A top International equestrian event will take place in the community of San Patrignano (Italy) from 25th to 27th January 2002 when, for the first time ever, one of the qualifiers for the FEI Dressage World Cup will take place in the leading community in Europe for the rehabilitation and social re-integration of drug addicts. San Patrignano is located next to Rimini, on the Adriatic coast, in the Northern part of Italy (Bologna is the nearest International airport) and it extends on 250 hectares.
Some of the best International dressage riders will be competing in San Patrignano in what will be the first ever FEI Dressage World Cup competition held in Italy since the circuit was started sixteen years ago. Three days of competition are scheduled for the event, however the attention will be focused on Saturday 26th January on the Grand Prix (short) which will qualify the 12 combinations allowed to compete in the World Cup qualifier, the Free Style Grand Prix that will take place on Sunday 27th January, in the afternoon.

San Patrignano CDI-W will be the sixt qualifier of the 2001/2002 edition of the FEI Dressage World Cup. Many dressage riders expressed their enthusiasm for the new event and many top competitors have already confirmed their presence at the communitys competition. Amongst them there is Beatrice Ferrer-Salat from Spain, recently winner of the World Cup competition in Mechelen (Belgium) and currently ranked fourth in the overall World Cup standings which is led by German champion Isabelle Werth. Beatrice will try to double her Belgian success in order to achieve enough points to get the precious qualification for the FEI World Cup final that will take place from 21st to 24th March in â¬Üs-Hertogenbosh (Netherland).