Antonella Clerici talks to us about her life with horses
Faraway from shows, in the heart of nature and from there touching the heart of so many people… Jumping head first into a dimension that Antonella Clerici, the most loved and popular Italian television host, had previously only seen in films. And now instead, that country estate in Arquata Scrivia on the Ligurian Apennines, built by her partner Vittorio Garrone, has become her reality. Her home. It is here that she has lived for the past two years in close contact with the horses bred by Vittorio, an entrepreneur and always a lover of these extraordinary animals.
«How could I ever move to that ‘house in the woods’? But when I saw Tenuta Basini I was surprised.
It was a real farmhouse, with a hayloft
and stables, all very simple, with our house immersed in nature and a large window overlooking the woods, the fields and a driveway leading to a natural place of the soul where horses, deers and wild boars coexist. I experienced a feeling of peace as I entered, so I said to myself, why not try?»
Antonella Clerici is not just a famous face on Italian television. There is an unknown aspect, one that is perhaps sensed thanks to her extroverted, stubborn and curious temperament that she is unable to hide and makes her a woman who has never feared change. Nowadays she is certain she made a conscious choice that allows her to breathe a different and almost magical atmosphere. On this estate the days pass in an almost timeless manner.
«On this estate, Vittorio has created an important stud farm. His story is a very profound one that links him to horses. His mother had two horses she kept in an old stable and when he was only a 13-year-old, Vittorio already galloped around the woods. His path was obviously already set.».
Antonella tells us about Vittorio’s great project, created over the years together with the great French rider Michel Robert. Now Michel Robert is the coach and the top rider for Team Wow, a project dreamt of and founded by Vittorio with the objective of providing young pupils, riders and horses, with a chance to make progress in this sport. The youngsters learn to manage their horses in the most respectful way possible.
«At times I find myself talking to people who instantly want to achieve difficult and ambitious objectives. I think it takes a lot of time, patience and dedication to form a pair with a horse. Riding is a complex but wonderful sport, because men and women compete together with no difference between gender or age. When I watch Michel Robert ride, he still looks like a boy to me!»