BREVES 3
Friday 7 mai 2004 - 15:00
FUGITIVE DIAMANT
Player, Diamant de Sémilly*Ecolit escaped from his groom
during the CSI*** of Vitel (23 – 25 April). During his outburst,
the fugitive launched an unpleasant attack on Eric Levallois,
who was forced to reduce his sporting activities. Diamant returns
in Baule as a convalescent in order to make a gentle comeback
by way of the small classes. If all goes well, the couple will
line up at the start of Sunday afternoon’s Grand Prix.
HERVE WITH HIS FAMILY AND CHECKING
THINGS OUT
"He is the ladykiller of the stable!" Herve Godignon
recognizes. Likewise, he will not crack in front of a nice face,
and has the same mischievous eye of Highlander One*Ecolit, a beautiful
nine-year-old stallion that the rider controls with all the more
tenderness because he is a son of Belletière and Prince
d'Inconville, two great champions who remained for a long time
under the saddle of Hervé with whom they achieved great
performances.
For the future, he is also counting a great deal on Obélix
(eight-year-old KWPN by Burggraaf), "a super ace" who
has become one of his top string for the past year. He will do
the Grand Prix on Sunday.
But the rider is not in La Baule only to ride a horse, he has
also come as an observer and future competition organizer. A new
‘profession’ that he is going to inaugurate from 1st
to 4th July at his Normandy grounds, the Seabird Stud Farm, with
a national competition at levels 1, 2, 3, and 4. The president
of the ACSOF (Association of riders for French showjumping) will
now also view the competition from the other side of the barrier
RENAISSANCE
At the end of the afternoon, the stage François André
has, in its turn, played the star in its own arena. Many of the
people involved with the birth of this entirely new look, 31 years
later: 70 horn blowers, flags and team managers, riders, and numerous
personalities: Mme Jacqueline Reverdy (President of the FFE),
Messrs Olaf Petersen (member of the Executive Committee and President
of the Jumping Commission of the FEI), Yves Metaireau (Mayor of
La Baule), and Jean-Marc Falcone (Sub-Prefect of Loire-Atlantique).
The Spanish rider Cayetano Martinez de Irujo, who opened the
speeches, found the best words in the end to wish long life to
the new ‘baby’. "In the name of all the riders,
I thank the town for honouring us by investing in our sport. We
needed it. In return, we will give you all the best of ourselves
". Which says everything.