By Mike Dunne

Italy’s Equestrian Federation has described the Dublin Horse Show as “truly unforgettable” after its team won the Nations Cup and Lorenzo De Luca claimed five individual wins including the Grand Prix yesterday.

While mainstream Italian newspapers seem to have paid little attention to happenings at the RDS venue, the Federation was understandably not sparing the superlatives, referring to the “extraordinary” Lorenzo De Luca as “a real hero able to win five classes on an individual basis and, together with the Italian team, even the prestigious Cup of Nations.”

Italy won the Nations Cup on Friday after a jump-off with Ireland, and De Luca won three classes with Irish-bred Limestone Grey, and two with Ensor de Litrange Lxii including the Grand Prix.

The Federation went on to describe the meeting as “a truly unforgettable event not only for Lorenzo De Luca but for the whole of Italian horse riding.”