Come rain or shine, the Jumping de La Baule carries on!

The 2025 edition of the Jumping international de La Baule – Officiel de France began this Thursday. American Mclain Ward was victorious in the FFE Prize, the day’s main CSIO 5* event, while beforehand, Irish rider Tom Walchman triumphed in the Boss Equestrian Prize. On Friday, the prestigious Barrière Nations Cup will be the high point of a day during which the sun should make a comeback.

The difficult weather conditions on the first day of the Jumping international de La Baule did not spoil the fun for equestrian enthusiasts, who were delighted to see the best show jumping riders and horses on the grass tracks at the François André Stadium.

The FFE Prize (1.50 metres, against the clock) was the first qualifying event for the Rolex Grand Prix Ville de La Baule on Sunday and witnessed victory by the world number five rider, American Mclain Ward, on High Star Hero. “It’s always a pleasure to win an event, especially when you qualify for the Grand Prix,” admitted the team Olympic Champion in 2004 and 2008 and team Olympic silver medallist last summer at the 2024 Paris Games. “It takes off the pressure for the rest of the week. I’ve been riding this horse for a little less than a year and he’s had very good results in the last few weeks with a victory at the Rolex Grand Prix in Rome qualifying event. The Nations Cup on Friday is our first major objective. The USA team is in good form after the success in Rome two weeks ago. We want to keep up the momentum. Afterwards, I’ll be taking part in the Derby on Saturday with High Star Hero. It’s the first time that I will be participating in this Derby and I’m very excited about it. I’ll be riding Imperial HBF on Sunday for the Rolex Grand Prix Ville de La Baule. It will be my first 5-star Grand Prix”. More than one second behind, Ireland’s Cian O’Connor, on Gengis Kann de Londe, finished in second place. The podium was completed by Italian Riccardo Pisani on Chacco’s Lawito PS, seven hundredths quicker than Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann (the world number three), who finished in fourth on Steely Dan. Nicolas Sers was the best placed French rider, in 12^th place, riding Eleven de Riverland.

At the beginning of the day, 20-year-old young Irish rider Tom Wachman proved to be the best in the Boss Equestrian Prize (1.45 m, over two rounds), on Hawaii, a 9-year-old mare. “It’s a brilliant way to start the competition,” he explained. “It will boost my confidence for the next events. My mare is still young but she’s very quick and I’m really satisfied with the result”. On Dirka Imperia Egipcio, a Selle Français mare who was ridden for a long time by Italian Lorenzo de Luca, Brazilian Stephan de Freitas Barcha took second place ahead of German Daniel Deusser on his experienced Selle Français stallion Bingo Ste Hermelle.

Barrière Nations Cup: France seeking to reacquaint with victory

On Friday, after the Gibson Rivers Prize (CSI 1*) and then the Proconfort – Horsewear Prize (CSIO 5*), the Barrière Nations Cup will be the highlight of the day. Ten teams will be trying to follow in the footsteps of Germany, who triumphed last year (the eight best nations in the first leg qualify for the second). France last won in 2017, and the Blues are dreaming of hearing La Marseillaise ring out this year. Team manager Édouard Coupérie has selected, in order of appearance, Nina Mallevaey (on Dynastie de Beaufour), Jeanne Sadran (on Dexter de Kerglenn, Marc Dilasser (on Make My Day Z) and Kevin Staut (on New Libero One d’Asschaut). “This event on home soil is obviously important for us, especially in front of the crowds at La Baule who are incredible,” explained Édouard Coupérie, who won the Grand Prix in La Baule in 2001 with Pro Pilot II and the Nations Cup (in 1993, on Quat’sous, alongside Michel Robert, Hubert Bourdy and Éric Navet). “That said, I’m not putting any pressure on our riders. First and foremost, I want them to ride well and the result will take care of itself. We will also have an eye on the forthcoming European Championships in La Coruña, which will be an interesting test. It will help us assess our duos and see how they manage over two rounds. We are continuing with our plan of incorporating duos that are young or in training alongside more experienced duos. We have also enjoyed good luck of the draw by being the last to start because it will give us valuable information on the times and the course’s difficulties. All our troops are very motivated and are going to do their best to write a great story in the event’s history”.

Friday’s programme

8.10: Gibson Rivers Prize, CSI 1*

10.10: Proconfort – Horsewear Prize, CSIO 5*

13.30: Barrière Nations Cup, CSIO 5*

17.50: Datanaute Prize, CSI 1*

Barrière Nations Cup running order