Rome's annual international horse show begins on 27 May at the Piazza di Siena in the Villa Borghese park. Competitors from 12 nations will take part in the competitions and six teams who are due to go to the Olympic Games in Athens in August are expected to be amongst those competing for the Coppa delle Nazioni at the horse show on Friday 28 May.

An important part of the early summer social calendar, the horse show is usually attended by Roman nobility, politicians and industrialists. This year could prove a little more rowdy as the Rome province, one of the sponsors of the event, has invited 800 school children to attend the show during the first two days.

As is traditional the dramatic "Carosello" of the Carabiniere will close the horse show on Sunday evening 30 May.