Only a few meters away from the beach of Marina di Pietrasanta, bathing site of the city of Pietrasanta lies the ‘Versiliana Park’, one of the greenest areas of Versilia. This area is not only dear to the people who live there, but it has also become a major tourist attraction: along with the beautiful pinewood and picturesque natural landscape, a treasure chest of cultural attractions and leisure activities does exist inside there. This park, stretching between the conurbations of Marina di Pietrasanta and Forte dei Marmi, is the green lung of the Versilia coast; it has a very large surface with a very long coastal side. It is home to many types of landscapes: from the ancient dunes where there are oaks and pine trees to the dense and gloomy undergrowth; from the scenic riverside rich in cane lines and animated by water turtles and moorhens, to the multi-changing forest in the seasonal cycle or, even, to the most unexpected semi-marshy landscape of ‘blade-plants’, the very last ones remaining in Versilia. In that peaceful frame of the pinewoods stands the ‘Theater’, famous for hosting the ‘Versiliana Festival’, an event which covers the entire summer season. On the stage, all possible forms of theater: drama, dance, music and cabaret. Very important is the ‘Villa’ which, besides being an architectural and historical beauty, is constantly hosting exhibitions of paintings or sculpture. Walking through the pine trees you may come across the ‘Pine Nuts Factory’: a building located not far from the Villa where, in ancient times, local villagers used to process native pine trees nuts that would be then sent out across the world. This building always strikes the tourist for the presence, inside of it, of some outlandish tanks and a quite odd ‘machine’. Today, it houses arts exhibitions of all kinds. This pine grove was also very dear to the great Italian poet Gabriele D’Annunzio. He loved riding his own horses along the coastal area. From the greenwoods the poet took inspiration for many of his works and spent most of his summer holidays at the Villa inviting other fellow writers. For about seventeen years now, the ‘Versiliana Park’ has also been home to the much-awaited show dedicated to our beloved Purebred Arabian. On two magic dates, from the 13th and 14th May 2017, the International ECAHO ‘B’ morphology show, was first and foremost, intended to project and bring Versilia back to its being the ‘Land of Horses’. The wonderful pinewood hosted also another enjoyable event, ‘L’Arte Del Cavallo’, (The Art of the Horse) an equestrian show that has always attracted a great deal of horse lovers and spectators. Hundreds of Purebred Arabians took part in the competition providing the spectators with great entertainment and exhilarating moments. After the Preliminary Categories, there rose the tension surrounding the Final Championships. Gold medal winner of the Yearling Fillies Championship was the gorgeous bay MDS SHEIKHA (RFI FARID x AJ METHAEL by GHAJARIY) bred by QUSAI MOHD SAEED AL OBAIDALLA (UAE) and owned by AL SAQRAN STUD (UAE). Silver medal for the chestnut ODISSEA DEL FALCO (AMG DALII x ZARA by MIAL by MIAL) bred by AZIENDA NARDINI MARCO and owned by GAITO FRANCESCO. Bronze medal for the chestnut MALENA (MAKISA ADAGGIO x SA KARIMA by SHAEL DREAM DESERT) bred and owned by BONA DAVIDE. Gold Medal winner of the Yearling Colts Championship the handsome gray D ZEIDAN (FA EL RASHEEM x RENZA EL YLLAN by YLLAN EL JAMAAL) bred and owned by DUBAI ARABIAN HORSE STUD (UAE). Silver medal winner the bay WHAT ELSE SA (WADEE AL SHAQAB x ASIA AL TIGLIO by SANADIK EL SHAKLAN) bred and owned by Solstice Arabians & Tchaata Arabians. Bronze medal winner the gray HENDRICKS (JAMIL IBN MAGNIFIQUE x EA SHAH AJMANIA by PRINCE MICHAEL MPE) bred by CECCARONI ROBERTO and owned by ANTONIO PRISCO. Gold medal winner of the Junior Fillies Championship was the refined gray JUMANA DEL PALAZZOTTO (WH JUSTICE x ZB LAMANTE) bred by Azienda Agricola DEL PALAZZOTTO of Capecci Paolo and owned by AL SAQRAN STUD. Silver medal for the chestnut FALHA AL SHAQAB (FADI TO SHAQAB x JOSEPH JUST EMOTION) bred and owned by Al Shaqab Stud Member of the Qatar Foundation. Bronze medal winner the gray AB FARIDAH (DF MALIK JAMIL x BINT FARID NILE MOON) bred and owned by AL BABTAIN OMAR. Gold medal winner of the Junior Colts Championship, the beautiful chestnut PERSEUS K.A. (EXPRESSIVE K.A x PHIROUETTE BY QR MARC) bred and owned by KNOCKE ARABIANS. Silver medal winner the bay MYSTICA KAMAL (MARWAN AL SHAQAB x CAMAYA) bred by MYSTICA ARABIANS (AU) and owned by ANDREA BOCELLI. Bronze medal winner the gray MOHAI (EKS ALIHANDRO x AJMA DL) bred by GLAUDICH FAUSTO and owned by PRISCO ANTONIO. Last to perform were the Seniors Categories. Gold medal winner of the Seniors Mares Category, the ethereal gray NESJ EL MARKHISA (MARWAN AL SHAQAB x NESJ EL KHISAYA BY KHIDAR) bred by EVERARS VAN DEN BROEK and owned by SAID KER. Silver medal winner the bay AV DOHASSAI (MASSAI IBN MARENGA x AV DOLIMHA) bred by VALLE ARABA DEI F.LLI SANCHI S.S. and owned by WOODY ARABIANS. Bronze medal winner the bay MYSTICA ANTASIA (WH JUSTICE x LL ALBUFERA) bred by STONERIDGE ARABIANS OR OAKRIDGE ARABIANS (USA) and owned by MUBARAK AWAAD MUBARAK ALI. The gray SUMMUM MARC K.A. (QR MARC x L SERENELLA) bred and owned by KNOCKE ARABIANS conquered again, after the recent bronze medal won at the 2017 Palermo Cup, the heart of judges and spectators thanks to its ‘type’ and was named Gold Champion of the Senior Stallions Category. Who occupied the second place on the podium was a beautiful son of LAHEEB x JOWHARA AT OKAB, the gray ZAIN AL DEAN bred and owned by ABUTALASH TALAAT. While the bay OCEAN OS (AJMAN MONISCIONE x NATALIA BY NARYM) was 3rd in place. The latter is bred by GESTUET OSTERHOF and owned by AMICUCCI ANTONIO. BEST IN SHOW, the already Gold Medal Champion mare NESJ EL MARKHISA (MARWAN AL SHAQAB x NESJ EL KHISAYA BY KHIDAR) bred by EVERARS VAN DEN BROEK and owned by SAID KER. And so ended the seventeenth edition of the Show in Marina di Pietrasanta. The Organizing Committee and the Tourism and Sports Office of the Municipality of Pietrasanta led, for the technical part by Luciano Borzonasca, did everything to ensure a perfect performance of the show, combining the grace and beauty of the Arabian horse with the charm of the horses ridden in Western style. The Judges called upon to score our Purebred Arabians were: Scanzi Fausto (ITA); EBERHARDT SYLVIE (GER); HAIN MANFRED (GER) and PITTALUGA MARCO (ITA). Impeccable the work done by the elegant Dr. Vet. TEOBALDELLI GIAN PAOLO in his role of ring master; by Mrs. Barbara Raso, Mr. Roberto Ceccaroni and Mr. Massimo Meldi as Disciplinary Commissioners. Not to forget the presence at the show of Danish sculptor Jorgen Haugen Sorensen who has been living and working in the city for over thirty years, but he is well known both in Italy and abroad. Next to the competition, there were held performances by Andalusian horses ridden in Spanish style, a specific area devoted to the equestrian culture, the exhibition “The Echo of Gabriele d’Annunzio’s galloping in Davide Dall’Osso’s sculptures”. It was a ‘journey’ through striking sculptures depicting the pride, strength and elegance of the horse translated into iron wire and polycarbonate derived from industrial scraps. Dall’ Osso then rewarded with one of his sculptures the Best in Show horse, the most beautiful horse of the event. Congratulations to the winners and organizers, in particular, to the Versiliana Foundation and the Municipality of Pietrasanta which continue to make considerable efforts to prepare the first morphology contest of the year. The team of Arabian Horse Magazine takes here the opportunity to wish everyone good luck for a good start of the Italian show season dedicated to our beloved Arabian Horse!