THE HOLY YEAR HORSEBACK PILGRIMAGE WAS PRESENTED IN ROME

As part of the Jubilee 2025, Horse Green Experience 2025 - Equiraduno dell'Anno Santo (Holy Year Equiraduno), an extraordinary pilgrimage straddling spirituality, sustainability and territorial discovery, was presented on 12 February in the Sala Caduti di Nassirya at the Senate of the Republic, in the presence of the Vice President of the Senate Senator Gian Marco Centinaio. Organised by Final Furlong in collaboration with Omnia Vatican Rome, Università degli Studi di Firenze - DAGRI, Simtur and Natura a Cavallo, and under the patronage of the Dicastero per l'Evangelizzazione, the initiative will lead riders and amazons along the historical pilgrimage routes to reach the Eternal City and participate in the audience with Pope Francis. An experience that embodies the theme of the Jubilee 2025, ‘Pilgrims of Hope’, and that invites to reconciliation, reflection and respect, through a long journey that crosses bell towers, villages and communities, connecting people to the values of land, culture and faith.
An event that is also particularly interesting in terms of ‘Slow Tourism’, which precisely in the world of horses and equestrian tourism finds a fundamental meeting point and support. Suffice it to say that, as Maurizio Rosellini, President and founder of Final Furlong, recalled, Equestrian Tourism moves around the world, something like 1.32 billion dollars a year and forecasts speak of a trend in the next 10 years to reach 2.5 billion dollars.
The ‘Horse Green Experience’ programme, on which the event concept is based, rests on three fundamental pillars:
- Enhancement of the natural, cultural and social heritage: a route that enhances the landscape and historical beauty of cities, villages and rural and mountain areas, promoting sustainable development strategies for the territorial chain.
- The horse as an ambassador of nature and community connection: a symbol of gentle and sustainable mobility, but also of communication, education and training with a view to responsible tourism.
- Sustainable tourism and rural development: a programme that espouses the principles of environmental protection, biodiversity, well-being and prosperity, in line with new forms of slow tourism.
The Holy Year's Equiraduno will start on 28 March from Varese, on the 29th the protagonists will be in Milan, and on 4 April they will reach Turin, where they are also defining their participation in the three days of great European trotting that will culminate with the assembly of the Uet European Trotting Union, which is returning to Italy after several years and under the vice-presidency of Dr. Tamara Papiccio, and will close with the dispute of the Grand Prix Côte d'Azur, part of the Uet Elite Circuit.
Other stages of the journey include reaching Pavia, linked to the figure of Saint Augustine and custodian of his remains in the basilica of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro. From here, the journey winds towards Tuscany, departing on 23 April from Pisa, a symbolic place for Christian tradition that places the landing of St. Peter in San Piero a Grado, and on 24 April from Lucca, home to the Volto Santo (Holy Face), one of the most venerated medieval relics.
The journey continues on 30 April from Siena, a city famous for its Palio, which evokes the link between horses and city life, and continues on 3 May from Piancastagnaio, a historic village in the landscape of Monte Amiata that hosts the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Pietro. On 5 May from Bolsena, the route passes through the site of the Eucharistic miracle that inspired the Corpus Domini festivity, before reaching Viterbo on 6 May, with its Palazzo dei Papi (Palace of the Popes), witness to the disputes between spiritual and temporal power.
The final and culminating moment of the journey will take place on Wednesday 14 May, when the procession of riders and amazons of the Horse Green Experience, accompanied by a representation of the national equiraduno di Natura a Cavallo, with over 200 pairs, will make its solemn entrance into St. Peter's Square in Rome, to take part in the audience with Pope Francis, thus concluding a journey that is not only a physical itinerary, but also a journey of faith, history and encounter with local communities.
It is no coincidence that the route of the Holy Year Equiraduno touches, among others, some cities that are home to racetracks. In fact, the Final Furlong philosophy is often espoused by some of the companies that manage the facilities where the races are held, so in addition to Turin, San Rossore in Pisa, Le Padovanelle in Padua, and Capannelle in Rome will also be involved in some way in the initiative. ‘We are particularly keen on this,’ concluded Maurizio Rosellini, ‘because we think that racecourses can be not only the place where the horse carries out its competitive activity, but also a meeting point for all enthusiasts in various capacities. Green spaces that have the horse as the protagonist and that in perspective can also represent a logistic base for activities related to equestrian tourism'.