What has just passed will certainly be remembered as one of the most fantastic weekends for the Fuxiateam of Italia Endurance Stables & Academy.
In AlUla, Italian equestrian endurance leaves indelible traces in the Saudi Arabian desert.
Let’s talk about her again. The Umbrian champion Costanza Laliscia riding a formidable Fara du Barthas created an authentic masterpiece. The all-female combination in fact achieved a fabulous fifth place in what is recognized as the most important competition on the international calendar also for the rich prize money of 5 million euros, the Fursan CUP 2024 in the queen category of endurance, the CEI3* 160 km.
Valid as a pre test-event for the FEI Endurance World Championship 2026, this edition of the Fursan CUP 2024 set a Guinness world record by recording the participation of riders from 51 Countries, who competed in two days on a highly technical and fascinating race track, among the thousand-year-old canyons of the AlUla desert, both in the CEI2* 120 km and in the CEI3* 160 km.
Our Costanza could only participate in both categories, concluding with excellent results in both the 120 km on Saturday 10 February and the 160 km on Sunday 11 February.
The very few hours that separated the two rides did not prevent Costanza from reaching the historic 5th place in the 160 km.
Starting on Sunday 11 February, even before the sun rose, the 160 km saw the participation of 64 horses and riders. The Fuxiateam combination was the protagonist of a tactically impeccable ride which, after over 10 hours in the desert, saw Costanza and Fara Du Barthas cross the finish line at an overall average speed of 17,544 km/h with a final loop at 20,067 km/h.
Satisfaction through the roof therefore for the entire Italia Endurance Stables & Academy team and Costanza Laliscia herself bears witness to it: “It was a wonderful weekend, especially because it is the third consecutive year that we have reached the Top 10 in this unique ride in the world. This year, however, it’s a little more special as it was a 160 km… It was a very tough race compared to the 120 km the previous day, but my Fara was wonderful. No false steps, no signs of hesitation and from the first to the last kilometer she was always focused and willing.”
The spearhead of Fuxiateam thus once again demonstrated its excellent technical qualities. With absolute professionalism, in addition to the extraordinary fifth place in the 160 km, Costanza on Saturday 10 February, together with Emirat du Barthas, achieved a fantastic 17th place in the CEI2* 120 km among 200 starters.
An interesting point to note… if we were to make a combined ranking of the two days among the 26 combinations who competed in both the 120 and 160 km categories, we could immediately see that only 8 riders successfully completed the distance of 280 km, and that the Fuxiateam rider is positioned at the top, ahead of the award-winning Spaniard Maria Alvarez Ponton.
In conclusion they were two days of top-level endurance.
The best riders and horses in the world returned to AlUla with great enthusiasm, where the presence of Costanza Laliscia continues to be a constant certainty, now not only for the Fuxiateam.
