Unika Stories: Francesco Turturiello

Continuing the thread of our “Unika Stories” today we would like to talk to you about Francesco Turturiello, International show jumping rider and “Unika” Brand Ambassador. If you have been following us for some time now you will have guessed that we always choose the characters and stories to tell for their uniqueness and originality that characterizes them. Just like the case of Francesco …

 

 

How it all began

Francesco Turturiello, born in 1977, a real Neapolitan “DOC”, is one of those professional riders that we could quite easily describe as being a “self-made man”. Not a child of art, but a boy who at a young age dedicated himself to both swimming and water polo in his hometown of Naples, moreover in the company of Olympic champion Massimiliano Rosolino.

 

With these premises, the question spontaneously arises “what about horses?” … from water polo to horse riding, when destiny plays its hand, it is just a matter of time

 

One summer – Francesco says – I went on vacation to the mountains with my parents. They placed me in the saddle and took me for a ride and this is how I fell in love with horses, quickly and without any hesitation. In love so much that I immediately started asking for a horse of my own. My mother agreed and sent me to have riding lessons and bought me a grey horse named “Passepartout”.

She initially made me promise not to give up swimming and water polo. Coexistence between these sports worked for a while, then I remember one day I said to my parents: I can’t swim anymore, just let me ride because this is my path.

 

That was the beginning: Francesco was about 14 years old and his ideas were already incredibly clear. Lesson after lesson and thanks to the support of his family, some important professionals and his raw talent, he slowly began to write his story, collecting the first results.

 

When I passed into the hands of Sergio Pagnozzi and Paolo De Colle – Francesco recalls – everything began to go well, I managed to win the “Italian Debutante Championship” at the “Pratoni del Vivaro” event riding a German mare named “Fascia”.

Later, when I was 17, horse rider Vittorio Orlandi took my brother Mattia first and then myself to work in Castellazzo: thanks to him my professional career began, which then continued about a year later in Belgium withPeter Postelmans.

A real apprenticeship that started abroad and by Francesco’s own admission was indeed very important, hard and complicated.

 

Francesco Turturiello today.

 

Francesco wins a Silver Medal at the 2022 “Absolute Italian Championships”, lives and works in Italy in the province of Milan with his wife Linda Bratomi, who is also an international show jumping rider. Together they are building their dreams, year after year, brick by brick.

 

 

Although having defined himself as a “self-made man”, it is equally true that, as John Donne wrote, “no man is an island” and Linda and Francesco together are the pure demonstration of this. Every man and every woman have their story and every story is made up of encounters, relationships and interactions.

 

Linda and I are complementary – says Francesco proudly. She is responsible for the painstaking work of identifying the new and upcoming young riders, she has a real talent for perceiving new talent that I subsequently dedicate myself to developing. We both ride our own horses and this is definitely a strong point.

We have created our stables in Basiano, which is within the province of Milan. The project is ambitious and very demanding. We currently have 10 hectares of land, about eighty boxes, a farriery area and a small clinic. A new stable with 14 boxes was recently completed. In our future I see a further expansion of the equestrian centre… this will take time, but these are our dreams.

 

Team work make our dreams work

 

Linda and Francesco, the beating hearts of this beautiful reality, are not alone, they have a strong and efficient team behind them. Aware of how important teamwork is, Francesco is keen to mention and thank everyone: the veterinarian Dr. Ugo Carrozzo and his staff, the veterinary clinic Piola di Giovanni Biglietti and Barbara Garbagnati, the farrier Nicola Gelosa and all the stable staff, among these the Federal Instructor Carmine Miceli.

 

The 2022 racing season

 

The season has been very positive up to now – continues Francesco. After the “Absolute Italian Championships” where I won the silver medal and the CSIO5 * in Piazza di Siena in Rome, I gave the horses a couple of weeks off; after which I moved to Belgium to participate in the CSIO5 * NC-EUD1 international competition in Falsterbo in Sweden with my two horses “Quite Balou” and “Made In’t Ruytershof”.

The latter, who was making her debut in a competition of this level, jumped really well and I’m very satisfied; I had the feeling that “Made” has “played and collected”, without difficulty, three days of clear courses in all the races. This confirms all her great potential.

 

After Sweden, there was just enough time to return to Italy and then off to other sporting commitments: Francesco is always in constant motion.

In this period, while the horses competing in the “big” categories are enjoying their well-deserved rest, I take care of the stables and dedicate myself to the competitive growth of younger horses. In fact, right now, I’m at a CSI in Cervia. My gaze is always forward looking and tuned to the future, waiting for the next international commitments that await me this autumn.

 

The bond with horses

 

We asked Francesco what kind of relationship he establishes with his horses and the answer he gave us was priceless.

I am very fond of my horses. Too much! – says Francesco smiling. We have recently received offers for some of our horses but I am so attached to them that they were turned down.

 

Finally, when asked about his collaboration with the Unika team, Francesco simply said “The girls of Unika are number 1! It is a company that really makes you feel at home “and concludes by saying “Can you imagine, I had been buying their products for some time, even before knowing them personally and being sponsored by them “.

 

What can we say to a Brand Ambassador like this? “Ad maiora semper” when translated from Latin means “onwards and to bigger things” Francesco, we are proud to have you in our team!