from the North American Amateur Drivers Association

Editor’s Note: NAADA President and USA representative Joseph Faraldo chronicles the events surrounding the International Amateur Driving Competition held this weekend in Treviso and Venice, Italy, coinciding with the celebration of 150 years of Italian Independence.

Scuderia is Italian for stable. Biazzutsi Scuderia is one of the best, if not the best in Italia. Owned by twin brothers Fabio and Mauro, their scuderia is as essential to Italian racing as are grand owners in America. It has been a pleasure to know both of the brothers, as much as it was to know their parents, who I met on my first trip to Italy back in 1985 in Padova. The family has been, and will continue to be, respected worldwide. Mauro attends many US sales and is a crafty horseman. His scuderia has many U.S. bred horses, as well as a NYSS-eligible 2-year-old filly that he will team at Yonkers. He also has a Dutch lad training for him who was schooled by Team Nordin. Mauro obviously has an eye for both equine and human talent.

This Sunday, in the richest amateur race in the world, Mauro steered his own horse to victory. Sitting as cool and chilly as one could in the two hole, he popped out of the pocket and jumped past the front-runner. During the day Mauro hosted everyone at his breeding farm and treated all to a sumptuous brunch. Accordingly, everyone from the international community was rooting for Mauro, figuratively pushing him across the wire with their support. Complimenti to Mauro for winning the 45,000 Euro finale of the richest amateur race in the world, the Grand Premio FEDERNAT.

In the International Amateur Competition the Canadian was as pumped up for a double as was the Italian for his revenge. As the American representative, I was leaving from post 11 in the second tier behind the four. The Swiss lad, Jurjuerg Riser, leaving from post six was the favorite. He tangled early with the German driver from post five who refused to relinquish the lead from the start. While the conversation between the two German-speaking drivers was cordial up front, as they sat slow fractions, the Canadian and Italian drivers stepped off-stride early and all hope for them was gone. Your American representative was nowhere to be found in the early going, exactly as he was told he would be by his Neapolitan cousins who owned his horse, Miami Volo, who liked to come from behind.

Up the backside the field was bunched up with guys traveling in European style, (two, three and four wide). Knowing that they were all chasing the German, I ducked back inside behind the Belgian driver, Marc De Soete, until the latter tipped down the lane. I then slid behind the young Serbian who tipped out behind the German front-runner. In a tight photo, the Serb outlasted your American, who had to settle for another third place finish in the competition.

After the German national anthem, the festivities began and ended with much wine, dinner, and prize exchanges between the countries. Then, the Swiss representatives cordially gave me a lift to Milano, topping off the grand evening with a three hour journey starting at half past midnight. Before the journey started, back at the hotel the Russians were at it with Johnny Walker Black and whatever else they could find and the American and Swiss lads had to “man up” before the drive to Milano.

All in all, trips like this make harness racing the focal point for human relations, an exchange of ideas and a different way for all of us to look at what we are doing in our sport and how others deal with very similar problems in their respective industries. These international exchanges are more than just a good and interesting time; they provide a venue for the networking of ideas, offering an opportunity to not only race but to learn from others trying to cope with very similar problems that our industry faces globally.

The next international event in the amateur ranks takes place in Taranto, Italy, where Steve Oldford will fend off challenges from at least 10 European countries as well as South Africa. On the pro side, the World Driving Championship and World Trotting Conference will be hosted in the USA right around Hambo week (August 1-7). The final of the driving championship will be at Yonkers Raceway for the pros, and representatives from many foreign countries, including Italy’s UNIRE (USTA equivalent) will be on hand to lend a different perspective to some of our industry’s critical concerns.

The World Amateur driving championships will then be contested in New Zealand (January 18-22, 2012) thanks to the work of one “kiwi,” Gavin Cook.

Obviously the game is still viable and many, many people around the globe are working for the same goal; the preservation of the great and glorious sport and tradition of harness racing. Tanti Agurri (Best Wishes) to Cesare, Mauro, LUIGI, Rafaello, Paolo, Giancarlo, Smiley Edwards, Jurjuerg and everyone who came from all over the world to show support for the amateur movement. Ciao, from on the road with Joe Faraldo.