This paper is concerned with the implementation and experimental validation of a discrete-time model reference adaptive control strategy, known as Minimal Control Synthesis(MCS)algorithm. After discussing the proof of stability of the algorithm when applied to discretized models of continuous-time plants, the problem of controlling a highly nonlinear electro-mechanical device is taken as a representative case of study. It is shown that the discrete-time MCS is an effective strategy to solve the problem while guaranteeing robustness to unmodeled nonlinear dynamics over a wide range of test manoeuvres