How many are there on this sunny Sunday storming the Grand Parquet of Fontainebleau? Thousands, according to the endless line of cars in the streets of the imperial city heading towards the immense equestrian center. For its third edition, the “Spring of Equestrian Spots”, which was held in the southern city of Seine-et-Marne, was packed throughout the week.
There is clearly an audience for equestrian competitions. We must use this plural correctly because all the disciplines had their moment during this week: show jumping (show jumping), eventing and dressage with, each time, the best riders in the world. This “Spring” mainly served as a dress rehearsal for the Olympic events in three months. This was also the interest of these few days: to review the forces, particularly those of the blue-white-red cavalry.
🏆 Congratulations to Cédric Hurel & Fantasio Floreval Z, crowned French Pro Elite champions #cso in Fontainebleau! “It’s like revenge, I took this championship to heart with the desire to get on the podium”, confided the Yvelinois 🥇⤵️ pic.twitter.com/Q5lsjwgWAp
— French Equestrian Federation (@FFEquitation) April 27, 2024
Even if two riders seem essential, we do not yet know the names of the four selected show jumping riders (3 starters and one substitute) who will represent France during the Paris Games this summer in Versailles. The lucky ones will be chosen on July 5. One certainty nevertheless: all the contenders have spent the last few days in Fontainebleau. The two whose identity we can guess are Julien Epaillard and Simon Delestre ranked fifth and seventh respectively in the world rankings. Unless there is a health problem, particularly for their horses, the Norman and the Lorraine will be in Paris. In any case, they have no doubt about it.
The rest of the selection will be played between Pénélope Leprévost, Kevin Staut, Roger-Yves Bost, already team gold medalists in Rio 8 years ago, François-Xavier Boudant, Grégory Cottard, Marc Dilasser, Olivier Perreau, Olivier Robert. There are still around ten of them eligible for selection. This Bellifontain spring was not decisive for refining this selection. Between now and July, there are still World Cup events that will make the difference.
“Nevertheless, we look at everything, we watch for performance but perhaps even more so for poor performance because that is worrying,” warns DTN Sophie Dubourg. “Fontainebleau is an important passage,” says Roger-Yves Bost. We’re starting the big competitions. It’s important to be here and look good. It’s a bit the same track as in Versailles and the same organization (GL Events). There are three months left. I think that before June 15, the selection will have been given”
If no rider lost points this weekend, no one really gained any either. Not even the new French show jumping champion Cédric Hurel on Fantasio Floreval Z. The Francilien, who succeeds Edward Levy crowned in 2022 and Pénélope Leprevost in 2021, had blocked on an obstacle a year ago. He got his revenge 12 months later.
“It’s like revenge,” confides Hurel. I took this championship to heart with the desire to get on the podium and rectify what had gone wrong. In my head, I didn’t think about what happened in 2023. This French Championship is magnificent, everyone is there, between the different championships plus the CSI 5* which brings foreign riders. This restores color to the Master Pro, this operation is a good idea to revitalize it. »
This Sunday, the 5-star Grand Prix was won by the Swiss Steve Guerdat, the Olympic champion in London in 2012 and one of the favorites on the Versailles track in August.
