In October 2024, Alberto Zorzi made his Bird’s Nest debut. In the 145 cm Professional Rider Pairing Competition, he and his new mount Gitania V G delivered a clear round in 66.03 seconds, posting the fastest time of the whole competition. He claimed the title at the Longines Beijing International Equestrian Masters on his very first appearance.

This contest perfectly illustrates Zorzi’s riding philosophy: top speed does not come from reckless bursts, but from constant assessment of the course, strides and take‑off points. Building a steady rhythm for the horse first, then seizing time‑gaining opportunities through turns, remains his consistent competition strategy with every equine partner.

Alberto Zorzi

High‑Pressure Arena | Mastering Course Reading 

Course reading is the first lesson for show‑jumping riders before entering the arena. Alberto Zorzi has lived by this principle for thirty years.

Born in Padua, Italy in 1989, Zorzi started riding at the age of nine. His career gained momentum after joining Jan Tops’ training system in 2015. His breakout performance came at Oslo in 2016, the opening leg of the FEI World Cup Western European League. Twenty horse‑rider combinations advanced to the jump‑off. Riding Fair Light van't Heike, Zorzi claimed victory with two clear rounds in 36.93 seconds and rose to fame overnight.

2017 marked the highlight of his career. At the Rome Nations Cup, he rode Fair Light van't Heike to two clear rounds, helping Team Italy win the home Nations Cup title after a 32‑year wait. Three months later at the Gothenburg European Championships, aboard Cornetto K, he knocked only one rail over five rounds and finished fourth individually. In the same year, he won the 160cm Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Monaco. At the Berlin leg in 2018, he took the 160cm Grand Prix title again with two clear rounds in 35.53 seconds and qualified for the Prague Super Grand Prix.

In April 2018, he broke into the world top 10 for the first time. This milestone was no isolated statistic, but recognition of his consistent performances across successive high‑pressure competitions.

Photo source: Team ZZ Official

Two Visits to the Bird’s Nest | Horse and Rider, Finding Their Own Rhythm 

In 2025, Zorzi returned to Beijing. In the 150cm Longines Grand Prix, riding Mascotte of the Paddocks, he produced a clear round in the first phase to qualify for the jump‑off and finished 11th overall. Rankings are never the only measure of a competition: from his winning debut to his jump‑off appearance in the following year, his two Bird’s Nest visits have brought him distinctly different competitive experience.

For Zorzi, he does not stick to a preset plan, but adjusts his rhythm according to feedback from his horse. Partnering with different horses in consecutive years tests not only his on‑day execution in the arena, but also his ability to build trust quickly through pre‑event preparation. Zorzi avoids fixed pre‑planned tactics and adapts his competition pace in real time based on his horse’s condition.

Photo source: Longines Beijing International Equestrian Masters Official

New Partnerships | Turning Partnership Work into Victories 

Over the past year, many of Zorzi’s results have come from newly formed horse‑rider combinations in their training phase. In September 2025, he and Neptune de Muze, a horse he only started partnering with in May that same year, won the 145cm Grand Prix in Sanremo. Thirteen days later, the same combination claimed victory in the two‑phase 145cm class in Ascoli, turning their partnership into back‑to‑back wins in a short space of time. 

In April 2026, he rode the grey horse Orlando Van D'elzendreef at Dong’an Lake in Chengdu. Five combinations qualified for the jump‑off, and this pair won the 145cm Grand Prix with two clear rounds in 43.49 seconds. Twelve days later in Gorla Minore, Italy, riding Carplinton, he took the 145cm two‑phase class with a clear round in 36.29 seconds. Two horses, two different formats, two countries. What truly matters is not the number of wins, but his ability to quickly build a shared competitive language with each horse.

As a Mentor | Sharing Equestrian Insights 

This April, Zorzi came to China for the first time as a mentor. At the three‑day coaching camp hosted by Masters’ Academy, he shared his understanding and techniques of equestrian sport openly with Chinese coach participants. “He can always pinpoint our problems precisely”, “It is not about jumping higher; it is about mastering the details”, “Clear, accurate and rigorous” — these are comments from participants and explain why he has many fans who admire his technical skills in China. In his opinion, genuine teaching is not only about passing on riding skills, but helping riders build trust and communication with their horses. Just as he does in competitions, he turns every period of partnership building into a language that leads to victory.

 He will reunite with participants again at Masters’ Academy from 12 to 14 October this year, helping them get into top form ahead of the Bird’s Nest Masters.

Zorzi posing for a group photo with training camp participants

Photo source: Masters’ Academy Official

The 13th Longines Beijing International Equestrian Masters will be held at the National Stadium (Bird's Nest) from 15 to 18 October 2026. This marks Zorzi’s third trip to the Bird’s Nest, where new horse feedback, a fresh course layout and split‑second in‑arena decisions await him. His previous two appearances in Beijing brought two distinct results. Upon this return, he will apply the competitive judgement forged through years of top‑level events on the brand‑new Bird’s Nest course.

The 13th Longines Beijing International Equestrian Masters

Dates: 15‑18 October 2026 

Venue: National Stadium (Bird's Nest), Beijing

Meet the world’s top riders and join us for this equestrian gathering!