiner x Tronas Pearl x Dox Tronalena)

The team’s alternate horse and rider combination has yet to be named.