Mario Georges Verheyden was born in Italy to Belgian parents who had moved to Ispra for work: his father, a nuclear engineer and researcher, worked at the Euratom Centre. Mario attended the European School in Varese. A native Dutch speaker, he is fluent in five languages.

“I feel more comfortable riding a horse than walking.”

Thanks to his father’s mindset, who brought equestrian know-how from the Nordic countries to Italy, Mario Georges grew up with a modern vision of breeding and riding. At the age of 12, he began competing with ponies and by the age of 14 he had already won the Italian Combined and Eventing Championships, initially representing Belgium.
The quantum leap came with his first Grand Prix victory in Sint Truiden, Belgium: from that moment on, he decided to devote himself entirely to professional horse riding.

International successes

Mario Georges joined the Italian team, participating in around 20 Nations Cups with excellent results:
Participation in several editions of the World Cup
2nd place in the team event – CSIO Athens (with Elan du Thot)
Team victory – CSIO Helsinki, Bulgaria, Romania (with Elan du Thot and Laissez Faire)
Placings – CSIO Bratislava, Rotterdam, Lisbon
2nd place individual – CSIO Athens (with Laissez Faire)

Elite delle Paludi:
a legendary mare

Among his most significant achievements, the victory in the Piccolo Gran Premio di Piazza di Siena (Rome, 1996) with Elite delle Paludi, a mare bred by the Verheyden family, stands out. Elite has achieved numerous successes:

  • Winner of the Circuit of Excellence for 5-year-old horses
  • Campionessa italiana a 6 anni
  • Winner of the Verona final for ages 7 and over
  • 7th place worldwide in Lanaken (WBCYH) at age 7
  • 6th place in the Nations Cup in Rotterdam
  • Selected for the 1997 European Championships

In 2003, she gave birth to Winner delle Paludi, winner of the 2007 Stallion Performance Test (Sella Italiano – CLINTON x CAY). Mario Georges has long been a judge in these trials.

Commitment to training

In addition to his sporting career, Mario is passionately dedicated to training young riders. He has accompanied students in national and international competitions:

  • European Pony Championships in Jerez de la Frontera
  • Gold medal at the Italian Criterium Championship
  • Participation in the Junior and Young Riders Championships

He not only teaches technique, but as a Federal Technician he is currently involved in following pairs across the country for the Under 25s and, as a second-tier selector, he identifies emerging pairs through observation during international competitions.

If you don’t want to miss Mario Georges Verheyden’s valuable advice,
follow his lessons on the YOUTUBE channel.