EQUESTRIO n°46 by EQUESTRIO magazine

THE VOICE OF THE EQUESTRIAN WORLD

FOCUS MARIO LURASCHI TEACHES ACTORS TO RIDE HORSEMEN & LEATHER CRAFTSMEN

VAQUEIROS PORTRAIT COCO CHANEL

STYLE ROMAIN DUGUET FANTASTIC DÉCOR IN GSTAAD

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FAREWELL

A SAD GOOD-BYE TO CAMILLE Z Before there was Prince Charming there was a pony

by Heather Buchanan

The bond between a girl and her horse can be one of the most powerful emotional connections on earth. Trust, partnership, and love are the early lessons learned. The familiar whinny, snuggle of the muzzle, and sense of flight as both leap off the ground–together: these are indelible entries in the book of life. To have that tie suddenly cut is beyond words of pain and sorrow. AD Camille Z, the beloved 11 year-old Belgian bred mare of Athina Onassis de Miranda, was put to sleep after a tragic accident at a European competition in December when she suffered a leg fracture in a fall over a jump. The amazing white steed with the pink nose who always showed great heart lives on in the hearts of Athina and her husband Alvaro de Miranda, as well as those of the countless fans who cheered them on. Camille and Athina represented Greece at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and at the 2013 European Championships. In 2014, they were sixth in the Longines Global Champions Tour of London and fifth in the Longines GCT of Chantilly. When Athina and Camille Z won a prestigious third place in the 2013 Winter Equestrian Festival $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix in Wellington,

Florida, Alvaro de Miranda who won the class stated of his wife, “She trains very hard. I think it’s important to see somebody who really wants to do well. Not only in buying good horses, but she really wants to give the best that she can always. She’s a hard worker and she loves the horses. She thinks about the horses 99% of her time. When she’s awake, she’s thinking about horses. It’s impossible for her not to succeed because she trains so hard and she loves them.” Commenting on her success of that evening, Athina said with a smile, “My horse was great today. It was really good. I knew they were going to come really fast after me. I knew they would be faster, but I was happy to be close.” For all who were there, seeing Athina and “Doda” on the podium together was a true crowning glory moment. Doda posted a tribute to Camille on Instagram that read: “Thank you AD Camille from the bottom of our hearts for being ‘just the BEST.’ We are proud to have had you with us and it was unbelievable how many good moments you and Athina had together. Rest in peace and be sure we will be strong enough to keep going and YOU will always be in our hearts.” #ripadcamillez Sweet dreams, sweet mare.

SPRING ISSUE 05

EDITORIAL

The clones have arrived! Les clones sont là! Spectators in Palermo were faced with a disturbing image when Adolfo Cambiaso changed horses, jumping from one to the other. Nothing out of the ordinary there–except that the first mare was none other than the wonderful, renowned Cuartetera, crowned the best mare in the final once again in 2014, and the other was… another Cuartetera. A few weeks later, Adolfo Cambiaso posed with no fewer than six clones of Cuartetera, nonchalantly declaring that he was about to play a first practice with all six of them! The following day, the same Cambiaso struck a pose before a stick-and-ball session with a clone of Cura, the crack stallion that died after the 2006 final (in which he was also named best horse) and now lives again through his clone. Cloning has surreptitiously crept into equestrian sports, unbeknownst to the general public. It has also found its way into show jumping through Zangersheide, the stud farm now run by Judy-Ann Melchior. We have seen her competing with a new version of Levisto Z: younger and darker, but the same conformation, the same style. Zangersheide has created multiple copies of Ratina, the mare who made her mark on the sport in the 20th century with Ludger Beerbaum. Zangersheide has brought Chellano Z back to life, a horse that enjoyed a career as a champion with Jos Lansink until he fractured his leg at 11 years old. His clone, Chellano Alpha Z, is in fine form, and the French public will be able to see him in Deauville at the beginning of March, when the Belgian stud farm will be showcasing its group of stallions that includes this clone as well as that of Zandor Z, another of Jos Lansink’s champions, and Levisto Alpha Z. The covering fee for a clone is just €500. And best of all, older readers may remember a Thoroughbred called Gem Twist, which was Jappeloup’s main rival at the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988. Well, a brand-new Gem Twist was born three years ago, because some breeders, on the lookout for this type of crossing, had expressed the need for Thoroughbreds. If you’re going to clone a horse, you might as well choose one that has proven its worth at the highest level! This article sounds like a science-fiction story, doesn’t it? And yet it’s today’s reality: little by little, cloning is becoming normal for those who can afford it. What consequences will this have on sport horses’ genetics and development? That debate will doubtless emerge, but all too slowly.

Image troublante pour certains à Palermo: Adolfo Cambiaso change de cheval en sautant de l’un à l’autre. Rien de palpitant jusqu’ici, sauf que la première jument n’était autre que sa fameuse et brillante Cuartertera – encore sacrée meilleure jument de la finale 2014 – et que l’autre jument était … une autre Cuartertera. Quelques semaines plus tard, Adolfo Cambiaso posait avec … six clones de Cuartertera annonçant tranquillement qu’il allait jouer un premier practice avec ces six copies ! Le lendemain, avant un stick-and-ball, le même Cambiaso posait avec un clone de Cura, son crack étalon mort après la finale de 2006 (dont il avait été également nommé meilleur cheval) et qui revit désormais à travers son clone. Subrepticement, à l’abri des regards du grand public, le clonage s’est développé dans les sports équestres. Il a également atteint le saut d’obstacles via Zangersheide, le haras que Judy-Ann Melchior dirige désormais. On a vu en concours la jeune femme en selle sur une nouvelle version de Levisto Z, plus jeune, plus foncé, mais même modèle, mêmes attitudes. Zangersheide a multiplié les Ratina, jument qui a marqué le sport au XXe siècle avec Ludger Beerbaum. Zangersheide a fait revivre Chellano Z qui avait entamé une carrière de champion avec Jos Lansink avant de se fracturer la jambe à 11 ans. Son clone, Chellano Alpha Z, se porte bien et les Français pourront le voir à Deauville au début du mois de mars où le haras belge présentera sa collection de reproducteurs, dont le clone fait partie, tout comme celui de Zandor Z qui avait tant gagné avec Jos Lansink et Levisto Alpha Z. Pour 500 €, les clones font des petits ! Et mieux encore : les plus anciens se souviennent d’un certain pur-sang nommé Gem Twist qui, en 1988, avait été le challenger de Jappeloup aux Jeux olympiques de Séoul. Eh bien un nouveau Gem Twist est né il y a trois ans car certains éleveurs, en quête de ce genre de croisement, avaient exprimé leur besoin de pur-sang ! Autant en cloner un qui avait fait ses preuves au plus haut niveau … Ce texte ressemble à un conte de sciencefiction, non ? Et pourtant, nous y sommes : le clonage se banalise lentement pour ceux qui en ont les moyens. Quelles en seront les conséquences sur la génétique et l’évolution des chevaux de sport ? C’est un débat qui va s’ouvrir lentement, trop lentement.

PASCAL RENAULDON EDITOR IN CHIEF Pascal has been an equestrian journalist (a contributor to L’Eperon, Grand Prix, St-Georg, and Ecuestre) since the eighties and a polo specialist since 2001. He writes about the latter discipline for Equestrio, Polo+10 (Germany), Polomundial (Argentine) and Centauros (the AAP review). Having been a threeday eventer during the 1980s, he became an amateur showjumping rider in Germany and is now a polo player. While he mainly works for Equestrio, he has also published articles and photographs in mainstream media such as L’Equipe, Agence France-Presse, Paris Match, Welt Am Sonntag and also worked as a consultant for Eurosport (polo), RDS and Equidia). p.renauldon@equestrio.presse.fr

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GUEST EDITORIAL

PHOTOGRAPHER

One of my earliest memories of horses is literally being kicked in the stomach by a colt. He nailed me with both hind legs– knocked the wind right out of me. It was my fault of course, I wasn’t paying attention, and he didn’t appreciate my lack of respect for his personal space. As a child I probably had two choices at this point: the ﬁrst was to run for the hills and never go near a horse again; and the second was to make amends– and work towards a mutual respect for each other and the roles that we each played. The colt was our colt. He lived in our back yard. I chose the latter option. Instead of moving away I chose to lean in–trusting horses not only in conﬁned environments in full tack, but fully naked and free with only my natural charm and a few peppermints to draw them in.

08 SPRING ISSUE

SHELLI BREIDENBACH

I have always said that my horses have taught me more about being a human being than most other influences in my life. I have been fortunate enough to have some good ones. My images capture a candid and fleeting moment, forever–a great gift in a fast-paced life. As a photographer, I have had other teachers. Eadweard Muybridge’s photographic studies of the horse taught many significant artists how the horse moved, breaking down its gait at both a gallop and trot, and thus settling the great dispute that a horse does gallop with all four feet off the ground. Degas was known to have first drawn his horse images in chalk, largely guided by Muybridge’s photographs. Leonardo da Vinci’s Study of Horses is breathtaking–having vividly and precisely captured the strength and grace of the horse. George Stubbs, probably the first well noted equine painter, turned convention upside down by painting Whistlejacket on a plain background, focusing the viewer’s eye on the details of the horse, not its environment. So many incredible artists over thousands of years have contributed to the preservation and the beauty of the horse, each one uniquely and passionately. To me, every horse that I have ever photographed is perfect and unique. Not unlike photographing people, the most difficult aspect of photographing horses is getting them to trust you, followed by the more difficult task of getting them to reveal who they are. Some will never show you, but if you are patient, they may offer you tiny snippets. Others are quite proud of who and what they are, and are happy to share instantly. Either way, it is always a privilege to work with them, one that I will never take for granted. In the–end, it always comes back to the lessons of my childhood, respect. It seems they give us more of that than we can ever give them. The lens that Equestrio shines on its noble subjects is filled with integrity, awe, and yes, respect. It is, in my opinion, the modern representation of the horse and the unique lifestyle associated with it. It reminds us of how perfect and unique every horse is, and how fortunate we all are that they allow us to share that with Equestrio’s growing global audience. For the horse lover, there is no better venue than Equestrio to see Equus at his purest and most fundamental level.

CONTENTS SPRING ISSUE 2015

12 TRIBUTE TO

112 OWNERS

14 FOCUS

116 BEHIND THE SCENE

Bartolomé Castagnola

Robin Parsky

BMW Polo Masters in Megève 20 years old!

Breakfast with Kent Farrington

16 FOCUS

Mario Luraschi teaches actors to ride

119 RIDERS ON THE ROAD

Kevin Staut french show jumper

42 50 120 MOTORS

Rolls-Royce

122 SPORTING TALK

Sabine Palau director of the Jumping International de Bordeaux

24 PORTRAIT

Coco Chanel goodbye belle époque

30 PORTFOLIO

Vaqueiros by Luis Fabini

42 ART

Nic Fiddian Green christ and horses

50 ESCAPE

Enjoy the Eco-Luxe Life the california wine country

56 STYLE

Romain Duguet

68 THE RIDER’S BOUTIQUE 72 BEAUTY

Sisley boundless beauty

74 DELIGHTS

Marchesi Antinori

76 CHARITY

The Great Charity Challenge

80 ROLEX GRAND SLAM OF SHOW JUMPING Scott Brash CHI Geneva

124 CULTURE 126 RENDEZVOUS 128 PARTNER HOTELS & SPAS

84 EVENT

Fieracavalli Verona

90 EVENT

Gucci Paris Masters future generation

96 EVENT

Snow Polo World Cup St.Moritz

102 JUMPING INTERVIEW

Philippe Rozier personal relationships are paramount

108 POLO INTERVIEW

Ignatius Du Plessis an unconventional player COVER STORY Vaqueiros, Brazil, Serrita, 2010 Ze do Mestre, farmer and leather craftsman. Their house, furniture and possessions are of wood and leather, all handmade. Photographed by Luis Fabini

PUBLISHER'S NOTE THE VOICE OF THE EQUESTRIAN WORLD SPRING ISSUE 2015

Headquarter Equestrio Europe & America France – Switzerland – Italy – USA Equestrio S.A 6 rue Viollier – CP 6523 1211 Genève 6 – Switzerland T. +41 (0) 22 800 03 30 F. +41 (0) 22 800 03 32 info@equestrio.com

Publisher Alicia Heiniger

Editors What would be the ideal way to ring in the New Year? Perhaps by staying at the Selman Hotel in Marrakech with its stable full of Arabian horses that we presented in a previous issue of Equestrio, beforejetting off to the Winter Equestrian Festival? What would the best means of getting a feel for this legendary competition? Probably to meet the enthusiasts and take an interest in their methods, discover the location in a golf cart or stroll along the canal and its sand tracks alongside the barns, learn by heart the names of the 12 race tracks, savor an asado at Daniel Bluman’s and toast the health of Marie Hécart who has just won her ﬁrst Grand Prix CSI 5* on Myself de Brève, visit the Kent Farrington stables with Rolex, spend a Sunday afternoon at the polo tournaments or even try a game of stick and ball, attend the JustWorld gala and snap up a Shelli Breidenbach photo at the silent auction, go on a shopping spree in the Styleliner, plunge into the crowd at the Grille restaurant and the Coach House “Players” on Sunday evenings, congregate with other Europeans and share these experiences? But above all, actually get back into the saddle after six years out of competition, in the setting of truly magical stables, on a dream horse and assisted by amazing grooms, all under the guidance of Brianne Goutal–a perfect mixture of talent, discipline, ambition and generosity, who also happens to be half French and half American! I would like to thank all those who have enabled me to experience these moments and I look forward to sharing the end of this season with you. Finally, what might be the best source of inspiration in preparing your next issues? Equestrio is moving on and dispensing with the national section so as to offer even more exclusive opening articles. We can also announce the return of entirely translated texts for our upcoming issue, along with other surprises designed to offer you an ever more entrancing vision of our world.

R&B Presse – Pascal Renauldon EquiEquipe – Caterina Vagnozzi Sophie Renauldon Heather Buchanan

Associate Editor & Publication Coordinator Sandrine Gros – s.gros@equestrio.com

Sales & Communication Laëtitia Berthoud – l.berthoud@equestrio.com

Art Director & Photo Offset Sébastien Sixt

Illustrations Coralie Mulliez

Translations Susan Jacquet

Proof reading Claire Buart

Cover © Luis Fabini

Journalists Heather Buchanan, Pascal Renauldon, Caterina Vagnozzi, Sophie Renauldon, Pascale Meyer, EquiEquipe, Jean-Louis Gouraud, Giorgia Tasca, Giulia Tamburini, FEI, Kendall Bierer/Phelps Media Group

Photographers Luis Fabini, Anouk Schneider, Rolex/Kit Houghton, Elena Lusenti, Juan Pablo Romero Fuentes, John Hodges, Courtesy of Calistoga Ranch, Marilyn Ferrante, David Atlan, Sportfot, Scoopdyga, iStock, Nicola Ughi, Jessica Rodrigues/R&Bpresse, Guetty Images, Imagesofpolo.com/Evelina Jakovlevska, Swiss-Image, Nick Tininenko, Pascal Renauldon, FEI/Liz Gregg, Xavier Ariasok, Courtesy of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Katherine Hay, Emmanuel Ortiz

Illustrations Coralie Mulliez

Translation Susan Jacquet

Alicia Heiniger Next issue : August 2015 Any reproduction, even partial, is strictly prohibited. © Copyrights L.H.EQUESTRIO SA. 2003-2015

CONTRIBUTORS

Jean-Louis Gouraud

Heather Buchanan

Caterina Vagnozzi

AUTHOR – PUBLISHER

JOURNALIST

Jean-Louis Gouraud has authored numerous articles and books dedicated to horses: anthologies, encyclopedic works and novels, including one that inspired Bartabas for the film Chamane. He is also publishing director at Actes Sud of a collection dedicated to horses. Moreover, his love of horses is not exclusively intellectual: in 1990, in the early years of the Perestroika, he decided to make an epic journey from France to Moscow on horseback. 20 years later, he wrote a colorful account of this adventure in a book published by Actes Sud, Le Pérégrin Émerveillé, of which the paperback version won the Prix Renaudot literary prize 2013.

Heather Buchanan’s love affair with horses began with a pony aptly named Aphrodite. She competed in equitation and hunters through her junior years. After earning an undergraduate and graduate degree from Northwestern University she pursued her next passion of writing. Heather has contributed to Manhattan Magazine, Huffington Post, The New York Observer, Southampton Press, Hamptons Cottages & Gardens, Hamptons Magazine, Plum TV and is the editor of HipHamptons.com. She is dedicated to discovering the best of the luxury lifestyle. She spends her time in the Hamptons, Palm Beach, Los Angeles, and Aspen.

Caterina has always had a special feeling for horses. From the time she was a small child she spent all of her free time with the animals she loves the best. Her dream in life was to work in the horse world, and she has done it in a wide variety of ways–as a rider, a breeder, a coach and journalist. Her work as a Press Officer is legendary, and amongst the most important events at which she has officiated are the World Equestrian Games in 1998, the World Cup Final in 2005, the Samsung Super League Final in 2000 and the much-loved Pavarotti International Horse Show staged in the fabulous surroundings of Modena. Caterina worked for many years with the Italian Equestrian Sport Federation, and has been Press Officer for CSIO Rome for the past 25 years. She has authored many books about horses and continues her journalism career as a contributor to the daily newspapers “ Il Messaggero ”, “ La Gazzetta dello Sport ” and “Il Corriere dello Sport”.

Coralie Mulliez

Anouk Schneider

Luis Fabini

JUNIOR ILLUSTRATOR

PHOTOGRAPHER

Coralie will complete her training as a graphic designer and illustrator this year at the School of Applied Arts (Geneva). Since she was a child, art and design have been an integral part of her life. Today, at the age of 18, she dreams of travelling and one day having a chance to exercise her passion professionally.

When she arrived in London in 2007 after completing her Masters’ degree in photography at ECAL (University of Art and Design Lausanne), Anouk Schneider immediately dived into the glittering world of the media and communication. Promoted to artistic director for Tank Form, Anouk Schneider develops advertising campaigns while working as a photographer for the trendy Tank magazine, which is published by the same agency. Two years later, the girl from Geneva decided to go solo to develop her own artistic projects. Her international advertising campaigns include Dior Haute Joaillerie, Tod’s and Uniqlo and she works for editorial magazines as well as Swatch, Liberty of London and Purdey, to name but a few. She is currently is preparing a series of photographs of pregnant adolescents’ bedrooms. “The first image might be a girl aged 13 in a tracksuit, eating crisps while stretched out on her bed surrounded by her soft toys.”

Born in Uruguay in 1965, his interest in photography was ignited by his father who put a camera in Luis’ hands at age seven before the two embarked on a memorable road trip across the Andes. He is a selftaught photographer, who began his professional journey as a trekking guide and a travel photographer in South America. In 2003, Fabini started his current body of work, American Cowboys, with a personal journey back to his roots in Uruguay that expanded into a profound look at a vanishing culture spanning all the Americas, from Canada to Tierra del Fuego. In 2012 his book, Gauchos was published, and in late 2015, American Cowboys is to be released by Greystone Publishers, of Canada.

TRIBUTE TO

BARTOLOMÉ CASTAGNOLA Bye, bye, Palermo TEXT SOPHIE RENAULDON

He had already taken this decision in 2013. But like the true warrior he is, he wanted to try and qualify for this tournament one last time in 2014, unfortunately unsuccessfully. This time, he is stopping for good, he says. Bartolomé Castagnola, known as Lolo, will thus have spent 20 years on the field at Palermo, since his first time in 1993 at the age of 23 when he played wearing Ellerstina colors under the leadership of Gonzalo Pieres who is still his great idol today. On the field, he swiftly earned a reputation for being a “beast”, and being marked by Lolo could hurt, given his reputation for bringing even the toughest to the ground–at times in ways somewhat lacking in gallantry for a boy from a respected Buenos Aires family. The young Bartolomé, who attended the best schools, was a naughty boy, who couldn’t sit still in class and preferred making lists of horses rather than listening to his teachers, which ended up in him being thrown out of the classroom. Lolo started out by playing pato and despite the fact that his father was a well-respected participant in this sport, he pushed his 14 year-old 12 SPRING ISSUE

Argentina’s Triple Crown has lost one of its most charismatic players. At 44 years old, Bartolomé “Lolo” Castagnola has decided to stop playing high level Argentinean sport, including the legendary Argentine Open in Palermo.

son to start playing polo. A wise decision. Over the years, Lolo became one of the best players in the world and had a ten-goal handicap when he was wearing the number 4 for La Dolfina, the team he founded with his brother-in-law, Adolfo Cambiaso. Together, they won five Opens, while Lolo won a total of seven (the other two were with Ellerstina). In 2012, Lolo decided to create his own team called La Natividad, the name of his “campo”, but the green shirts only qualified twice. While Bartolomé Castagnola has decided to stop competing at this level, Lolo is not just a great player, but also a true horseman. The products of his breeding and the famous Chalo Explosiva in particular (wearing Las Monjitas colors) continue to tread the soil at Cancha Uno. Moreover, there is no need to be too heartbroken at the loss of this great player, because he will continue to play in smaller tournaments in the United States and Argentina. And we might possibly be seeing the name Castagnola on the Palermo board again one day, since his three sons are already experienced players who are ready to take up the torch. —

1970 Birth in Buenos Aires on June 16th 1988 Plays for the first time abroad (USA) 1997 First victory at the Argentine Open with Ellerstina (again in 1998) 2000 Starts with La Dolfina at the Triple Crown 2002 First victory at the Argentine Open with La Dolfina (again in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009) 2005 Becomes a 10 goaler 2012 Founds La Natividad polo team

Metropolitan Polo Club An Exceptionally Refined World at Your Service www.metropolitanpoloclub.com Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club, 16 Hai Tai Hua Ke Jiu Lu, Bin Hai Gao Xin Qu, Tianjin 30384, China.

T: (86) 22 8372 8888 F: (86) 22 8371 7733

FOCUS

BMW POLO MASTERS IN MEGÈVE 20 years old! The perfect age. This year, the BMW Polo Masters in Megève turned 20, which means that France was celebrating 20 years of snow polo. Jean-Yves Delfosse brought the event to life with his enthusiasm–and his creativity. He’s not just an organiser; he’s a party planner–and a 20th anniversary deserved the best! The resort was therefore treated to four days of polo-filled festivities, from the field all the way to the center of the village. Medieval shows in the streets, pony-riding for children, knights’ tournaments after sunset, and of course the big 20th anniversary party, where almost 1,000 people celebrated in tents set up around the field. The jet set has nothing on the Delfosse atmosphere! As for the competition, the organizers were in a cold sweat (though not cold enough!) waiting for the snow, which eventually started falling a week before the event to put the finishing touches to a beautiful field prepared by the resort’s technical department. And where there’s a good field, there’s good polo! As is often the case in Megève, the team led by Matthieu Delfosse (h4, the son of Jean-Yves) came out on top against the five visiting teams, which included players of six different nationalities. This was his 8th victory in 11 finals alongside his patron Laurent Dassault and the talented Patrick Paillol (h4). —

14 SPRING ISSUE

TEXT SOPHIE RENAULDON PHOTOS MORGANE DELFOSSE

20 ans, le bel âge. Celui du BMW Polo Masters de Megève donc celui du polo sur neige en France. Un événement porté par l’enthousiasme de Jean-Yves Delfosse. Par sa créativité également , car mieux qu’un organisateur, c’est un véritable metteur en fête. Celle du 20e anniversaire se devait d’être réussie. Durant quatre jours de fête Megève a «débordé» du polo animant la station du terrain jusqu’au centre du village. Cavaleries médiévales dans les rues, animations poneys pour les enfants, tournois de chevalerie en nocturne et bien entendu, soirée des 20 ans sous les tentes en bord de terrain avec près de 1000 personnes au rendez-vous.Ambiance Delfosse : plus conviviale que jet-set ! Côté sport, des sueurs froides (ou pas froides justement) avec la neige qui s’est fait attendre et qui s’est mise à tomber à une semaine de l’événement pour apporter sa touche finale à un terrain admirablement préparé par les services techniques de la station. Et qui dit bon terrain, dit bon polo ! Comme c’est souvent le cas à Megève, l’équipe menée par Matthieu Delfosse, le fils, a dominé les cinq autres formations au sein desquelles six nations étaient représentées. 8e victoire en 11 finales avec son patron, Laurent Dassaut et le talentueux Patrick Paillol (h4)

FOCUS

MARIO LURASCHI The man who teaches actors to ride TEXT AND PHOTOS PASCAL RENAULDON

In France, Mario Luraschi is a key figure in the film world. Whenever a horse is needed on the big screen, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the man that directors turn to. Most of the big-name French actors such as Jean Reno, Sophie Marceau and Christian Clavier have learnt how to ride with him for the requirements of a film. Thanks to him, some have even continued riding afterwards. However, this son of an Italian emigrant, who started with nothing, is more than just a film stuntman: he is a true horseman, respected in equestrian circles both in France and abroad.

SPRING ISSUE 17

FOCUS They say that it’s thanks to you that horses no longer die in film stunts: is this true? I have in fact done a lot for the protection of horses in the film world, because I love horses and it’s stupid to make an animal suffer for a film. A millimetre of my horse’s skin is not worth a metre of film. But I cast no stones at the people who did that in the beginning, things like laying cables to make a horse fall, because people thought differently in the 1930s than they did in the 1970s. Allain Bougrain-Dubourg, a high-profile animal rights campaigner, and I managed to get a law passed that banned the showing of images from films in which an animal had suffered. A law that was also adopted by the Americans. How does someone become a stunt rider? How did you get the idea? By pure chance. I was working at the Vallée des Peaux-Rouges, a theme park based on Red Indians. One day the production unit of a film called Le Fou du Labo 4 starring Jean Lefèvre showed up: they needed an action shot, jumping a fence backwards on a horse while firing a gun… something I was already doing every day. I attracted attention that day and after that, my services were regularly called on for action scenes involving horses. Nowadays, whenever a horse appears in a film, you are the one they always ask for: how did you manage that? In cinema, it’s easy to make your first film, but it could just as easily be your last. I managed to do the action shot exactly as they wanted it. A producer’s objective is to get his shot at minimal cost, so the director wants to get it right as quickly as possible. And as I got it right nearly every time, they kept asking me back. How many horses have you trained in your life? In fact, all my horses are trained initially in Haute Ecole dressage before they do stunts or other things. This is absolutely essential, especially, somewhat paradoxically, to (get them to) achieve the simplest things. I must have trained around three hundred. They all do driving too, which I think is my favourite discipline. And how many actors have you taught to ride? Who are the most famous ones? I must have taught almost 90% of French actors and actresses to ride. The most wellknown ones are Sophie Marceau, Jean Reno, Christian Clavier, Jean Dujardin, etc. But there

18 SPRING ISSUE

En France, Mario Lurashi est un personnage incontournable dans le monde du cinéma. Dès qu’un cheval doit apparaître sur un grand écran, le réalisateur fait appel à lui. La plupart des grands acteurs français, Jean Reno, Sophie Marceau, Christian Clavier et bien d’autres sont passés chez lui pour apprendre à monter à cheval pour les besoins d’un ﬁlm. Certains sont même restés cavaliers grâce à lui. Mais ce ﬁls d’émigré italien, parti de rien, est plus qu’un simple cascadeur de cinéma : c’est un véritable homme de cheval respecté par le milieu équestre en France et à l’étranger.

On dit que c’est grâce à vous que les chevaux ont arrêté de mourir dans les cascades de cinéma: cette histoire est-elle vraie ? J’ai effectivement apporté beaucoup de protection au cheval dans le cinéma. Parce que j’aime le cheval et qu’il est stupide de faire souffrir un animal pour faire un ﬁlm. Un millimètre de la peau de mon cheval ne vaut pas un mètre de pellicule! Mais je ne peux pas jeter la pierre à ceux qui travaillaient ainsi au début, comme tendre des câbles pour faire tomber un cheval … La mentalité des hommes des années 30 n’était pas la même que celle des années 70. Avec Allain Bougrain-Dubourg, véritable défenseur médiatique des animaux, nous avons réussi à faire voter une loi qui empêchait de diffuser une image de cinéma où un animal aurait souffert. Loi qui a été adoptée par les Américains.

“I have in fact done a lot for the protection of horses in the film world, because I love horses and it’s stupid to make an animal suffer for a film. people thought differently in the 1930s than they did in the 1970s” Comment devient-on cascadeur équestre ? Comment vous est venue cette idée? Par hasard! Je travaillais à la Vallée des PeauxRouges, un parc de loisir sur le thème indien. Un jour a débarqué la production d’un ﬁlm, Le Fou du Labo 4, avec Jean Lefèvre: il fallait faire une action, sauter une clôture à l’envers sur le cheval en tirant au fusil … ce que je faisais déjà tous les jours. J’ai été remarqué ce jour-là et ensuite, j’ai été régulièrement appelé pour des scènes d’actions équestres au cinéma. Aujourd’hui, dès qu’un cheval apparaît dans un film, on fait appel à vous et à personne d’autre: comment avez-vous réussi ce coup ? Au cinéma, c’est très facile de faire un premier ﬁlm, mais il peut être rapidement le dernier ! Je parvenais à réussir l’action exactement comme on me le demandait. Comme le but du producteur est d’obtenir son image à moindres frais, le metteur en scène veut donc que ça marche

au plus vite. Et comme ça marchait à peu près à tous les coups avec moi, on me rappelait à chaque fois. Combien de chevaux avez-vous dressés dans votre vie ? En fait, mes chevaux sont tous dressés en premier lieu à la haute-école avant d’effectuer des cascades ou autre chose. C’est indispensable, notamment pour obtenir paradoxalement les choses les plus simples. J’ai dû en dresser à peu près trois-cents. Ils font tous aussi de l’attelage; je crois que c’est la discipline que je préfère. Et combien d’acteurs avez-vous mis à cheval? Quels ont été les plus célèbres ? J’ai dû mettre à peu près 90 % des acteurs français en selle. Les plus célèbres sont Sophie Marceau, Jean Reno, Christian Clavier, Jean Dujardin ... Mais également Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Milla Jovovich pour Jeanne d’Arc, Salma Hayek , Penelope Cruz … Lesquels de ces acteurs vous ont le plus marqué en tant qu’homme de cheval ? Christian Clavier m’a vraiment fait plaisir à cheval. Je l’ai formé de A à Z et il est resté accroché et possède une belle équitation. Philippe Noiret également, mais c’était facile, c’était déjà un homme de cheval et il était comme un second père. On partageait le bonheur de la hauteécole. Quel acteur vous a le plus agacé lors de ces formations ? Aucun, parce qu’ils sont tous très professionnels et dès qu’ils vous acceptent comme metteur en scène équestre, ils sont à l’écoute et très agréables. Et à chaque fois s’établit sinon une sorte d’amitié, du moins une relation sympathique puisque nous nous voyons tous les jours pendant les trois mois d’un tournage. Vous revenez de Thaïlande: que faisiez-vous là-bas ? Je présentais un spectacle équestre au club de polo King Power de Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, fou de chevaux ibériques et qui d’ailleurs m’en a achetés alors que je n’avais pas forcément envie de les vendre. Mais le prix a le dernier mot … C’est triste, avant je faisais 80 % de mes affaires en France et 20 % à l’étranger. Aujourd’hui, le ratio s’est inversé car nos politiques ont fait fuir les grosses fortunes de France. Or le cheval, qu’on le veuille ou non, reste une activité coûteuse. Vos activités ne se limitent donc pas au seul cinéma, quelles en sont les autres facettes ? Ce sont surtout les opérations de relations publiques où l’on me demande de me produire à cheval dans les endroits les plus improbables. Je suis certainement le seul cavalier à être rentré à cheval dans quasiment tous les monuments de Paris, y compris le deuxième étage de la Tour Eiffel, pour des soirées privées ou des inaugurations. Je fais également un peu de commerce.

FOCUS has also been Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Milla Jovovich for Joan of Arc, Salma Hayek , Penelope Cruz, etc. Which of these actors left a lasting impression on you as horseman? I was delighted by Christian Clavier’s riding skills. I trained him from scratch and he worked hard and now rides very well. Philippe Noiret also rode well too, but it was easy as he was not a newcomer to the discipline, and he was a father ﬁgure for me. We both loved Haute Ecole riding.

in the Wild West a French show with knights at the Excalibur Hotel in Las Vegas and a Western show in Europe, the “Wild West Show” at Disneyland Paris. I organised the ﬁrst one in 1991 and it is still running, which suggests that the public like it. The second one has been running for 21 years and has garnered 16 million entries. I also work for the Prince of Bavaria with a new show every year which allows him to amass 100,000 entries in eight performances. And I have a permanent show at Europapark, en extraordinary complex in Germany. It runs for eight months a year

“It’s true that it was Indians that got me interested in horses… I started collecting Indian objects. These days I share the same religion as the Indians” Which actor got on your nerves the most when you were training him? None of them, because they were all very professional and as soon as they accepted your role as the equestrian trainer, they were very attentive and pleasant. And every time, you build a kind of friendship or at least a nice relationship because we see one another every day for the three months of ﬁlming. You’re not just involved in the cinema, what else do you do? Mostly PR work where I’m asked to appear on horseback in the most unlikely places. I’m sure that I’m the only rider who has ridden his horse into nearly all the monuments in Paris, including the second ﬂoor of the Eiffel Tower, for private evening functions or opening ceremonies. I also trade a bit. So, how many horses do you have in your stables in Fontaine-Chaalis? Including retired ones, I own 70 horses, 48 of whom work. They’re mainly Iberians, but I’ve also got trotters and an Akhal-Teke. A good horse isn’t a question of breed, what interests me is what goes on in his head. You take the most beautiful horse in the world and you can’t do anything with him if he hasn’t got a brain. Can you tell us about the different major shows that you have organised in France and abroad? It is funny because I organised “King Arthur”

and allows me to train and prepare my young stuntmen. They say that you have something of the Indian about you, is that true? It’s true that it was Indians that got me interested in horses. My mother was a fan of Westerns and she used to drag me to the cinema all the time. When I was 13, I read that in American history when the US cavalry killed people it was called a victory, and when the Indians were victorious, it was called a massacre. That made an impression on me and I became interested in their culture. I always felt close to the Indians that I met later in life on my trips to the States to bring back bison and horses. I started collecting Indian objects. These days I share the same religion as the Indians. At 67, what are you most proud of about all the years you have spent with horses? I’m proud, or rather I appreciate the happiness that they still bring me. I cannot imagine living without horses and I am grateful to horses for having made me what I am. You’re of an age where people have gained a certain amount of wisdom: what message would you like to pass on to the horse community? Never forget that you’re only a great rider if you have a great horse beneath you. —

Ce qui représente combien de chevaux chez vous à Fontaine-Chaalis ? Je possède, retraités compris, soixante-dix chevaux dont quarante-huit au travail. Ils sont essentiellement ibériques. Mai j’ai également des trotteurs et un Akhal Téké. Un bon cheval n’a pas de race, ce qui m’intéresse, c’est ce qu’il a dans la tête. Avec le plus beau cheval du monde on ne fait rien s’il n’a pas de cerveau. Parlez-nous notamment des différents grands spectacles que vous avez montés en France et à l’étranger ? Ce qui est drôle, c’est que j’ai monté un spectacle de chevalerie française, King Arthur, au Far West à l’hôtel Excalibur de Las Vegas et un spectacle western en Europe, le Wild West Show à Disneyland Paris. J’ai monté le premier en 1991 et il tient toujours, ce qui me laisse penser que le public aime. Le second perdure depuis 21 ans et a fait 16 millions d’entrées. Je travaille également pour le prince de Bavière avec un nouveau spectacle chaque année qui lui permet d’enregistrer 100 000 entrées en huit représentations. Et puis j’ai un spectacle permanent à Europapark, un complexe extraordinaire en Allemagne. Il dure huit mois par an et me permet de former et de préparer mes jeunes cascadeurs. On dit que vous vous sentez un peu Indien, c’est vrai ? C’est vrai que ce sont les indiens qui m’ont amené au cheval. Ma mère était fan de westerns et me traînait toujours au cinéma. J’avais lu à 13 ans que dans l’histoire américaine, on parlait de victoire quand la cavalerie US tuait et on parlait de massacre quand les Indiens remportaient une victoire. Cela m’a marqué et je me suis intéressé à leur culture. Je me suis toujours senti proche des Indiens que j’ai rencontrés plus tard lors de mes voyages aux Etats-Unis pour aller chercher des bisons et des chevaux. Je me suis mis à collectionner des objets indiens. Aujourd’hui, ma religion est d’ailleurs la leur … A 67 ans, de quoi êtes-vous le plus fier de toutes ces années passées auprès des chevaux ? Je suis ﬁer, ou plutôt j’apprécie le bonheur qu’ils continuent à m’apporter. Je ne peux pas concevoir de vivre sans chevaux et je leur suis reconnaissant d’avoir fait de moi ce que je suis. C’est un âge auquel on a également acquis une certaine sagesse: quel serait le message que vous voudriez faire passer auprès du monde du cheval ? De ne jamais oublier que l’on n’est pas un cavalier exceptionnel si l’on n’a pas un cheval exceptionnel sous soi.

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PORTRAIT

COCO CHANEL Goodbye Belle Époque TEXT CATERINA VAGNOZZI

“Fashion passes, style remains.” Maison Chanel may well be the most fascinating episode in the story of fashion. Now almost a century old, it has always been true to the philosophy that inspired Coco Chanel. Her famous remark embodies all the rules she applied to her designs.

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1937 - Gabrielle Chanel photographed by Man Ray ÂŠ Man Ray Trust/ADAGP Paris 2014

PORTRAIT

The professional credo of “ Mademoiselle Coco ”, sustaining her unbelievable success and acknowledgement as the doyenne of fashion, was the key element and most sublime expression of the life of a woman whose creative genius was woven in equal measure from character, stubbornness, courage, intuition, and incredible mettle. For Gabrielle Chanel (who acquired the nickname “Coco” as a young singer entertaining customers in a rowdy café-concerto in Moulins, performing a mediocre version of her forte, Ko Ko Ri Ko) the equestrian world played a significant role in her stormy, difficult life. Without the shadow of a doubt it was a true training ground that prepared her to access the lofty high society she craved and of which she was certainly not a part. In 1904, Chanel met Etienne Balsan, her first lover and later her financier, at a café-concert in Moulins. This ex-cavalry officer, passionate about horses and horseracing, was the son of textile industrialists. He invited Chanel to move into his Château de Royallieu, where she stayed until 1908. The iron rules of good society did not allow mistresses to participate in social life, so men got together and talked for hours about races, pedigrees, jockeys, finishing lines, while the women were left to frivolous chitchat, accepting their role as mere “ lady friends ”. Feisty Coco’s style was cramped in this type of role. She was entranced by the allure of the horses and began to spend time at the stables, soon taking riding lessons. She was a very gifted horsewoman and with her resolute character it did not take long for her to become an exemplary rider who was entrusted with the toughest thoroughbreds, which jockeys baulked at riding. Word of her ability soon spread and her flaunting of convention made her the center of attention, with every horse owner and professional vying for her company. It may well have been at

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“True elegance can’t exist if freedom of movement is not respected”

this precise time that Coco Chanel gave free rein to her determination and her hard work was to lead to undreamed-of success… Precisely her experience with the racetrack spurred her to try her hand at fashion design, and she began as a milliner, making the hats that no lady would be without at the races. This launched her career as a stylist and Balsan, while in no way enthusiastic, did agree to open an atelier for her in his Paris apartments, on the Boulevard Malesherbes. In an era hallmarked by sumptuous hats trimmed with feathers and impossible to wear without the elaborate supporting frame called a “pompadour ”, Chanel’s little straw hats, decorated with simple satin flowers or single plumes, were a surprise to say the least. It was when she was starting to give free rein to her creativity that Coco met the most important man in her life: Arthur “ Boy ” Capel, an industrialist who exported coal from Newcastle. He was a polo player and was also passionate about horses. Unlike Balsan, he understood Coco’s desire to work and became the main promoter of the great designer, encouraging her and financing her so she was able to open her first boutique in the Rue Cambon, which later became the headquarters of the Chanel label. As she became increasingly successful, Chanel also opened boutiques in the famous seaside resorts of Deauville and Biarritz, which she was able to keep open even with the war looming, unlike the Paris store. Chanel style forged ahead thanks to a real revolution she achieved in female attire, in the true spirit of the new role played by women at the start of the 20th century: “True elegance can’t exist if freedom of movement is not respected.” By 1915, Chanel’s reputation had reached such a scale that it resounded overseas, where Harper’s Bazaar magazine decreed that a woman who did not have at least one Chanel in her wardrobe was

hopelessly off the fashion circuit. When Boy Capel married a woman from his own social circle, Coco Chanel plunged herself even deeper into her work. The designer freed women from corsets and outsized hats, giving them practical apparel in crisp lines that allowed them to get on with their hectic lives. A busy working woman could no longer be a slave to the constricting clothing typical of the Belle Époque. “I was working towards a new society. Up until then they had been clothes designed for women who were useless and idle, women whose lady’s maids had to pass them their stockings. A busy woman needs to feel comfortable in her clothes. You need to be able to roll up your sleeves.” Chanel gave the new woman the right dress: the famous black “Petite Robe Noire”, created in 1926, which seemed to have been inspired by the uniform worn by salesgirls. Ladies who went to the races, traditionally showcases of elegance and good taste, went to her for advice on how to embark on this new revolution. They “were soft and curvy, padded just about every place a woman could be padded, puffy of lip and badly dressed, in their body armour, with their bosoms out, their behinds jutting out too, bound in at the waist until they were almost cut in two”. From 1913 to 1930, Chanel raised skirt hems to just below the knee and lowered waistlines, promoting the use of jersey and a nautical style. Last, but not least, she introduced trousers for women. Elegance, she said, was a matter of paring everything down to the most chic, expensive, reﬁned poverty. Chanel’s ﬁrst trousers were jodhpurs, riding breeches she had made up in Deauville, instructing the shocked tailor to copy a pair she had taken as an example from her groom. The equestrian world was again inspirational for the famous 2.55 handbag, whose matelassé fabric imitated the quilted jackets worn by grooms and other equestrian professionals working at the Deauville stables. A timeless accessory which, like legendary Chanel Number 5, the Little Black Dress, and her iconic suits are still the symbol of how fashion fades but Chanel style remains. —

2.55 quilted bag © Assouline Sketch of the “Ford” dress by CHANEL published in Vogue US in October 1926 © CHANEL/Courtesy VOGUE Paris 1930 - Mademoiselle Chanel at her “La Pausa” estate in the south of France, with her dog, Gigot © Photo D.R.

Gabrielle Chanel, better known as “Coco”, was conceived out of wedlock and born in a poorhouse in Saumur, France, on 19 August 1883, to Henri-Albert Chanel and Jeanne Devolle. After the early death of Jeanne, Henri-Albert left his two sons to work on a farm, and entrusted his three girls to the care of the nuns of the Congregation of the Sacred Heart, at the orphanage of Aubazine. When they reached the age of 18, Gabrielle and her sister Julia were sent to Notre Dame school of domestic science. Here Gabrielle learned the first rudiments of sewing and she began to work as a salesgirl in Moulins, for the Maison Grampa lingerie and knitwear store. Here she perfected the sewing skills learned from the Notre Dame sisters and pursued with the help of her Aunt Louise. She also began performing as a singer in café-concerts in the town. Coco was strong-willed, rebellious and independent, and she never married, mourning the loss of Boy Capel, the love of her life, who died in a car accident. Throughout her life she forged friendships with many famous men of great charisma, including the Duke of Westminster, Grand Duke Dimitri of Russia, Igor Stravinsky, Jean Cocteau and Luchino Visconti. Although her genius was recognized at global level in the world of fashion (she won the Neiman Marcus Award, the fashion Oscar, in 1957), Coco Chanel always rejected the idea that she was important and always defined herself as “a simple seamstress”. She died aged 87, on 10 January 1971, in her apartments at the Hotel Ritz, in Paris. Karl Lagerfeld is now the head designer and creative director of the fashion house Chanel.

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PORTFOLIO

VAQUEIROS BY LUIS FABINI

Vaqueiros, Brazil, Penaforte, 2011 The Vaqueiro is a reflection of where he lives. The Sertao is a land of extreme climate changes; while mostly dry and arid, it is also washed away by erratic torrential rains.

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In Brazilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inland Sertao, a North-Eastern territory that is distinctly harsh, parched, and rife with thorny caatingabushes, lives a type of cowboy whose characteristics directly mirror his challenging surroundings: the Vaqueiro. In spite of his taciturn disposition and sinewy appearance, when action is needed, he is intense and intrepid. The biggest challenge facing the Vaqueiro is the water supply, often requiring him to travel long distances to find water for his cattle. Vaqueiros are humble and often very poor, but they are also gracious and hospitable, sharing what food and shelter they had with me. Their way of life is rapidly changing, and their natural habitat is shifting with the encroachment of civilization. Rainfall is extremely erratic and so minimal in some years that it causes catastrophic drought, while in other years, extremely heavy rains create damaging floods. In the last few years the government has devoted its attention to this area by building much-needed infrastructure. The aboio is the singing way the vaqueiros use to tell their story and to pass on their tradition; it is ever-present and an important part of their everyday life. When they meet, there is always a musical challenge to improvise a verse or two. In this way their culture is preserved, transmitted from father to son. The aboio helps alleviate the solitude of the Vaqueiro. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Vaqueiros, Brazil, Pernambuco, 2011 Ethnically, the Vaqueiros are a people of mixed blood between indigenous Indians and European conquerors, and this tradition began during the introduction of livestock in the Sertao region during the 1600s.

Vaqueiros, Brazil, Brejo Santo, 2011 The Vaqueiros wear the handmade uniform of protective leather clothing necessary for roping cows amidst the lethal thorns covering the caatinga bushes.

Vaqueiros, Brazil, Pernambuco, 2011 Pedro Arthur, farmer and cattle breeder.

Vaqueiros, Brazil, Serrita, 2011

Vaqueiros, Brazil, Serrita, 2011 Going after his cattle, the Vaqueiro enters the caatinga bush.

ART

NIC FIDDIAN GREEN CHRIST AND HORSES TEXT JEAN-LOUIS GOURAUD

IN GENEVA, IT’S THE JET D’EAU. IN PARIS, THE EIFFEL TOWER. IN NEW YORK, THE STATUE OF LIBERTY. IN LONDON, IT’S A HORSE’S HEAD.

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ART

A gigantic, monumental horse’s head that is the size of a building: 35 foot, or a good dozen meters high. Set up here not very long ago (2009), smack in the middle of a square, Marble Arch, itself located in the heart of the city, it has swiftly become one of the main curiosities in a city that already has plenty of them. It must be said that this is no ordinary head. Other than its exceptional size, it shows a horse’s head in a bizarre place: positioned on the end of a nose. As if it were finely balanced there… All of which gives this enormous bronze mass a kind of lightness, instability and seeming fragility. One never tires of looking at it, walking around it, extolling the virtues of its graceful elegance. And of experiencing strong emotions. And then comes the irrepressible desire to thank, to congratulate, to meet the author of this strange, magnificent horsey obelisk, a certain Nic Fiddian-Green. Head for Surrey, south east of London, where he lives, and works. It takes a good hour to drive the 40 or so kilometers to his abode. You’re definitely better off with a GPS, because you soon need to leave the main road to head for the heart of the beautiful English countryside through narrow, winding lanes until you reach the village of Guilford. When you finally get there, don’t imagine that you’ve arrived. There’s still a way to go on increasingly tortuous country lanes, before finally reaching the enormous, hilly lush estate of Wintershall. We’re here. A large brick building, with a Landrover or two parked in front. Nic Fiddia-Green is standing on the doorstep. He’s waiting for us. A blue gaze, a pleasant face. Well-preserved fifties. Dressed as one would imagine a gentleman farmer to be: corduroy, waistcoat, tweed, autumn colours. Under the awning where he welcomes us, one notes the strange presence of church statues: angels, saints, a Virgin Mary. Warm handshakes. An elegant lady appears. “I would like to introduce my wife, Henrietta.” We swiftly understand that Henrietta is a very important person here. Not only because she is Nic’s wife, but because this house, this property, this estate belong to her. A family asset. But above all because the horses are entirely about her as well. She owns them, raises them, rides them. Has she passed on her passion to Nic? You may well ask. Because Nic, to start with, wasn’t really attracted to this animal, nor to the country, but rather to the sea, since his father was in the navy. “In fact”, he says, “I think my vocation was born by visiting the British Museum when I was still a student. I stopped short in front of the piece of a frieze from the Parthenon representing the head of a horse. I was incredibly moved. This image continued to haunt me and I began sculpting horses’ heads.” The house in which Henrietta and Nic live consists of a lot of vestibules, corridors, rooms stuffed with a thousand ornaments, paintings, pedestals, books, furniture and various objects. Already intrigued by the presence of religious statues that greet visitors in the entrance hall, I am further bemused by the abundance of crucifixes adorning this vast home. And even more so when we enter the room reserved for Nic where, amid the usual mess one finds in an artist’s workshop–sketches, molds, plasters, scrap, bits of marble–several heads of Christ wearing the crown of thorns lie on the floor. Christ and the horse: two recurrent themes for Nic Fiddian-Green. His two leitmotifs. His two sources of inspiration. Heads that he draws, sculpts, models, untiringly remakes.

“Various replicas that are not exact copies of the original are to be found dotted around the world, notably in Wellington and at the Deauville hippodrome” Always the same but never really the same. In all sorts of materials, and all sizes. Why Christ, why the horses? Nic doesn’t really know. It’s instinctive rather than cerebral. More heart than head. It’s not in the demonstration but in the intuition. It’s about themes that appeal to him, that’s all. What touches him especially about horses it the mysterious relationship that men have with them. To illustrate his point, Nic tells the tale of the story of the Australian riders who came to fight the Nazis in North Africa but who were denied permission to take their horses back to Australia at the end of the war, and rather than abandoning them, preferred to put them down with their own hands. He also tells the moving artistic adventure that recently befell him: the widow of a rich owner ordered a monumental sculpture from him (a horse’s head naturally) to be built in the middle of a huge estate, the very place where the deceased wished to be buried. In the place, where, some time earlier, he had had his favorite horse buried. The death of a horse marked a turning point in the lives of Nic and Henrietta. It was in 2006. Just after Henrietta’s favorite horse died, doctors told the couple that Nic had leukemia. His chances of survival were slim: if you make it, Henrietta said, promise me that we will go on big trips. He recovered and this is how they came to travel the world: Australia naturally, Mongolia, India– Rajasthan–where Nic dreams of returning, to create an enormous, gigantic head of a Marwari horse with the help of local craftsmen whose skill he admires. “My sculptures are also a means of expressing our gratitude to horses for all the favors they have done mankind,” he says. It was after his brush with death that Nic Fiddian-Green developed a desire to give his works–be they horses’ heads or crucifix heads–a new dimension, to the point of achieving exceptional proportions. “Having been at the very brink of life and death and returned”, he explains in the preface of one of the many catalogues devoted to him, “produced a creative energy in me along with the desire to express new volumes. This drove me to arrange new encounters between my works and the public”. Thus the idea of setting up a giant sculpture in the middle of the English capital was born, on the previously desperately empty esplanade stretching out at the foot of Marble Arch. Which today, thanks to an inspired artist, has become one of the most magical locations in London. —

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ESCAPE

ENJOY THE ECO-LUXE LIFE THE CALIFORNIA WINE COUNTRY TEXT HEATHER BUCHANAN

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Calistoga Lodge © Courtesy of Calistoga Ranch

Only an hour and a half from San Francisco lies an indulgent world of fine wine, cuisine, spas and horseback tours with magnificent vistas. Get ready to set your “out of office” reply for a trip which will make you the envy of oenophiles everywhere.

The entrance to Calistoga Ranch in California’s upper Napa Valley could well be reminiscent of the pearly gates. Having turned off the Silverado Trail, one reaches a secluded, verdant valley surrounded by redwoods. Sinners and saints alike are greeted with a warm lavender towel accompanied by a cold class of the resort’s Chardonnay. A friendly porter takes you to your cedar-shingled villa with individual living rooms and luxurious bedchambers connected by a large deck with fireplace and outdoor Jacuzzi. The problem lies in resisting the temptation to stay at this heavenly retreat forever after. Managed by Auberge Resorts, one of the world’s premier resort companies with renowned properties such as Auberge du Soleil, Esperanza and the Hotel Jerome, Calistoga Ranch covers 157 hillside acres with 50 guest lodges and 22 owner lodges, the Lakehouse for some of Napa’s finest dining, the Wine Cave which is a spectacularly romantic setting for private events, an outdoor pool with dramatic vineyard and distant mountain views, a well-equipped fitness center, miles of hiking trails, a lawn for yoga, tai chi and meditation, and a luxurious full service spa. RELAX SPRING ISSUE 51

The Auberge Spa at Calistoga Ranch is designed to pay tribute to Calistoga’s centuries-old legacy as a site for healing mineral waters. Enter the world of eco-luxe treatments with natural ingredients like honey, lavender and rosemary. Indulge in the “Auberge Attunement,” where herbal compresses infused with muscle soothing essential oils are applied to key pressure points to help relieve pain and inﬂammation. Massage therapists can help equestrians with their special tight spots. The “Sense of Place” is another favorite treatment, honoring indigenous healing practices of the Wappo Indians of Napa Valley. Executive Chef Aaron Meneghelli creates a tasting menu to delight epicureans at the Lakehouse. From the California Squab with toasted faro, braised greens, chanterelle mushrooms and huckleberry jus to a Roasted Apple Napoleon with caramel parfait and green apple sorbet, each course is a culinary treat. Make arrangements for a gourmet picnic to accompany your wine tasting or ask for fresh Black Trufﬂe and Parmesan Popcorn to be sent to your room for a movie night.

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The environmentally conscious resort is also the pioneer of a “Bee Well” program seeking to help re-build the honeybee population, while eggs are fresh from the chicken coop which, true to a ﬁve star resort, has its own chandelier and framed picture of general manager Coni Thornburg. Be sure to ask the concierge for access to the best private wine tastings around, such as that offered at Spring Mountain Vineyard, a century old European-style vineyard with historic stables. The winemaker collaborates with French Bordeaux experts to craft hand-picked grapes into both European-style wines with the subtlety, complexity, and long life of France’s grand chateaux as well as classic Napa Valley Cabernets. Calistoga Ranch is a prime destination for weddings and other events. On one notable occasion, a gentleman arranged to have an intimate dinner in the Wine Cave, popping both sparkling wine and the question, and surprising his ﬁancée with Natalie Cole performing live. To date no woman has ever said no and the resort prides itself on its 100% proposal success rate.

ESCAPE

Photos of Calistoga Ranch: the pool, the spa, the lodge and the Auberge du Soleil calistogaranch.com aubergedusoleil.com springmountainvineyard.com

Just a bit further south lies the Auberge Du Soleil, the gold standard for a world class Napa Valley adventure. With luxurious rooms complete with balconies and fireplaces, pool with a view to rival Tuscany, top spa for head to toe pampering (for men as well!), creative cuisine, fitness center, private yoga pagoda, tennis courts, and sculpture garden, you will definitely want to stay until your credit card limit is up.

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ESCAPE

TOURING THE VINEYARDS ON HORSEBACK When you are ready to indulge your other love affair–horses–Chalk Hill Estate in Sonoma offers a unique equestrian experience. More than 1,300 acres are devoted to vineyards, a winery, hospitality center, culinary garden, residence, stables, equestrian pavilion, sports ﬁelds and dams for ﬁshing and swimming, as well as guest houses. Professional polo player, instructor, and trainer Rafael Hernandez established Wine Country Trail Rides in 1998–giving experienced and non-experienced equestrians the chance to enjoy riding through the serenity of nature and spectacular vineyard setting with views of Mt St. Helena. The diverse topography and complex soil that allows Chalk Hill to create wines that are intense, balanced and distinctive also creates beautiful vistas for a horseback rider. Trails lead through the lower, cooler areas ideally suited to raising their famous Chardonnays then up to the steeper, warmer, south-facing slopes perfect for ripening Bordeaux varietals. Hernandez hand picks every horse for skill and safety, including a number of retired polo ponies. “You’re only as good as the four legs under you,” he explains from experience. Rafael is a charming guide with vast knowledge of wine and horses. At the end of your riding adventure you will be invited to a special tasting of Chalk Hill’s award-winning wines. Chalk Hill Estate includes an incredible Olympic size dressage arena made from Alaskan golden cedar which also serves as a stunning setting for arena polo. Flanking the arena is a chateau-like entertainment space with amazing views–a favorite spot for corporate or private

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Calistoga Ranch wine cave entrance chalkhill.com windracerwines.com vineyardrides.com foleyfoodandwinesociety.com

functions. Owner William P. Foley II has now extended his global network of ﬁne accommodation, cuisine, wineries and experiences to the Foley Food & Wine Society–a vast network ranging from New Zealand to Napa for connoisseurs of the good life. Sonoma was also the setting for the hugely successful inaugural St. Regis Polo Cup at Wine Country Polo Club on September 20 where the St. Regis team captained by St. Regis Connoisseur Nacho Figueras led the team to a 7 to 5 victory over the Hamel Family Wines Team, raising money for charity.

WINDRACER WINES Galloping toward success are Equestrian oenophiles Peggy Furth and Barbara Banke who founded WindRacer wines in 2006 with the aim of exploring and contrasting Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from two of California’s favorite wine regions: the Russian River and Anderson Valleys. Peggy Furth is an accomplished dressage rider who trained with Steffen Peters while Barbara Banke is an avid thoroughbred owner who serves on the boards of the Breeders’ Cup, Keenland Association, National Racing Museum Hall of Fame and co-established Stonestreet Farms near Versailles, Kentucky, a top thoroughbred breeding and training facility. The label was inspired by Banke’s race horse Curlin who was the all-time leading money earner in the history of American racing. Furth is a former owner of Chalk Hill Estate and Banke serves as Chairman and Proprietor of Jackson Family Wines. Peggy Furth comments, “Barbara and I have been friends forever and traveled all over the world both for equestrian events and looking at wines. We asked ourselves what the go to wine is and the answer was Chardonnay followed by Pinot Noir with dinner so we said let’s make that our brand. We have different taste in wine just as we have different taste in horses. I’m Russian River and she’s Anderson Valley. We bring customers the best of both. Every horse fan should taste it.” The only problem with doing a horse tour in wine country is a profound reluctance to leave. Luckily Calistoga Ranch leaves guests with a packet of wild ﬂower seeds to sow our own heavenly retreats back home. —

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STYLE

ROMAIN DUGUET TEXT SOPHIE RENAULDON PHOTOS ANOUK SCHNEIDER STYLIST ESTﾃ右 APAYDIN MAKE-UP & HAIR MARIAN S. VILLASANTE

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STYLE

In 2014, Swiss athlete Romain Duguet had the honor of joining the team of equestrian ambassadors of the prestigious French fine leather goods company, which enjoys iconic and longstanding ties with the world of equitation.“We choose our rider partners above all according to the values we share. Respect for horses, love of the sport and a quest for excellence” explains the Maison Hermès. “We recognized all these values in Romain. He has been riding with a Hermès Cavale saddle for a year already and his appreciation of the saddle, his recent progress and his selection as a reserve member of the Swiss team for the World Equestrian Games only increased our desire to accompany him to the highest level and to make our partnership official”. Of French descent, Romain Duguet has lived in Switzerland since 2003. Having fallen in love with the country, but above all with one of its inhabitants, Christiana, with whom he has two daughters, he has remained here and in 2012, opted for Swiss nationality. This choice gave his riding career a boost as he took part in the Nations Cup in Calgary and Aachen wearing Swiss colors, and with his mare Quorida, was subsequently selected for the team for the World Equestrian Games in Normandy. Romain Duguet was ready to try something new for Equestrio and exchange his breeches and boots for the most recent Hermès prêt-à-porter collection. The meeting was scheduled in Gstaad, at the Duguet couple’s chalet, where the initial fashion shoot took place in a warm, cosy atmosphere. “There was a great ambiance. The team were friendly and put me at ease” says the model for a day. “As a result, it came perfectly naturally.” The team then went to a neighbor’s farm for a quick session in the meadows. “The neighbor kindly agreed to bring out a cow for a few photographs. It was quite funny despite the fact that I got charged a bit by the cow!” laughs Romain. After this new experience, Romain Duguet donned his boots and breeches once again to return to his stables near Bern and focus on his next objective: the European Championships in Aachen. —

Previous page: Tan-colored Piumino down jacket in pure natural goose down Groom bag made of cotton canvas and barenia calfskin Long-sleeved show shirts Hermès Clou de Selle press-studs Waterproof fleece jacket in breathable stretch fabric, “H” side motif Riding breeches in tough, breathable stretch fabric Double Jeu H MC Navy polo shirt Riding breeches in tough, breathable stretch fabric Black Taurillon Clémence leather stirrup belt, palladium-plated silvertoned metal buckle Hermès Cavale saddle. Equipped with a pair of double stitched stirrup leathers and a pair of Hermès Soft Up Pro stirrups.

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“Néo Torsade” woolen roll-neck jumper Right page: Gray woolen roll-neck jumper

Brown lambskin leather jacket Navy blue gabardine straight-leg trousers Harper hat in diamond-pattern felt and lambswool Knitted scarf in cashmere, sable and leather Jack gloves in glazed lambskin and cashmere All terrain Kross Boots in calfskin and rubber, “Hermès Sellier” Clou de Selle press-studs

Brown lambskin jacket Harper hat in diamond-pattern felt and lambswool Knitted scarf in cashmere, sable and leather Right page: Cashmere and lambskin leather sweater

Crew-neck “Néo Torsade” woolen sweater H Perspective Cavalière scarf cashmere and silk

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THE RIDER’S BOUTIQUE

New wild west

The western trend continues onto the spring summer runways, bringing its warm colors, country feel and classic details like straps and leather in total looks and stylish accents. The warm colors of the sun and desert are translated into key elements that are interpreted in sleek, elegant and country-chic pieces that instantly feel like keepsakes from tales of freedom and adventure. BY GIORGIA TASCA

Western chic, a total look from the Spring/Summer 2015 runway Gucci – Perfect for home but also the outdoors, this horse harness-inspired hurricane candleholder provides a touch of warmth to any landscape Ralph Lauren Home – A fedora is the ideal accessory to stay cool during warm sunny days, this one features a fresh and unexpected mix of straw and furfelt Maison Michel – Inspired by a horse harness, this hand made gold necklace with diamonds and a grey pearl is a tribute to the maison’s origins Hermès – Featuring the classic horse bit detail, the ombre effect on the leather of these shoulder bags gives them a captivating worn look Gucci – The signature colors of the maison decorate this equestrian-living inspired silk scarf Gucci Equestrian

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The art direction There is no better way to get into a spring mood than a colorful palette of delicate and bold colors, something to bring back the sparkle of childhood cheerfulness and the freshness of the outdoors. A new type of art-inﬂuenced pieces that are both canvas inspired and literal tributes, become the protagonists of this spring’s looks with key elements that are playful, strong and full of life. Like brushstrokes from a painting, free and lively palettes portray dreamscapes on clean silhouettes giving a light and creative twist to the everyday routine.

This pastel color furfelt cap is a fun reinterpretation of a classic Maison Michel – An understated elegance reveals an intriguing detail, refreshing the design of a traditional crystal decanter Ralph Lauren Home – Inﬂuenced by the Futurism art movement, this scarf features its signature dynamic graphic elements Hermès – Minimalistic and chic, these cocktail accessories are a must-have in an equestrian home Ralph Lauren Home – The embodiment of childhood happiness and carefreeness, all natural and organic and available online Lollipop Rooster – Discovering creativity starts at an early age, this fun coloring book is the perfect way to begin Hermès

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THE RIDER’S BOUTIQUE

Beauty

BY LAËTITIA

Beyond Spa L.Raphaël – OR, Je suis, the anti-wrinkle serum excellence Odile Lecoin – “Eclat d’Arpège” for men, a chic and constrasting creation Lanvin – Reveals the youth of the skin and detoxiﬁes Nuxe – Vinoperfect Serum 1, stain-corrector serum milk sublime radiance, corrects spots and prevents their appearance Caudalie – Hydra beauty, micro sérum Chanel – Ring “Majoris Vany” woven with horsehair “your horse” Caracole – Champagne “Belle Epoque” blanc de blancs 2002 Perrier Jouet – Gloss by Terry – Destination Orient the “Rêve d’Orient” Palette Chanel – The Longchamp 3D is the designer bag par excellence, embracing modernity and a love of symmetry. Longchamp – Perfume “Jeu d’Amour” 50ml Kenzo

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SPRING ISSUE 71

BEAUTY

BOUNDLESS BEAUTY TEXT PASCALE MEYER

PHOTO DAVID ATLAN

Sisley– a name that is easy to pronounce, the namesake of the painter who loved nature, for a high-end French cosmetic brand and a business owned by the d’Ornano family, all of whom are passionate about beauty and plants.

“I would like to tell a story about the d’Ornano family, which is also the story of Sisley”, writes its founder, Hubert d’Ornano, in the introduction to the book La beauté en partage (Boundless beauty) that he wrote last year. The d’Ornano lineage, from a noble Corsican family, became famous through three marshals, two of France and one of the Empire, more recently a minister, a deputy mayor of Deauville, a mecca for polo, Hubert’s brother, but also through its fantastic success in the universe of cosmetics. Jean d’Albret, Lancôme and Orlane all belong to the d’Ornano family. When Isabelle and Hubert d’Ornano acquired Sisley in 1976, they were firm believers in phyto-cosmetology–the art of beauty through plants–and took up what was a truly daring challenge at the time when launching into this adventure. Leveraging their knowledge of the international market, they saw Sisley as a battle to be fought, convinced of the virtue of essential oils and plant extracts. A quest for quality, effectiveness and excellence were their watchwords. To achieve these goals, Sisley could only put its name to effective products which was the only way to attract–and retain–a loyal clientele. It was a success from the start, and their creations swiftly drew a cult following. The Émulsion Écologique created in 1980 was the first ecological treatment and has become a must today. Recommended for polo players, this essential treatment breathes new life into outdoor skin, especially when combined with one of Sisley’s famous sun protections. In 1990, the first product in the range was positioned as the most expensive in the world. Morning and evening, take the time to

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pamper your face with Sisleÿa Global Anti-Âge. Launched in 1999, this fantastic cream contains around 50 active ingredients and its gestation took around a decade. And the Black Rose Cream Mask which is a great favourite among actresses, it soothes, smoothes and plumps, while smelling so sweetly of roses one might almost wish to eat it. The Phyto-Lip Twist, launched in 2014, is part of the brand’s success story. This is a lip gloss which brings color, shine and care for your lips in just a single twist. Discreet and ensuring a natural look that will last an entire tournament, L’Eau du Soir is Sisley’s legendary perfume, initially created for Isabelle d’Ornano. Sensuous and timeless, this can be worn day and night. Its cork is a work of art created by sculptor, Brinislaw Krzyqof. Sisley is also about spas that drive the image of beauty made in France. This totally unostentatious form of luxury reserved for a happy few is solely available in some 20 establishments around the world. Sisley products are all designed and made in France, at the Centre de Recherche et d’Exploitation (Centre for Research and Operations) at Saint Ouen l’Aumône, ensuring top environmental quality. There is an ultra-modern laboratory in Blois, and selective, exclusive distribution in Europe, the United States, South America, China… The dynasty is more family-based than ever today with son Philippe as President and CEO, along with his sister Christine as Executive Director, both of whom have taken over from their parents and are perpetuating the brand values with cosmetics that devotees spare no expense in snapping up. —

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DELIGHTS

MARCHESI ANTINORI 26 GENERATIONS OF GREAT WINES TEXT GIULIA TAMBURINI

ILLUSTRATION CORALIE MULLIEZ

The Antinori family has been involved in the production of wine for over six centuries, ever since Giovanni di Piero Antinori became a member of the “Arte Fiorentina”, the Winemakers’ Guild of the city of Florence, in 1385. During this entire period, spanning 26 generations, the family has always managed its business itself, sometimes with courageous and innovative decisions, but always maintaining an unchanging, fundamental respect for tradition and the territory in which it operates. Today the ﬁrm is run by Marquis Piero Antinori, with the support of his three daughters, Albiera, Allegra, and Alessia, who are directly involved in the company’s day-to-day business. Tradition, passion, and intuition have been the three driving principles that have made Marquis Antinori a leader in Italian wine. Each and every vintage, each and every separate area, each and every idea that is implemented is a new beginning, a new search for higher quality standards. As Marquis Piero Antinori likes to repeat: “ancient roots play an important role in our work. But have never put limitations on our innovative spirit”. The family estates in Tuscany and Umbria, which constitute its historic heritage, have been joined over time by investments in other territories in places with the potential to achieve larger prestige and wider awareness of the family’s ability to produce outstanding wine both in Italy and abroad. Marchesi Antinori expresses its passion for viticulture through a constant quest for quality improvement in even the smallest areas. In this regard, ongoing experiments take place both in the vineyards

and in the cellars, seeking new clones of local and international grape varieties, testing cultivation techniques, vineyard altitudes, fermentation practices and temperatures, modern and traditional fermentation methods, different types, sizes and ages of oak casks and barrels for aging, as well as different aging times for wines before their commercial release for bottling. “Over the years, we have demonstrated that in both Tuscany and in Umbria it is possible to produce excellent wines, widely recognized at an international level, which demonstrate both class and breeding while maintaining their original character. Our library is ﬁlled with books, but for us it is not yet rich enough. We have a mission which has not yet been entirely fulﬁlled, which drives us to continue to explore the vast potential of our vineyards and to reconcile both new discoveries yet to be made and the heritage of Tuscan taste. A heritage which incorporates tradition, culture, and agriculture as well as art and literature and which represents the identity of our company, one of whose major strong points is its Tuscan identity or, if you prefer, our fundamentally Tuscan character” says Piero Antinori. — SPRING ISSUE 75

CHARITY

THE GREAT CHARITY CHALLENGE OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST LAURA KRAUT WINS THE 2015 $125,000 TRUMP INVITATIONAL GRAND PRIX AT MAR-A-LAGO TEXT HEATHER BUCHANAN

PHOTOS SPORTFOT

The prestigious Trump Invitational presented by Rolex in Palm Beach, Florida serves as the kick off for the 12-week Winter Equestrian Festival and its signature charity event, the sixth annual $1.5 Million Great Charity Challenge Presented by Fidelity Investments速 (GCC). World champion riders pair with amateurs to compete for 34 Palm Beach County charities, demonstrating the big hearts and generous spirit of the equestrian community. Net proceeds from the Trump Invitational benefit the GCC.

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CHARITY

The third annual $125,000 Trump Invitational Grand Prix presented by Rolex combined exciting horse show jumping competition with Palm Beach social glamour at the picturesque, private Mar-a-Lago club on Sunday January 5th 2015. The Mar-a-Lago club is the former Marjorie Merriweather Post Estate, one of the most magniﬁcent seaside mansions in the world. With the Intracoastal water way as a dramatic backdrop, Olympic medalists and world champion riders competed in this FEI world ranking grand prix, while guests in the VIP tent were treated to a sumptuous brunch. One of the few horse shows in the world set on water other than Monaco, the Trump Invitational embodies tropical splendor. Show jumping superstars Laura Kraut (USA) and her horse Cedric raced to the fastest time of an edge-of-your-seats jump-off, just edging out Darragh Kenny (IRL) in second place and Brianne Goutal (USA) with a third-place win. Kraut and Cedric have had a long and illustrious partnership that includes team gold in the 2008 Olympic Games and many grand prix victories over the years. “I could not be more pleased with Cedric,” Kraut stated in the press conference. “He is 17 years old, but he feels better than ever. He is just an amazing horse, and we have such a relationship now. I feel like I can call on him, and he is there.” The Trump Invitational also includes a symbolic token of formal respect from the riders who each personally salute Mr. Trump as they enter the ring, with Mr. Trump wishing them good luck. “We all look forward to coming here,” Kraut commented. “This is a special event. It is a beautiful location and the fact that Mark Bellissimo and Donald Trump have put this together and put this on right here in Palm Beach, it is absolutely gorgeous. It is a prestigious event to try to win and I am very happy to win it.” The Trump Invitational as well as the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington which runs from January 7th to March 29th is produced by Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP). Mark Bellissimo, CEO of ESP, also commented on the day: “It was another great event. I think this event has really grown in stature. Donald has been an amazing partner in this effort, and we have had a number of conversations about how we can take this to the next level. I want to thank Rolex for again being an amazing partner and stepping up to be the title sponsor here as well as the Tisbo family with Suncast, Land Rover, and Carol Sollak at Engel & Völkers. Without their help we could not make this happen. Congratulations to Laura. This is her third year here and the third time is the charm as they say. We are very proud of watching that effort. Margaret Duprey’s horse really rose to the occasion.” Mr. Trump also praised the winner and was thrilled with another great event. “I want to congratulate the great champions,” he stated. “I know Laura really wanted to win this and now she has done it. What a great job you have done. It is bravery, and it is talent, and it is great horses. It was an honor, and I want to congratulate Mark and his family for the fantastic job they do in putting the event on. Likewise, we have an excellent one in Central Park, so we have a couple of beauties.” Notable guests included: Donald and Melania Trump, Mark and Katherine Bellissimo, Paige Bellissimo, Donald Trump Jr., Vanessa Haydon Trump, Tatum O’Neal, Georgina Bloomberg, Kristy and Jim Clarke, Terry Allen Kramer (her grand-daughter Brianne Goutal won third place), as well as Paige Johnson and Jennifer Gates, both of whom competed in the show jumping competition.

2015 GREAT CHARITY CHALLENGE PRESENTED BY FIDELITY INVESTMENTS® The show also symbolizes the continued commitment of Mr. Donald Trump and the Bellissimo family to philanthropy. The GCC, held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center and founded in 2010 by Mark and Katherine Bellissimo and their daughter, Paige, has distributed more than $7.5 million to more than 100 Palm Beach County charities over the past six years, thereby touching thousands of lives. All eligible charities put in their name for a random draw, allowing small charities as well as large ones a chance to be one of the 34 charities chosen in an event where prize money ranges from $15,000 to $150,000 for first place. Every charity is a winner. “This event allows us to showcase and to financially support the broad missions of 34 randomly selected charities from Palm Beach County,” stated Mark Bellissimo. “It is unique to get this many charities involved in a single event, so it is not about a specific charity but the spirit of giving. My family, my fellow Wellington Equestrian Partners, and the equestrian community are very fortunate to enjoy this lifestyle and this is a great opportunity for us to give back to our community.” Equestrian Sport Productions absorbs the entire cost of the event so every cent of the $7.5 million dollars goes to the charities. General admission is free and thousands come out to cheer on their favorite charity in a family friendly Saturday night event. Denise Jungbert, founder of Wheels For Kids who single-handedly runs her charity, won $150,000 and was able to provide more than 10 wheel chairs to children in need throughout Palm Beach County. “I can’t thank the Bellissimos and the Great Charity Challenge enough. They don’t just help one charity but give to more than 30 each year, and we all need the money to go out and help others,” beamed Jungbert.

Olympians and world class riders donate their time and pair with amateurs to compete for their randomly assigned charities, allowing younger riders the chance to ride with their heroes. Each team is sponsored by a generous equestrian family and corporate sponsor. World champion Ian Millar expressed the rider sentiment at the 2014 GCC event as the class winner, earning $150,000 for the charity Speak Up For Kids. “It made me feel so good inside. I was so pleased to do it.” —

For more information on the Winter Equestrian Festival, please visit equestriansport.com The rider Darragh Kenny with Paige, Katherine and Mark Bellissimo, Donald Trump, Colette Benett from Rolex

ROLEX GRAND SLAM OF SHOW JUMPING

SCOTT BRASH OF COURSE! TEXT SOPHIE RENAULDON PHOTOS ROLEX/KIT HOUGHTON, SCOOPDYGA

CHI Geneva is definitely not short on good action! Last year, for the first edition of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, the public’s uncontested darling and Olympic champion, Steve Guerdat won the Rolex Grand Prix, watched by a frenzied crowd, while this season, Geneva saw the global number one, Scott Brash, provide an unprecedented experience by winning the Rolex IJRC Top Ten Final as well as the Rolex Grand Prix! Both ambitious and determined, Scott Brash attends every competition with the aim of winning and the Scotsman had no intention of making any exceptions. The young rider was already brandishing a trophy on Friday evening after having won the 14th Rolex IJRC Top Ten Final while making his comeback to the Palexpo arena. Thus–in a strangely unusual twist of fate–the world number one was once again the victor of this unique event in which the ten best riders in the world compete against each other. “I have always had my eye on and wanted to win this Rolex IJRC Top Ten Final. I am delighted because it is a difficult event that is both prestigious and well-resourced and every rider wants to win it.” Two days later the competition’s other great event took place: the Rolex Grand Prix. This time, all eyes were on these two fearsome competitors, focused on winning on this Geneva course: title holder and public favorite, Steve Guerdat and Christian Ahlman, who won at Aachen and consequently in the running for the bonus awarded to the winner of two stages of this Grand Slam. Nevertheless, neither of the two left the course with a clear round. For his part, Scott Brash was determined to double the stakes and was able to count on his star horse to achieve this: “Hello Sanctos is truly exceptional. He has already won two big events in the same competition several times already, like in Oslo and in Estoril. I knew that he was capable of it and that I had every chance on Sunday.” The Grand Prix was however hotly contested with 38 starters and 13 contenders, all with a good chance of winning. Except that Scott Brash is not the type to allow himself to be intimidated.

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ÂŠ Rolex/Kit Houghton

ROLEX GRAND SLAM OF SHOW JUMPING Although mind you… after his jump-off, the Scotsman was forced to wait in the paddock for six couples to complete their rounds before his fate was known. He would have been particularly concerned by the round achieved by European champion, Roger Yves Bost, renowned for his speed: “I knew my jump-off could be beaten. Bosty was really very fast even though his turns were sometimes wider than mine. I had to hold my breath right to the end. When Bosty crossed the ﬁnish line with a few tenths of a second more, I was really relieved.” Scott Brash brandished his second Rolex trophy of the weekend. The world number one is now in the running to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. A victory at Aachen at the end of May will offer him a 500 000 euro bonus, and if he also wins in Calgary, he will win a million euro.“I have always wanted to win these Rolex Grand Prix one day, and the prospect of a bonus is even more motivating.” While Eric Lamaze thereby joins Rodrigo Pessoa (both Rolex testimonees) and Ludger Beerbaum as the only riders to have won each of these Rolex Grand Prix. “It can be done although it’s very tough. But nothing is impossible” according to Scott Brash. “I think it is amazing that Rolex has created this prize because it uplifts the sport, has a very interesting format, the public enjoys following this Grand Slam and every rider wants to take part and win. The bonus provides a goal as well as additional motivation.” To win these three legendary Rolex Grand Prix and thereby become the victor of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping would be an unprecedented performance and therefore make history. And if there is a rider alive capable of achieving such a feat, it is undoubtedly Scott Brash, the unshakeable global number one who demonstrated in Geneva that he was ready to take on the biggest challenges. —

Top Ten riders, from left: Kevin Staut, Penelope Leprevost, Patrice Delaveau, Maikel van der Vleuten, Scott Brash, Kent Farrington, Marcus Ehning, Steve Guerdat, Daniel Deusser and Ludger Beerbaum © Rolex/Kit Houghton

CROSS INDOOR PRESENTED BY ROLEX During the course of its 55th edition, the Geneva International Horse Show presented an event that is brand new to Switzerland: the Cross Indoor presented by Rolex. Both the track and the paddock at Palexpo were transformed into a cross-country course with natural obstacles including a lake and a hill. Eighteen riders took part, amongst them reigning world champion, Sandra Auffarth and a large French delegation led by Nicolas Touzaint. Eddie Sans (Nankin de la Hurie) won this spectacular event. The tricolor gave a fantastic show to the great joy of the public which went wild during the evening. It was such a success that Rolex and the Geneva International Horse Show wish to repeat the experience from 2015 onwards.

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EVENT

FIERACAVALLI VERONA TEXT CATERINA VAGNOZZI

PHOTOS NICOLA UGHI

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EVENT

The gates of an exhibition center as traditional as it is forward-looking will open to welcome visitors in early November, for what is tantamount to a total immersion in the enchanting and extraordinary world of horses. Just a stone’s throw from the old center of Verona, one of northeast Italy’s most renowned cities for art and history, the Fieracavalli horse fair, with its countless and sometimes unexpected nuances and expressions, is the ideal showcase for this noble animal and its exuberant beauty.

It’s a really special occasion and the passion for horses is palpable: a kaleidoscope of breeds, coats, reviews, exhibitions, conferences, major sporting events, fun, culture, business, excellent shows, arts and crafts, tradition and innovation. Every style of attire is happily accepted among those wandering around the pavilions, and no one risks being seen as an exhibitionist: top hat and tails for dressage devotees; Stetsons, suede chaps and maxi-spurs in noble metals for Western fans; catwalk trends; rigorous, elegant military uniforms for international jumping champions; vintage apparel for stars of carriage driving and the most important equestrian fashion brand; valuable costumes and spacesuits for the “Gold Gala” show. Breeds and disciplines that are usually equestrian worlds apart rub shoulders and no one bats an eyelid. Enormous Shires, whose withers can reach two meters in height, stroll alongside tiny Falabellas, mini horses smaller than a Great Dane. Along the corridors elegant Arabian purebreds, and young sport horses, cross paths with Percherons that are masters of farm work, or with select Andalusians from the Spanish breeding. The most famous horses in world show jumping, real stars of the Longines FEI World Cup, make way in the central arena for the tiny ponies that ferry the champions of tomorrow towards their future.

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EVENT The Fieracavalli program attracts a wide-ranging public but all sharing one important feature: love of horses, and the 2014 edition of Fieracavalli racked up over 160,000 visitors in four days. “An increasingly international event,” said Ettore Riello, President of Veronafiere, “with 15% of visitors and industry specialists arriving from abroad, from 85 countries, five more than last year.” The success is the result of a format that manages to bring the breeding world (2,735 specimens of 60 breeds and 35 associations) into the same arena as the business side, including 650 companies from 25 countries, and top equestrian clothing and accessory brands. “Buyers from Germany, Slovenia and Croatia were the most numerous around the pavilions,” said Giovanni Mantovani, Director General of VeronaFiere, “but there were also Hungarian, Swiss, Austrian, French, Russian, Brazil, Argentinian, and UAE visitors, who now consider Fieracavalli the industry’s leading marketplace.” The history of Fiera di Verona, one of the top establishments of its kind in Italy and in the world, began more than a century ago, in October 1897, precisely with horses. The city council of the time chose Piazza Cittadella, not far from Piazza Bra and the Arena, as the location for an experimental edition of what was later to become the Fieracavalli. In this first event, participation was free, and included awards for the best horses and for the stables showing them. The fair was a triumph. Spurred on by this great success, the city

fathers decided to make it an annual date, and indeed doubled it, presenting two fairs each year, one in March and one in October, from as early as 1898. The event has continued to grow over the years, both in participation and in popularity, driving Verona’s economic development and prestige since the fairs are accompanied by a number of social and side events like the Arena horse show and the Tombetta racecourse meetings. In 1899, Fieracavalli was flanked with a car show, as an homage to Enrico Bernardi, inventor of the first internal combustion engine and a citizen of Verona. Soon the horse fair expanded to include livestock, making the city one of the most important Italian exhibition centres in the agricultural sector, weaving together the true spirit of the Verona countryside and its traditions, which date back to the first market, held in the San Zeno basilica churchyard as far back as 807 AD. In 1906, the fair was visited by King Victor Emanuel III and after World War I, in 1924, by Prince Umberto of Savoy. In the 1930s the expansion of the fair was confirmed and by 1937 there were 850 exhibitors and 1,500 companies in attendance. Despite the onset of World War II, in 1940 the event closed a day early since the 6,000 animals present were sold in a very short space of time, recording a turnover of 22,000,000 lire (the currency of the time). In 1948, the fair celebrated its 50th anniversary in its new headquarters at Borgo Roma, and by 1950 it was already being announced as an “international fair”. The 2015 edition will be the 117th and will be held from 5 to 8 November. Be sure to save the date now! —

LA VALIGIA IN SELLA – SADDLEBAGS Fieracavalli is also worth mentioning for interesting projects that have great impact on the equine economy, focusing attention on activities that attract the interest of both professionals and amateurs. The highlight of the last edition was horseback tourism, with an entire pavilion dedicated to the “La valigia in Sella” scheme featuring the best proposals from hotels, holiday farms and stables, at home and abroad, including bridleways in China, Cuba and Oman. The title itself distinguished this Veronafiere-Fieracavalli project, presented during the fair in an aim to create a new platform for Italian equestrian tourism structures and itineraries. La valigia in sella was the voice of a sector that in Italy is already worth over 900,000,000 euros and aims to increase its slice of the general tourism budget. “The first Italian integrated equestrian tourism project has been developed. With 120,000 aficionados, 7,000 km of dedicated routes, and satellite activities worth almost one billion euros, equestrian tourism in Italy is confirmed as a fundamental aspect for the promotion of the entire sector,” said Ettore Riello, President of VeronaFiere. “With all the fairs Fiera di Verona organizes directly, it promotes a series of integrated initiatives and events serving target industries and territories. In this perspective, La valigia in sella won’t be limited to the four days of the event, but will continue throughout the year,” said Diego Valsecchi, sales director of Veronafiere. The catchment area targeted for the La valigia in sella network already counts on significant numbers nationwide: 4,500 holiday farms with their own or partner stables, more than 7,000 km of bridleways and horse trails, plus 138 fine food and wine roads, over 160 spas and more than 1,000 parks, oases and nature reserves.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The history of Fiera di Verona, one of the top establishments of its kind in Italy and in the world, began more than a century ago, in October 1897, precisely with horses.â&#x20AC;?

EVENT

Gucci Paris Masters Future Generation TEXT SOPHIE PERTUS PHOTOS JESSICA RODRIGUES/R&BPRESSE, GUETTY IMAGES

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At 3 o’clock on this Sunday afternoon (December 7th) when the Gucci Grand Prix began, there was not a seat to be had up in the Gucci Paris Masters grandstand, nor in the Masters Club, where Salvatore Sirigu, Charles Berling, Anthony Delon, Vincent Pérez and Karine Silla, Céline Sallette, Philippe Etchebest and Karine Ferri could be seen, as well as HRH the Princess Caroline of Monaco, Guillaume Canet, Marion Cotillard and Gad Elmaleh, who always enjoy coming to the Gucci Paris Masters. The aisles in the Prestige Village were teeming with people all hurrying towards the giant screen. With 350,000 euros to be divided up between the top places, this class has one of the highest purses on the circuit. It also was, according to Ludger Beerbaum, one of the hardest of the season. And the world’s most titled rider certainly knows what he’s talking about! The 17 jumps which included one triple combination and one double came in quick succession and

ÂŠ Guetty Images

EVENT

left no time for a breather: Kevin Staut’s title from last year’s 2013 edition was going to be hard to win. There were 44 potential contenders, but the difficulties concocted by the Belgian course builder Luc Musette would catch many a rider out. After the first round, there were only 12 left–the ideal number for a jump-off. Following the example of Jos Verlooy, the winner of the Longines Los Angeles Masters at the tender age of 18, came another skilful young man in Paris: Martin Fuchs riding the aptly-named PSG Future. He beat the highly experienced Ludger Beerbaum and the 20-year-old Belgium Constant van Paesshen. The City of Lights is obviously good for the Swiss rider, since he’d already been placed twice during the weekend and had also won the Prix du Salon du Cheval CENECA. As Jean-Luc Poulain, the President of Salon du Cheval pointed out, “the two events work so well together that one plus one equals three”. Martin Fuchs would certainly not refute this. He warmly thanked the spectators who had supported him, but also Christophe Ameeuw, the founder and organiser of the Masters Grand Slam Indoor, which opens its doors to young riders, who are rarely invited to such prestigious competitions. Robert Triefus, International Marketing Director for Gucci, partner of the Gucci Paris Masters since its creation in 2009, congratulated Christophe Ameeuw for the quality of the event and for the very high standards maintained in terms of sportsmanship, execution and the incredible atmosphere.. The latter pointed out that “we can always improve, innovate and create new concepts, but one thing we can’t make ourselves is the atmosphere, which is down to the spectators who were fantastic right from the first day.” The day after, the magical décor was taken down and the Masters Grand Slam Indoor began its journey across continents, starting with Asia. The party was over not for long: from the February 13th to 15th 2015, the best riders in the world, including brand-new World Champion Jeroen Dubbeldam, were already looking forward to meeting up on the other side of the globe, for the third edition of the Longines Hong Kong Masters. —

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EVENT

Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz New start for historic tournament TEXT SOPHIE RENAULDON PHOTOS IMAGESOFPOLO.COM/EVELINA JAKOVLEVSKA

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ÂŠ Swiss-image

EVENT

Every year since 1985, four top teams contest the Cartier Trophy on the frozen lake at St. Moritz at the most important polo tournament on snow. Some 15,000 spectators from all over the world have attended this sports event which is a blend of elegance, speed and agility. Starting this year, the historic tournament has a new face and a new name: the Snow Polo Cup St Moritz was been taken over by its founder, Reto Gaudenzi.

In the world of polo and even beyond, St. Moritz is synonymous with the most prestigious polo tournament on snow. Since 1985, every year, players and horses alike climb above this resort in the Engadine resort to compete for the sought-after Cartier trophy in the superb, unprecedented setting of the frozen lake. Polo playing on snow–a daring idea launched by Reto Gaudenzi - was invented here. This native of the Engadine founded and managed the tournament for 14 years prior to moving abroad and entrusting it to new organizers. After the withdrawal of the latter in 2014, it was the most natural thing in the world for Reto Gaudenzi to take back his “baby”–which is not in fact his one and only, as he has organized around a hundred tournaments on grass, sand and snow, notably in Courchevel and Kitzbühel. For this new edition, Reto Gaudenzi has enlisted the support of his friends Pedro Dillier, Thomas Rinderknecht, Werner Meyer and Andy Küchel–all major players in Swiss polo–who have created the Evviva St. Moritz Polo AG, a public limited company inviting shareholders from all countries to take part

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EVENT

in ﬁnancing the event. For Reto Gaudenzi, this was the best solution: “We wanted our project to be sustainable and this meant having a solid ﬁnancial base. This event requires considerable capital, because it is tough organizing a tournament on snow. Economically speaking, this is a very important tournament for St. Moritz because it brings in nearly CHF10 million in added value. It is therefore essential that it takes place. A public limited company offered us economic stability. The group also changed the name of the event. From now on, the Snow Polo World Cup is a registered trademark which belongs to the municipality and no longer to the organizers. “It was an important step in making this project sustainable” explains our man from the Engadine. Since last summer, the team has been busy with setting up the new cup–no easy task as it required renewing all the partnerships. “We had to start from scratch again because we didn’t renew the old contracts. So we had to convince and negotiate with every one of the sponsors. This took a lot of work, especially because times are hard. The proof is that traditional tournaments such as Courchevel and Cortina won’t be

taking place this year given the lack of sponsors” this former hotelkeeper and businessman commiserates. In four months, he and his team have nonetheless managed to conclude all the partnerships resulting in a CHF2.5 million budget. Thanks to four team sponsors, Cartier, Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, BMW and Trois Pommes; golden sponsor, Deutsche Bank; equipment supplier, La Martina; and the support of the entire community, the sustainability of the event is thus ensured. “I never doubted it. I am an optimist and a good salesman and I was sure I would be able to bring together all the elements needed to enable this tournament to continue,” says Reto Gaudenzi. His dream: for players and horses to continue competing on the frozen lake for the next 30 years. —

2015 RESULTS 1. Team Cartier Jonathan Munro Ford, Max Charlton, Jamie Morrison, Chris Hyde 2. Team BMW Rommy Giani, Paolo Netzsch, Lucas Labat, Dario Musso 3. Team Badrutt’s Palace Richard Fagan, Max Hutchinson, Richard Le Poer Beresford, James Harper 4. Team Trois Pommes Tutti Wolfensberger, Pepe Riglos, Piki Diaz Alberdi, Cédric Schweri

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JUMPING INTERVIEW

PHILIPPE ROZIER PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE PARAMOUNT INTERVIEW PASCAL RENAULDON PHOTOS JESSICA RODRIGUES/RBPRESSE

Since 1983 and his first appearance as part of the French team (at the European Championships in Hickstead), Philippe Rozier has never left high-level competition. His career has spanned over three decades, with all their highs and lows. After finishing sixth in the Paris Grand Prix Gucci (best placed French rider), Philippe’s name is once again on everyone’s lips. But perseverance is just one of his many qualities. We joined him for this interview, in which most of the questions were asked by French show jumping celebrities.

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JUMPING INTERVIEW Which leads me onto a question from Kevin Staut (French No. 1, 2009

PR: Your career has seen plenty of highs and lows: what was your highest “high” and your lowest “low”? The “lowest low” was the Sydney Olympics in 2000. We were in the lead after the first round; we had fought like lions to succeed despite starting out as the underdogs. Then, between the two rounds, my horse, Barbarian, sprained his leg when I had just 4 faults on the last fence. I had no choice but to do something I would never have done if it hadn’t been the Olympics: I completed my second round with an injured horse. I was the last to go: if I jumped clear, we would win gold; with 4 faults, we’d be silver medalists again; and 8 faults would mean bronze… and I finished with 12 faults. Terrible! We were up against the Brazilians (in the jump-off), who crushed us, and I didn’t even jump because my horse was in too much pain. Then we were slaughtered by the media, even though we finished fourth, which was perfectly respectable. As for the good memories, there are two: the Los Angeles Olympics, where I jumped clear in the team event. Unforgettable–especially since at the time my father was the French selector, which wasn’t easy. My second big moment was when I came second in the 1987 World Cup Final with Jiva. A crazy week: everyone had high hopes for Pierre Durand and Jappeloup, and John Whitaker on Milton, yet against all odds, I achieved that result. Now for some questions from “our guests”:

European Champion, two-time Team World Silver medalist, etc.)

What do you foresee for 2015? Will it be a season focused on coaching the Moroccan team, or will you be placing priority on your athletic career, given the quality of your horses? The Moroccan team doesn’t take up all of my time. It is an experience that I ﬁnd highly rewarding on a human level. I was even asked to replace Henk Nooren at the head of the team. I declined, because it is out of the question for me to stop riding right now. If sport-related circumstances, such as potentially competing in the European Championships, prevent me from accompanying them, they won’t be alone, as Olivier Desutter does a great job as my assistant, and my father is Kébir’s trainer!

“I’ll admit that I only go to competitions that offer the level of quality that I’m looking for, in terms of the ground, the facilities, sport and hospitality”

Pierre Durand (the 1988 Olympic Champion with the famous Jappeloup, the former president of the French Equestrian Federation, and a recent candidate for the FEI presidency)

You took part in your first Olympic Games at just 21 years old, in Los Angeles. You’ve been jumping at the highest level for 30 years now, which merits a great deal of respect. Beyond that, how do you view the development of our sport? Which period did you enjoy the most, and why? The late 1980s/90s with the French team and Patrick Caron. The mindset was different then. The sport has changed, as indeed have all sports: they’ve slipped into hyper-professionalism. Back then, you could get by in high-level competitions with an average horse. Now, with a horse like that, you have no chance, because the rounds have changed, and so have the technical aspects. Today, if you’re not in the saddle of a ﬁghter jet, you stand no chance. This means that it’s the power of money that makes the difference. And yet, you came 6th in the Paris Grand Prix Gucci with Rahotep de Toscane. Hasn’t that given you a boost and rekindled ambitions? Of course, and not only with Rahotep, but also the ones in the wings, Impulsion and Story: they all inspire me to take part in more 5-star shows. As far as the French team is concerned, I get the impression that it’s a bit of a closed circle these days, and very hard to get into. So I don’t get up in the morning thinking, “I want to be in the French team.” Of course I want to compete for my country, but when it comes to the European Championships this year, it will depend on my horse. I would never put too much pressure on him so that I could get to the European Championships at all costs, although I’ll admit that it will be tremendous this year since it’s being held in Aix-la-Chapelle. And after that, it’s the Rio Olympics…

Christian Baillet (the owner of Philippe Rozier’s horses).

Do you think that the demands of high-level competition leave enough time for the other activities often carried out by other high-level riders, such as managing stables, coaching, and horse trading, to remain compatible? Less and less. Just look at the way the world’s top 30 riders work. They’re around 30 years old on average, except Ludger Beerbaum; they compete every weekend, spend two days at home, and on top of that, they have three or four Grand Prix horses and a sponsor or benefactor who can buy them another if need be. That doesn’t leave much time for coaching or trading. But the world top 30 is made up of real die-hard riders, from the elite; they’re highly talented and hard-working. For the moment, it doesn’t include anyone who’s there thanks to Daddy’s money, or any riders from the so-called emerging countries. But those riders need to make a lot of sacrifices to remain in the top 30. PR: This is a good moment to express our admiration for your owner. What’s the secret behind Christian Baillet’s unfailing loyalty to you? The only secret is that I was lucky enough to find a good man: a truly passionate horseman who is enormously attentive and deeply involved in our sport, as his role as President of the Jumping Owners Club proves. He’s a good human being. He could tell me tomorrow that he’s stopping because I’m 50 and he thinks I’m too old for his horses and would rather have a 30-year-old ride them. If that happened, I could only thank him, because he has supported me so constantly, through thick and thin. The relationships he has with people are human, first and foremost. But he’s like that with everybody: once you have gained his trust and he feels the same respect that he shows to everybody, he is loyal. Our relationship

JUMPING INTERVIEW

has also stood the test of time because we share the same objectives: we both follow a policy based on young horses. He could buy me an expensive horse that was ready for a Grand Prix if he wanted. But that’s not his goal: all of his horses and all the others that he has entrusted to me–well, 90% of them–were bought at 4, 5 or 6 years old. Simon Delestre (a member of the French team that won a silver medal at the

That’s a very good question. Naturally, I was attracted to a career in horse riding because I was born into it, with an Olympic champion for a father and all the facilities available to me. As I told you, when I was a boy, I never aimed for the highest level, that came afterwards. Otherwise, I’m very interested in everything relating to décor and design… fashion, perhaps. Those are things that have always appealed to me.

Caen WEG)

Which of your horses has had the greatest impact on your career and why? Jiva, because he was the one that made me understand that I had a role to play in high-level riding… At the time, I wasn’t obsessed with making the French team and the Championships. I had been through juniors with Patrice (Delaveau) and Bosty, but I didn’t have the same ambitions they did. Then Jiva arrived, 5 years old and with 250 francs in prize money, and we progressed together all the way to the Olympic Games and second place at the World Cup Final. And it was at that point, having brought him to that level myself, as I did with all my subsequent horses, that I realized it was what I wanted to do. Marina Hands (the actress who stars in the film Chic currently being shown in cinemas throughout France, and an amateur show jumper)

Have you always dreamed of becoming what you are today, a high-level rider, or did other professions or pursuits appeal to you at times?

Gérard Manzinali (Organiser of the Chantilly Global Champions Tour)

Philippe, you have never missed a show in Chantilly. Can you tell us why you attend our events so faithfully? The ﬁrst reason is the quality of the event. To be perfectly honest, I’ll admit that I only go to competitions that offer the level of quality that I’m looking for, in terms of the ground, the facilities, sport and hospitality. Nobody has ever forced me to go to an event, not even my owners. Besides, Gérard is a friend of mine. PR: Are personal relationships important to you, then? They’re essential. I might have missed out on some opportunities in the past, but when I don’t feel a connection with someone, I’d rather not bother trying to work with them. —

JANUARY 7 - MARCH 29

march highlights (TEnTa TaTI Ta aTIvE) WEF 9 Douglas Elliman csi-W 5* “aa” march 4-8, 2015 $372,000 FEI World CupTM Grand Prix CSI-W5* presented by Douglas Elliman $127,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup $85,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Classic $25,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Semi-Final Grand Prix WEF 10 horseware ireland csi 3* “aa” march 11-15, 2015 $127,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix CSI 3* WEF 11 artisan Farms csi 4* “aa” march 18-22, 2015 $127,000 Engel & Völkers Grand Prix CSI 4* 8th Annual George Morris Excellence in Equitation Class presented by Alessandro Albanese $50,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix (Derby Field) $85,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Classic (Derby Field) WEF 12 rolex csi 5* “aa” march 25 - march 29, 2015 $500,000 Rolex Grand Prix CSI 5* $50,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup $100,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Classic Final Adequan® 6 and 7 year old Young Jumper Classics $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby (Derby Field)

POLO INTERVIEW

IGNATIUS DU PLESSIS AN UNCONVENTIONAL PLAYER INTERVIEW AND PHOTOS PASCAL RENAULDON

Spotted last year with La Aguada, which allowed him to be promoted to a handicap of 8, South Africa’s 26 year-old Ignatius du Plessis played his first final of the Abierto in December, replacing Ellerstina’s Mariano Aguerre. The Springbok rose to the occasion even if Ellerstina wound up being defeated. Ignatius, nicknamed Nachi by the Argentineans, has an unconventional profile in the world of top-level polo: he’s not Argentinean, he comes from the middle of the South African countryside and only plays in tournaments during the Argentinean season. A quick interview conducted on the edge of Palermo’s cancha una.

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POLO INTERVIEW Today, you are a top-level South African polo player who plays in Argentina. Can you tell me about your background? First of all, how did you start playing polo? I ﬁrst began riding on my grandfather’s farm near the Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa. He bred farm horses so we rode a lot. This meant that when my brother and I started playing polo at 12 years of age, we already knew how to ride and we loved horses. We enjoyed playing polo with some of our friends on the farm. We started to improve and were invited by polo players to come and play with them. After that I was lucky enough to go to a place in South Africa called Plettenberg Bay. José Donoso was playing for a South African patron and together they asked me to come to England to play. So I played in England from the age of 16 for quite a few years where I arrived with a handicap of 1. What did you do next? Then I came to play polo for a year in Argentina at Polo One (a club in Pilar, editor’s note) and the following year I began playing with the Heguys. After that I competed in many tournaments which helped me to improve a lot. That’s where I really learned how to play polo. So when you arrived in Argentina, what was your handicap? Initially it was one or two when I was 16, but a year later it was four. How do you organize your life these days and do you play anywhere in Europe or the USA? My objective is to get organised for the major Argentinean season, to play in the Copa Camara de Disputados and maybe even in the Argentienean Open. I thus do not take part in any summer tournaments in the USA or in Europe, instead playing practices with the Princes of Johor in Malaysia, and then competing here in Argentina the small season in March and April and the big season from September to December. Do you ever go back to South Africa to play? What’s the polo like there? No, I haven’t played in South Africa for a long time, for at least four or ﬁve years. So tell me about this fantastic season, and although you were disappointed with the result of the match, how it felt to be a South African playing on Cancha 1 in Palermo, in the final of the Abierto. At the beginning of the year, we were going to

play the qualiﬁcation with Guillermo Terrera and Ale Agote, but they broke their arm and their ribs respectively, so I ended up playing one game on ﬁeld 2 with my brother and we won. It was a wonderful experience playing with him. And then when the Pieres called me to play, it was a life-changing moment for me in my polo career. Coming from where I came from, to end up playing for Ellerstina in the Open, was unbelievable, simply incredible. And it happened! How did you feel after the final? Were you disappointed? Yes I was disappointed that I couldn’t deliver the goods and enable the Pieres and Ellerstina to win the Open. But afterwards I realized that it was an achievement even so. Will you still be on the Ellerstina team? No I won’t as Polito Pieres will be joining them.

THE FINAL La Dolfina Hope Funds: Adolfo Cambiaso (h) 10 (9 goals, including 7 penalties and 1 corner), David Stirling (h) 10 (4), Pablo Mac Donough 10 and Juan M. Nero 10 (1). Total: 40 Ellerstina Piaget: Facundo Pieres 10 (10, including 9 penalties), Gonzalo Pieres (h) 10 (1), Nicolás Pieres 9 (1) and Ignatius Du Plessis 8. Total: 37 Progression: La Dolfina Hope Funds: 2-2, 4-4, 7-5, 9-6, 11-8, 12-9, 14-11 et 14-12 WINNERS OF THE TRIPLE CROWN Coronel Suárez: 5 (1968, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977) Ellerstina: 2 (1994, 2010) La Dolfina: 2 (2013, 2014) Santa Ana: 1 (1973) La Aguada: 1 (2003)

ADOLFO CAMBIASO IS STILL THE BOSS Although Ignatius Du Plessis was the “rookie” of the final and the big surprise of this 121st Argentinean Open, and despite the fact that Polito Pieres was the astounding rising star of the 2014 edition, being promoted to a handicap of 10 without yet having won a final, Adolfo Cambioso nonetheless stayed on top by winning his 11th individual title, the 8th with his team La Dolfina, which thus won its second Triple Crown in a row. Winning the Triple Crown means winning the Opens at Tortugas, Hurlingham and Palermo in the same season. It is a rare feat and one that only five teams have managed to achieve since 1930 when the third tournament, Hurlingham, was created. La Dolfina has now done it twice, but it remains far behind the five Triples won by the brilliant Coronel Suárez team! Nevertheless, Cambiaso has already made his mark on history. This 11th victory was hard won, resulting from a dull final with no soul, no spark, a match which was interrupted 47 times by the umpires and marked by the tragic death of two mares which died of exhaustion in the relentless 40°C heat. Suffering from an aching back before and during the match, Cambiaso fought on bravely, relying on his appreciable talent and his loyal teammates, who remain the best players in the world. Among them, the Uruguayan player David Stirling was named MVP (most valuable player) with his fabulous chestnut mares. But, once again, it was of course Cambiaso’s legendary Cuartetera that was crowned the final’s best mare. Cuartetera played alongside one of her daughters and one of her clones

(although not in the final)! The clone itself was more of a marketing operation, as part of a new phenomenon that we have seen developing in Palermo, with breeders entrusting some of their horses (against cold hard cash) to the best players for matches as a means of advertising. To cut a long story short, in polo as in all sports, business is never far away. In this world of wheeling and dealing, Palermo remains the symbol of the Heguy family (the subject of our polo article in the Equestrio Winter 2014 edition): emotional, feisty and efficient. With an average age of 45, Bautista, Pepe, Ruso and Nachi brimmed with enthusiasm on field 2: they fought a close run match against Ellerstina (16-22, if only Nachi had been more successful with his shots; half a dozen of them missed the post by just a few centimetres), worried Allegria (18-15), and finally beat La Aguada Las Monjitas (1110), a victory celebrated as if it was a final! Yes, the breath of fresh air at Palermo came in the form of this group of forty-year olds... who will undoubtedly be back in 2015 because Pepe, Ruso and Nachi’s handicaps have been increased by one point (respectively to eight, nine and ten). The team will thus have 34 goals and will automatically qualify for the 122nd edition of this legendary tournament which ignites passion in Buenos Aires: there were nearly 20,000 spectators this year, even if they did leave this 121st final disappointed. But the next edition promises to be thrilling with, in particular, the arrival of Polito Pieres, the artist who dazzled in the semi-finals, and who will play alongside his three cousins in 2015. —

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OWNERS

ROBIN PARSKY

Putting American Show Jumpers on the world stage INTERVIEW HEATHER BUCHANAN PHOTOS NICOLA UGHI

George Morris paid horse owner Robin Parsky a high compliment when she paired Kent Farrington with her new mare Blue Angel. “You created a match made in heaven,” said the training legend. Parsky’s passion for horses has taken her from rider to owner to breeder to major force in the development of American show jumping. Patriotism, Walt Disney, and the magic of Southern California have all helped create her core values, and this world traveling go-getter knows how to set high goals… and achieve them.

Tell us about your history with horses?

I grew up in the Southern California community of Pasadena, a well-known area for equestrian sports. My mother often took me to horse shows to watch show jumping which sparked my interest. My family was involved with Disney Studios and we attended a screening of the Disneyproduced documentary, The Horse With the Flying Tail, about Nautical, a palomino former cow pony that gains fame as an international show jumper for the USET ridden by Hugh Wiley. The movie won an Academy Award and captivated me. Growing up with the Disney culture of imagination, creativity and optimism was encouraging and made me believe that living harmoniously with animals was not only desirable but achievable. My first pony jumper was a palomino named Tinkerbell, of course a Disney character. 112 SPRING ISSUE

Kent Farrington has had amazing success on your horse Blue Angel. How did you find this mare and see her potential?

She was recommended to me by IN Showjumpers and Lauren Hough. One of my favorite show jumping mares had been Ludger Beerbaum’s Ratina Z, and when I saw Blue Angel she reminded me of this fabulous mare. She was spunky, brave, bighearted and an efficient jumper, which I knew would make her very fast in jumpoffs. I grew up riding thoroughbred horses and have an affinity for the light athletic type of horse. She was also an approachable and kind mare which was a selling point to me as I spend a lot of time with my horses. I gave Kent the ride on her beginning in 2013, and they starting winning right away at the WEF. He was confident that he could bring her to her full potential on the international

circuit and he greatly admired Blue Angel’s “desire to win and big heart,” he said. She knows the difference between winning and not winning. She is very good at award ceremonies and gets pumped up and poses for the cameras. She has even been caught looking at herself on the jumbotron! It’s said that you changed her name to Blue Angel in honor of your brother, a retired US Navy Pilot. Can you tell us about that inspiration?

I am first and foremost a proud American. I knew this horse would be representing the United States and I wanted to give her a patriotic name. My brother is a graduate of the US Naval Academy and a former Navy pilot. In the Navy the ace pilots are “Blue Angels”, a popular aerobatic flight demonstration squadron worldwide. I saw

ROBIN CLEARY PARSKY Robin Cleary Parsky was born and raised in Pasadena, California where she was a child model and actress for Disney and Warner Brothers Studios. She began riding at the age of six and competed in everything from children’s jumpers to amateur owner divisions. Robin Parsky founded Buena Vista Farms in Rancho Santa Fe, California in 1992 for the purpose of breeding and training show hunters/jumpers. She has had key roles in the industry including the Equestrian Ofﬁcials Coordinator for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee and serving on the Board of Trustees of the USET Foundation since 2002. She is a leading owner with champion horses: HUDSON USEF Zone 10 Champion Amateur Owner Hunter TRISTAR USEF Horse of The Year Green Conformation Hunter PAJAMA GAME USEF Horse of the Year Hunter Breeding (homebred) FIRST LADY USEF Zone 10 Champion Hunter Breeding (homebred) EROS (group owned) ridden by Anne Kursinski US Olympic Team Silver Medal 1996 FERINA ridden by Anne Kursinski and then became foundation mare for Buena Vista Farms CLASIKO (group owned) ridden by Lauren Hough US Olympic Team 2000 BLUE ANGEL ridden by Kent Farrington currently on international circuit GAZELLE ridden by Kent Farrington currently on international circuit

how quick and precise the mare was, just like the precision pilots, so the name came to mind and seemed to suit her as well as honor my brother. I think it is important for the sport that our audiences can identify the horses and a memorable name helps. What is your personal emotional attachment to your horses? I heard you said when you sent your champion hunter Pajama Game off to train with Louise Serio that it was like you were “sending him off to college.”

Yes, I love animals, and I treat them with affection and respect. I want them to have the best chance possible in their lives. I always tell my riders, “You are going to have me with my horse,” because I relate to them, and it is good for me and for my horses. As owners we watch our horses more than

SPRING ISSUE 113

the trainers and riders because they are our main, and sometimes only, focus of attention. My sensitivity is to how my horse is feeling and responding on any given day as I watch her so closely. I feel that is my contribution. It is particularly nice to be with Kent and his staff as they know I am attached to my animals and they never say “don’t spoil her.” They are very inclusive, so I spend a good deal of time in the barn and enjoy it very much. What makes a successful relationship between rider and owner?

Communication is at the top of the list. I really like to set goals and be disciplined to try to attain them. Kent is the same. We discuss our goals both for him and for my horses and then the strategy going forward. Kent encourages me to travel wherever my horses compete so we work together on

a travel schedule. He emphasizes “being flexible” as we know situations can change in the competitive horse show world. Not so easy with the wardrobe however! When we first started working together Kent was in the top twenty and then he rose to the top ten and then to number two in the world. That ’s a huge accomplishment. I was proud of the contribution my horse and I made to Kent’s achieving so many of his goals. I do think riders need to be more genuinely appreciative that we owners are passionate, not silly or goofy, but just plain passionate about show jumping and our horses. It is a good thing and healthy, because without that passion there would be no sport of show jumping. The exposure I have had over the past two years with the Rolex sponsored FEI Jumping Owners Club has really enhanced my life on the

“When we first started working together Kent was in the top twenty and then he rose to the top ten and then to number two in the world. That ’s a huge accomplishment. I was proud of the contribution my horse and I made to Kent’s achieving so many of his goals”

OWNERS

You were the coordinator for the equestrian events at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. What are your hopes for the 2016 games in Rio?

road. Sharing experiences, information and ideas with like-minded horse owners is invaluable. I have made some great new friends in Europe and look forward to seeing them on a regular basis now. I love the special greeting of “good luck” or “bonne chance” we always exchange. We are a very supportive group. As a member of the Board of Trustees of the United States Equestrian Team Foundation you have pledged to support equestrian athletes, promote international excellence and build for the future. Where would you say the USET has been successful in meeting those goals and where do challenges still exist?

The biggest challenge for the USET Foundation is in broadening our base in order to raise the needed money to fund

I was the “Officials Coordinator” in 1984 which meant I was responsible for the FEI officials and judges and protocol matters. I was fortunate to work with HRH Prince Philip (President of the FEI in 1984), Bert DeNemethy, and Arno Gego among others. I made sure they had their uniforms, accommodations, transportation and social schedule. It was a great experience to be involved with an Olympic Games in the US, especially in my own backyard. I am a big fan of the Olympic movement. I have a new horse named Gazelle and Kent and I are very hopeful that she will be a good Nation’s Cup/Olympic horse. She has been in the “Farrington School” the past year for her “college education.” She is just turning nine and is another mare with talent and heart so we are excited. For me right now the timing is just right—I have the opportunity and the time to spend doing what I love. Blue Angel is turning 13 and is very healthy so she has a few more competitive years, and we can put her where she shines. Gazelle will just try to follow in Angel’s very large “hoof steps.” —

A FANTASTIC END OF YEAR FOR THE JUMPING OWNERS CLUB It has become the tradition for the Jumping Owners Club to seize the opportunity of the world renowned Geneva International Horse Show in December to celebrate the end of a successful and busy year! Last December, the Club organised a record number of activities during the well-attended event. On Friday, the Jumping Owners Club members were treated with a unique opportunity as they had the chance to visit Rolex headquarters in Geneva. They came back amazed by what they had the privilege to see. From tradition to modernity and high-end technologies, our members were the privileged witnesses of how excellence is expressed through the art of watchmaking.” Later that day, the French Stud-book invited the JOC members to a cocktail, held jointly with their prestigious partner Caviar House/ Prunier. The French Stud-book offered advice and assistance to owners and breeders for any question or information they could need. The evening concluded with the Rolex IJRC Top Final won by Scott brash who proved, once again, that he fully deserved his World Number 1 position.

teams that will be competitive against all the other equestrian teams in the world. As the Foundation is the main funding source for our US teams, it is an enormous undertaking to assist the riders, horses, owners and their various support staff in their travels abroad competing on behalf of our country. I am hopeful that with the advent of live streaming on the USEF network and other broadcasts we will be able to grow our audience. We must work hard to make sure these viewers also become supporters of the Foundation. I have been involved with the USET for over twenty years and I hope to continue for at least another twenty years.

On Saturday, Christian Baillet, Chairman of the Club held a meeting attended by a dozen members where ideas were shared about the sport. The informal meeting was followed by a lunch in the Rolex VIP Lounge where discussions continued enthusiastically. The Jumping Owners Club with FEI looks forward to a thrilling 2015 with many equestrian highlights and new members! Please join us in 2015 jumpingownersclub.com contact@jumpingownersclub.com

JUMPING OWNERS CLUB SUPPORTED BY

BEHIND THE SCENE

Breakfast With Kent TEXT HEATHER BUCHANAN PHOTO ELENA LUSENTI

It’s not often you get an inside look at a top show jumper’s farm. It’s a bit like getting the golden ticket to be invited to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. For number ﬁve world-ranked rider Kent Farrington, his state-of-the-art stable in Wellington, Florida reveals a bit of his winning formula to create successful grand prix horses. The 13-acre equine oasis Farrington personally designed is close to the Winter Equestrian Festival and is his home for about six months of the year. All you have to do is take a look at one of the 20 grand prix horses who looked as relaxed as can be to know that this is indeed ‘home sweet home’. Superstars like Blue Angels, Uceko, Voyeur, and up and coming Gazell relax like super models pool side. Farrington states, “I designed this barn based on what is best for horses and training.” Yet creature comforts for people also abound in a villa set aside for relaxing and refreshing with a front-row seat of the grand prix ring. Farrington speaks of dreams come true such as being a Rolex Ambassador and aligning himself with a brand that supports excellence, be it an equestrian competition, venue, rider, or watch. Precision is the name of the game for Kent, and every detail of the barn is in perfect order, from the tack room with each horse’s items meticulously labeled, luxurious stalls with fantastic views and lush green pastures, through to detailed notes for each staff member of every horse’s needs. Farrington reveals his obsession for order with a laugh, “I was a strange kid. My room was always clean.” Kent Farrington is also the deﬁnition of a team player. He likens his horse business to being a Formula One team where each member is highly trained and valued. He also values his owners as partners and an important part of his success, such as Robin Parsky who owns Blue Angel and is featured in this issue. “I sit down with the owners before we even start to have long discussions so are to ensure we have the same goals,” he explains.

A few fun facts you may not know about this top competitor: – His inspiration came from a photo of his mother on a horse– albeit a Western saddle. – Kent’s original goal was to be a steeplechase jockey. – His only superstition is that he has no superstitions. If anything seems “lucky,” he changes the plan. – He only looks forward. When asked about his wall of ribbons and trophies, his favorite is actually the empty spots to be ﬁlled by awards to come. A win at Aachen tops that wish list. – He is a perpetual student. Kent notes, “What is unique about this sport is we can do it for a long time. I am constantly looking to improve.” – While he is a driven competitor, he knows the value of rest (at least for his horses.) They can enjoy time off from competition while staying ﬁt by galloping on his specially designed track around the property. – And one thing you can learn from a world champion is that breakfast is not just breakfast–it is a sumptuous, healthy, smorgasbord of a feast.

116 SPRING ISSUE

Kent Farrington’s success has spanned more than a decade after a successful junior equitation career and gold medal performance at the North American Young Rider Championships. Farrington’s first major win was on Madison in 2004. Farrington and Up Chiqui won the Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Championships in 2007. On his first tour of Europe with the U.S. Team, Farrington and Uceko won the prestigious Longines King George V Gold Cup at the CSIO 5* Hickstead. Farrington and Uceko were also part of the Gold Medal-winning U.S. team at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. Farrington had a strong year in 2013 with wins in the Trump Invitational, presented by Rolex, the Nations Cup CSIO 4* and CSIO 4* grand prix in Wellington, the $400,000 CN Reliability Grand Prix, the Hampton Classic Horse Show, the Washington International Horse Show, and scored two huge wins in Spain and Dublin. He repeated his Trump Invitational win in 2014 aboard Blue Angel and won the second leg of the 2014 FEI World Cup Jumping Final, then had continued success in the summer with wins in Rome, Monaco, Spruce Meadows, and Aachen on the way to helping the United States team to a bronze medal at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. He is currently the number five ranked rider in the world.

RIDERS ON THE ROAD

KEVIN STAUT

BY SOPHIE RENAULDON

Since his European championship title in 2009, Kevin Staut has been a familiar face in the international top ten. He is a pillar of the French team with which he notably won two silver medals at the World Championships in 2010 and 2014. With his magnificent Silvana, he won the most prestigious Grand Prix including Bordeaux, Stuttgart and Paris. Accomplished rider and man of style, Kevin Staut abounds with natural curiosity and loves exploring the various places to which the different competitions take him. The best competition? Spruce Meadows (Calgary). It’s relaxing–a sort of American-style Aachen. Every detail of this competition has been carefully thought through.

The most beautiful city? London–it’s a truly amazing city.

Kevin dressed by Smuggler

Your favorite hotel during competitions? The Hermitage Barrière at La Baule. I love the traditional aspect of this hotel in which every room has its own special character and uninterrupted views of the sea.

Portable speaker Bose SoundLink Mini

A restaurant that you particularly like? Miss KÕ in Paris

Asian restaurants in general. Miss Ko in Paris, the Buddha Bar in London or Paris, Taokan in Paris. Otherwise in Deauville, the more classic restaurants such as Le 21 and Le Comptoir and La Table.

Do you go more for local specialties or are you a steak and chips kind of guy? Local specialties, although I would never turn down a good piece of meat.

Hotel Hermitage Barrière La Baule

Are there places that you always go back to? I like going back to areas I have enjoyed in certain cities (like Camden and Soho in London) as well as the restaurants and bars that go with them.

What items do you always have in your luggage? IPod speakers–I struggle if I don’t have music for long.

The match you wouldn’t miss for anything when you’re traveling? Tennis: a Nadal-Federer or Nadal-Djokovic match. Does it come across that I am pro-Nadal? Chase vodka

What do you buy in airport duty-free shops? Perfume or local/rare vodka if they have it. SPRING ISSUE 119

Wraith is the most powerful Rolls-Royce in history. Behind the deep set Pantheon grille sits a potent 6.6 litre, twin turbo-charged V12 engine. Delivering 624 bhp with 800 Nm of torque, it powers from 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds. Even with this formidable power, Wraith is every inch a refined Rolls-Royce with electronically controlled air suspension that creates the signature â&#x20AC;&#x153;magic carpet rideâ&#x20AC;?.

MOTORS

ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS

THE MAGICAL MANUFACTURING PLANT TEXT HEATHER BUCHANAN PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS

If you can imagine a high-tech, automotive version of Santa’s Workshop–you might envision the pristine manufacturing plant where the world’s most coveted set of wheels, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, are assembled by hand. Instead of the North Pole, this dream factory and company headquarters are located outside London near Chichester, West Sussex. Tucked away in the Goodwood Estate of the Earl of March and next to the famous racecourse which is the pinnacle of the British summer social scene, the plant is almost invisible. In order not to disrupt the view from the estate or even from the air, the building, designed by Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, has live sedum plants covering the roof and is surrounded by more than 400,000 trees and shrubs. The bright factory with huge windows for natural light operates 16 stations where the technicians spend exactly 49 minutes (not 48 and not 50) to complete the appointed task be it inserting the engine, building the dashboard, or installing the fiber optic roof with a thousand points of light to mimic stars in the night sky. The line workers wear stylish uniforms with Velcro–no rings, watches, or buckles allowed which might possibly scratch the hand-polished surface. When this state of the art plant opened in 2003, it made 300 cars in the first year with a staff of 350. Last year it set a record, producing 4000 cars with 1500 staff. With the sportier Wraith, one of the growth markets for the brand is women–now comprising 10 to 15 percent of buyers. While large in scale, the cars handle like a dream and their names of Phantom, Ghost and Wraith indicate they are so silent they can barely be heard going by. For proud owners of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars who wait about 6 months to get their prized bespoke beauty, this is the land of “Your wish is our command,” where no two cars are alike. Clients get to completely customize their cars from the color of the paint and leather to hand-inlayed wood work to customized champagne buckets. Custom paint color requests range from a Middle East customer who wanted a certain shade of gold which required 19 grams of pure gold powder in each liter of paint to an haute couture designer who presented her Chanel lipstick as her desired hue. Each car along the line bears the flag of its owner’s country–indicating not only specific requirements for each country but a portrait of the global economy. America is now the number one source of buyers. This luxe company is also a conscious company. The plant uses geo-thermal heating and cooling utilizing its two man-made lakes. The leather comes from free range bulls bred for organic meat. Each hide is inspected and any imperfections noted so only the most pristine is hand stitched into the seats. And the line workers sit down to lunch every day with the top brass in the company dining room. The pride of ownership is matched in no less part than the pride in manufacturing. —

SPORTING

TALK

BY PASCAL RENAULDON

SABINE PALAU Director of the Jumping International de Bordeaux

This elegant blonde with a background in marketing has been in charge of the Jumping International de Bordeaux for the last three years. She has supported this project since the very beginning, in 1994, when the Bordeaux Exhibition Center decided to take over and ensure the continuation of this event, originally established by the Coupérie Family in the 1970s. Thanks to Sabine’s tightly-knit team, Bordeaux is one of the three remaining founding legs of the legendary World Cup circuit. Cette élégante blonde issue du marketing est désormais depuis trois ans la «boss» du Jumping international de Bordeaux. Un projet qu’elle a porté depuis le début, en 1994, année où Congrès Exposition Bordeaux a décidé de reprendre pour le pérenniser cet événement créé par la famille Coupérie dans les années 70. Grâce à cette équipe de CEB resserrée autour de Sabine, Bordeaux reste l’une des trois étapes fondatrices encore actives de ce fabuleux circuit qu’est la Coupe du monde.

122 SPRING ISSUE

Could you tell us in a nutshell about your love of horses? We’re all horse enthusiasts in the family, including my three children. In fact, this enthusiasm is growing all the time. I try to ride as often as possible, three or four times a week. I have my own horse with French origins, with which I jump from time to time, although not too much as I have a bad back.

Pouvez-vous nous résumer votre passion personnelle pour les chevaux? C’est une passion familiale que je partage avec mes trois enfants. Une passion qui va même croissante. J’essaye de monter le plus souvent possible, de trois à quatre fois par semaine. Je possède un cheval aux origines bien françaises avec lequel je m’amuse à sauter un peu… mais pas trop car j’ai un dos fragile.

So your love of horses inspired you to manage the team of the Jumping de Bordeaux? Yes, and it has been fascinating to discover the world of high-level competition, and all of us within this organization are also passionate about the event industry too, ranging from the marketing and sales aspects to communication. Of course, it is an added bonus to be familiar with the horse world.

C’est évidemment cette passion qui vous a conduit à la direction du Jumping de Bordeaux? Bien sûr et ce monde du haut niveau a été une découverte passionnante, mais c’est aussi la passion de l’événementiel qui nous anime dans cette organisation: toute la mécanique marketing et commerciale ainsi que la communication. Naturellement, c’est un atout que de connaître l’univers du cheval.

Since 1974, and since 1978 for the World Cup, the Jumping de Bordeaux has always managed to move with the times; what is your secret for long-lasting success? I think it comes from the fact that we hold the sport in high esteem, that we give it pride of place, which echoes the exacting standards of the very loyal Bordeaux public, who are some of the most discerning on the circuit. But also, I think that our professional approach to event organizing is one of the keys to its continued success.

Depuis 1974 et 1978 pour la Coupe du monde, le jumping de Bordeaux a su traverser les âges: quel est le secret de cette longévité? Je crois que cela tient au respect que nous avons pour le sport, à la priorité que nous lui accordons et qui est en phase avec l’exigence du très ﬁdèle public bordelais, l’un des plus connaisseurs du circuit. Ensuite, je crois que notre approche professionnelle de l’organisation de l’événement est une clé de sa solidité.

What are the main difficulties which you face today as a horse show organizer? There are a great many hurdles, and balancing the budget is one of them. Despite the fact that this is an established event, every year we challenge the status quo. The international context and the evolution of competitions are additional obstacles. We have to compete with the appeal of events outside Europe. I’m naturally thinking of Wellington, but above all, of the kind of events which burst onto the scene in the Middle East, such as a Grand Prix boasting €800,000 of prize money.They are quite simply out of our league. Why does Congrès Exposition Bordeaux, an organization that has no particular historical ties with horses, wish to maintain, develop and perpetuate this equestrian event ? Even though few of the team members are riders, the Jumping is a kind of interlude in the life of the company that mobilises and motivates teams which are proud to showcase the skills and expertise of CEB.

Quelle est la principale difficulté aujourd’hui pour un organisateur de concours? Les contraintes sont multiples et l’équilibre budgétaire en fait partie. Même si l’événement est bien établi, c’est chaque année une remise en question. Le contexte international et l’évolution des concours en sont une autre. Il faut faire face à l’attractivité d’événements hors Europe. Je pense à Wellington, bien sûr, mais surtout à ces concours qui émergent soudainement au Moyen-Orient avec un Grand Prix à 800 000 euros et sur lesquels nous ne pouvons nous aligner… Concours qui peuvent d’ailleurs disparaître dès la saison suivante! Pourquoi Congrès Exposition Bordeaux, organisme qui historiquement n’a pas grand chose à voir avec les chevaux, vous mise à part, tient-il à maintenir, développer et pérenniser cet événement équestre? Même si peu de collaborateurs au sein de l’équipe sont cavaliers, le jumping est une sorte de parenthèse dans la vie de l’entreprise qui, à travers cet événement, mobilise et motive les équipes, ﬁères de montrer les métiers et le savoir-faire de CEB.

LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING FINAL LAS VEGAS

The Equestrian World Comes to Las Vegas

APRIL 15 - 19, 2015

REEM ACRA FEI WORLD CUP DRESSAGE FINAL LAS VEGAS

Purchase tickets at WorldCupLasVegas.com /WorldCupLV

™

CULTURE BY PASCAL RENAULDON

BOOK DRESSAGE AND COMPETING LE DRESSAGE ET LA COMPÉTITION By/Par Colonel Christian Carde and Madeleine Debure Editions Belin. 125 pages, 23 € This former Cadre Noir head groom knows competitive dressage well, since beneath his black tunic beats the heart of a 1979 French champion and an international rider to Olympic Games level. The somewhat forbidding title of the book conceals a juicy text which dares question top-level dressage (and its derivatives) with regards to the manner in which it is practiced today. This long interview conducted by Madeleine Debure, dressage teacher and arts graduate (hence the effortless writing) will undoubtedly cause debate and so much the better. It also contains anecdotes as well as accounts of meetings between the Colonel and other personalities from the art of horseriding such as the Portuguese master, Nuno Oliveira or German Willi Schultheis who asked Christian Carde to ride his legendary horse, Woyzeck. The key word here and Christian Carde’s struggle–a return to lightness–is reﬂected throughout practically everything he says. A must for everyone and not only those who practice dressage. although some of the latter are in for a shock! And we promise that this book will even make you laugh! Ancien écuyer en chef du Cadre Noir, le Colonel Christian Carde connaît sur le bout des rènes le dressage de compétition car sous sa tunique noire, il a fut champion de France en 1979 et cavalier international jusqu’aux Jeux olympiques. Sous ce titre, sans doute un brin austère, se cache un succulent texte qui ose remettre en question le dressage de haut-niveau (et ses dérives) tel qu’il est pratiqué aujourd’hui. Cette longue interview menée par Madeleine Debure, enseignante de dressage et diplômée de lettres (d’où l’écriture ﬂuide) fera sans doute polémique et c’est tant mieux. On y trouve124 SPRING ISSUE

ra également des anecdotes, les rencontres du Colonel avec des personnages de l’art équestre tel le maître portugais Nuno Oliveira ou l’Allemand Willi Schultheis qui avait proposé à Christian Carde de monter son cheval mythique Woyzeck. Le maître-mot et le combat de Christian Carde – le retour à la légèreté – reste en ﬁligrane de la majeure partie pratiquement chacun de ses propos. A mettre entre toutes les mains et pas seulement celles des dresseurs qui pour certains, risquent de recevoir un choc ! Un livre qui surprend et réussit même le pari de faire rire.

BOOK ZINGARO ALMANACH BY/PAR BARTABAS Editions Actes Sud. 29 € Firstly, we love the object–a mish-mash which retraces the unusual adventure of the Zingaro theatre since 1984. An artistic muddle of memories which mixes up old posters, photos, log books and articles that tell the tale of 30 years of shows from Aubervilliers to Hong Kong via New York, Santiago de Chile, Moscow and Istanbul. Shows that one might love to a greater or lesser degree, but this crazy creator and traveler, horseman and actor, is undoubtedly the best versed individual in French equestrian art and creation on the planet.

On aimera l’objet d’abord, un pêle-mêle qui retrace l’aventure atypique du théâtre Zingaro depuis 1984. Un fouillis artistique de souvenirs qui mélange vieilles afﬁches, photos, carnets de route et articles retraçant trente ans de spectacles d’Aubervilliers à Hong Kong via New York, Santiago du Chili, Moscou ou Istanbul. Des spectacles qui divisent parfois le public, mais Zingaro, fou créateur et voyageur, homme de cheval et de théâtre est sans doute l’ambassadeur le plus assidu de l’art et de la création équestre à la française à travers la planète.

EXHIBITION MICHEL CHARRIER HORSES, PAINTINGS /CHEVAUX, PEINTURES Commanderie de Chanu – 27640 Villiers-en-Désoeuvre until April 19 th/jusqu’au 19 avril – commanderiedechanu.fr Giverny is not the only place in the department of Eure in Normandy which is bursting with greater or lesser-known architectural treasures. There is undoubtedly Giverny, as well as the incredibly spectacular château du Champ de Bataille, but there are also lesser-known treasures such as the Commanderie de Chanu, founded by the Templiers. A pleasant visit that takes about an hour and which usually ends with a painting exhibition. At the moment, this exhibition is devoted to Michel Charrier’s equestrian works, which are mainly watercolors or drawings in black ink with severe lines and great reﬁnement that suggests the bare essentials: the harmony between horses, man and nature, the beauty and grace of the horses and riders, the ﬂuid, varied gaits of the animal!

Il n’y a pas que Giverny dans l’Eure. Ce département normand regorge de richesses architecturales plus ou moins connues. Il y a Giverny, donc, le très spectaculaire château du Champ de Bataille également, mais il y a des trésors méconnus comme la Commanderie de Chanu, fondée par les Templiers. Une jolie visite d’une petite heure qui se termine en général par une exposition de peinture. En ce moment, cette expo est consacrée aux œuvres équestres de Michel Charrier, essentiellement des aquarelles ou des dessins à l’encre noire au trait sobre et d’une grande ﬁnesse qui suggèrent l’essentiel: l’harmonie entre le cheval, l’homme et la nature, la beauté et la grâce du cheval et des cavalières, les belles allures souples et variées de l’animal !

KAVALLISTÉ SEASON 2 Equestrian show at the Grandes écuries de Chantilly Spectacle équestre aux Grandes écuries de Chantilly from April 2nd to November 1st 2015 du 2 avril au 1er novembre 2015 1H10 – domainedechantilly.com From April onwards, the second season of Kavallisté, the polyphonic equestrian show will take place under the majestic dome of the Grandes écuries. This is unquestionably the most successful show to ever take place at the Musée du Cheval.

L’âme corse aux Grandes écuries spectacle équestre et musical avec la participation du trio sarocchi

Photos : Shutterstock / Abramova Kseniya, Apostrophe, Tarchyshnik Andrei - Conception : Agence Marie Louise, M. Savart Maquettiste Graphiste - Création et mise en scène : Sophie et Virginie Bienaimé - Création costumes : Monika Mucha - Création Lumière : Thierry Alexandre - Régie lumière : Sophie Justin Création décor : Michel Blancard - Musique et chants : le Trio Sarocchi - Voltige : Benjamin Grain ou Sébastien Desenne - Avec Sophie Bienaimé et les cavalières du Musée du Cheval : Christina Garcia-Rios, Élodie Jacquet, Nathalie Lecoultre, Morgane Michot, Mathilde Pouteau et Caroline Vitry.

lliste',

SHOW

avril, mai, juin septembre, octobre 2015 RÉsERVATIONs : www.domainedechantilly.com www.francebillet.com www.ticketnet.fr

De Paris

25 min

45 min

In 2014, this meeting between Chantilly’s artist riders and polyphonic artists from the Ile de Beauté resulted in an amazing, unexpected and original show. A series of equestrian scenes showing Kallisté (“the most beautiful island” according to the ancient Greeks) through magniﬁcent costumes made by Czech Monica Mucha and the awesome voices of the Trio Sarrochi: Xavier Giacomeni, JeanPierre Pieve and Benoit Sarocchi. The 2014 season seen by more than 18 000 spectators naturally led to exchanges between singers and riders–resulting in “Corsican vigils” which enabled Sophie Bienaimé, the creator of the show, to discover new polyphonies that the artistic director of the theatre wanted to incorporate into the 2015 version of Kavallisté. Consequently, those who loved the 2014 vintage can come right back this year and even more so because there will be new horses on stage! But the spirit and skeleton of Kavallisté remain the same, notably with these specially written polyphonies by Benoit Sarocchi for the needs of an equestrian show such as the A cavallu “hits” which illustrate a Corsican ﬁesta or Liberta, accompanying a moving, un-choreographed song.

Kavallisté is everything but a tourist or historic catalogue of Corsica. It tells the tale of the deep-seated values of this island: its traditions, identity, the earth, sea and mountains. An authenticity that Sophie Bienaimé went in search of on-site through meetings with Corsicans: the authors, people of the land, as well as Jean-Yves and Valérie Casalta, who revived the Brandu Carnival (whose 2015 edition will take place on February 15) and which is referred to in Kavallisté. A partir du mois d’avril se donnera sous le majestueux dôme des Grandes écuries, la 2e saison du spectacle équestre et polyphonique, Kavallisté. Sans doute le plus réussi des spectacles donnés au Musée du Cheval. En 2014, cette rencontre entre les artistes cavalières de Chantilly et les artistes polyphonistes de l’île de Beauté avait donné un spectacle étonnant, inattendu et original. Une série de tableaux équestres évoquant Kallisté («la plus belle île» selon les Grecs anciens) à travers de magniﬁques costumes signés de la Tchèque Monica Mucha et les somptueuses voix du Trio Sarrochi: Xavier Giacomeni, Jean-Pierre Pieve et Benoit Sarocchi. Cette première rencontre et les trente-six représentations de la saison 2014 vues par plus de 18 000 spectateurs ont bien évidemment engendré des échanges entres les chanteurs et les cavalières. Des «veillées corses» qui ont permis à Sophie Bienaimé, créatrice de ce spectacle, de découvrir de nouvelles polyphonies que la directrice artistique du Musée du Cheval a souhaité intégrer dans la version 2015 de Kavallisté. Ainsi, ceux qui ont déjà adoré la version 2014 pourront revenir cette année d’autant que de nouveaux chevaux apparaîtront sur scène! Mais l’esprit, l’ossature de Kavallisté restent les mêmes avec notamment ces polyphonies spécialement écrites par Benoit Sarocchi pour les besoins d’un spectacle équestre comme les «tubes» A cavallu, qui illustre une fête corse ou Liberta, qui accompagne un émouvant numéro en liberté. Kavallisté est tout sauf un catalogue touristique ou historique de la Corse. Il raconte les valeurs profondes de cette île: ses traditions, son identité, la terre, la mer et la montagne. Une authenticité que Sophie Bienaimé est allée chercher sur place à travers des rencontres avec des Corses: des auteurs, des gens de la terre, mais également Jean-Yves et Valérie Casalta qui ont ressuscité le Carnaval de Brandu (dont l’édition 2015 aura lieu le 15 février) et qui est évoqué dans Kavallisté.

THEATRE IVANOV BY/PAR ANTON TCHEKHOV Directing/Mise en scène Luc Bondy – with/avec Marina Hands – Théâtre de l’Odéon January 29th to March 1st and April 7th to May 3rd 2015 du 29 janvier au 1er mars et du 7 avril au 3 may 2015 3h20 – €6 to €38 – theatre-odeon.eu

Chekhov’s plays are always great pieces of theater, and Ivanov is one of his masterpieces. Nikolai Ivanov is overwhelmed with managing his land. Business is bad: he has no money left to pay the workers, and he owes interest. Ivanov married the love of his life, who abandoned her Jewish parents, converted, and forsook her fortune to marry him. Now, he finds himself drifting away from her without understanding why… Luc Bondy’s amazing production, in keeping with Tchekov’s plays, boasts 15 actors including the rider Marina Hands and five musicians. Un Tchekhov est toujours un grand moment de théâtre. Des textes magnifiques, riches et surtout «audibles» qui plongent dans la Russie rurale du XIXe siècle. Ivanov n’échappe bien sûr pas à la règle: c’est l’un de ses chefs d’œuvres. Nicolas Ivanov est dépassé par la gestion de terres. Ses affaires vont mal: il n’a plus d’argent pour payer les ouvriers et doit des intérêts. Ivanov a vécu une grande passion amoureuse avec sa femme qui a rompu avec ses parents juifs, changé de religion et abandonné sa fortune pour l’épouser. Maintenant, il en est arrivé à ne plus l’aimer sans comprendre pourquoi… Une gigantesque mise en scène comme l’exigent les Tchekhov avec quinze acteurs, dont la «cavalière» Marina Hands (Sarah, l’épouse) et cinq musiciens signée Luc Bondy.

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JUMPING SAUT HERMÈS: HORSES IN PARIS APRIL 10th to 12th – 10 au 12 AVRIL 2015 sauthermes.com

Le cheval est de plus en plus présent dans Paris. C’est au Grand Palais qu’il y avait posé pour la première fois les sabots en tant que cheval de sport. C’était en 1901 avec les premiers concours hippiques sous la célèbre verrière. Depuis, le cheval de concours hippique a investi le Vel d’Hiv, la Porte de Versailles, le Parc des Princes, le Palais Omnisport de Paris-Bercy lors

JUMPING CANNES: GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR JUNE 11th to 13th – 11 au 13 JUIN 2015 jumpingcannes.com

Horses are more present in Paris than ever before. Their initial appearance in the city in a sporting context was back in 1901 at the Grand Palais, for the ﬁrst horse-riding shows under the famous glass roof. After that, competition horses took over the Vel d’Hiv, the Porte de Versailles, the Parc des Princes, the Paris-Bercy Palais Omnisport (during the World Cup’s glory days) and the Champ de Mars, before leaving the city center and settling at the Parc de la Villette with the Gucci Masters. However in 2010, Hermès brought sport horses back to the heart of Paris–to the Grand Palais, the very place they had left 53 years earlier–with a CSI 5* jumping event bearing the colors of the Maison Hermès. The Saut Hermès is also a cultural event at which the prestigious Rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré saddlers present their profes-

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The Longines Global Champions Tour loves France (unless it’s the other way round?). But before the Paris Eiffel Jumping and Chantilly Cannes was the very first French stage of this prestigious circuit launched by Jan Tops. Cannes is also the first French show on the calendar. A few weeks after the film festival, the horses receive their awards just a few hundred meters further along La Croisette, in a rather unusual urban setting: under the palm trees of the swanky Jardin des Hespérides. François Bourey and his loyal team have a gift for organizing a jumping event with a feel for days of yore: sport at its very best, but it goes hand in hand with a program in which l’art de vivre is king, with plenty of time to savor Cannes and the company of others. The riders are more relaxed than elsewhere, but when

des grandes heures de la Coupe du monde et le Champ de Mars avant de sortir du périphérique et s’installer au Parc de la Villette avec le Gucci Masters. Mais en 2010, grâce à Hermès, le cheval de sport est revenu au cœur de Paris, au Grand Palais, 53 ans après l’avoir quitté, avec un CSI 5* entièrement aux couleurs de la Maison Hermès. Le Saut Hermès, c’est également un rendez-vous culturel où la vénérable sellerie du faubourg Saint-Honoré montre son métier, expose et reçoit des écrivains du monde du cheval dans sa librairie éphémère. Un rendez-vous assez unique dans un environnement sans sponsors, exclusivement décoré aux couleurs de la Maison Hermès!

the time comes to perform, the pace picks up again. After all, this is a rather special LGCT Grand Prix, due not only to the considerable amount of prize money, but also to its historical importance: the first Cannes Grand Prix took place in 1972. Le Longines Global Champions Tour aime la France. A moins que ce soit le contraire… Mais avant le Paris Eiffel et Chantilly, Cannes avait été la toute première étape française du prestigieux circuit initié par Jan Tops. Cannes l’est également dans le calendrier. Quelques semaines après le festival du film, les palmes se distribuent aux chevaux quelques centaines de mètres plus loin, toujours sur la Croisette, dans un décor urbain assez unique. Une atmosphère des plus suaves sous les palmiers du jardin des Hespérides. François Bourey et sa fidèle équipe ont ce don de proposer un jumping à l’ancienne côté ambiance: le sport à son meilleur niveau mais dans un programme où l’art de vivre a toujours sa place. Le temps de profiter de Cannes,

RENDEZVOUS E QUES TR IO

sion, exhibit their goods and play host to authors from the horse world in its temporary bookshop. This unique event takes places in a setting without any sponsors, where the only colors that take pride of place are those of the Maison Hermès!

le temps de proﬁter des autres. Les cavaliers sont plus décontractés qu’ailleurs mais quand l’heure est au sport, les choses sérieuses reprennent. Surtout avec un Grand Prix LGCT non seulement bien doté et qui appartient en plus à l’histoire puisque le premier Grand Prix de Cannes s’est disputé en 1972.

POLO POLO DE PARIS: A NEW SEASON UNDER WAY IN APRIL polodeparis.com After the successful completion of the new sand circuit, the Polo Arena Tour, (Salon du Cheval, Bagatelle, Pôle International du Cheval in Deauville, and the finals in Chantilly) in the Bagatelle indoor school, le Polo de Paris is gearing up for the “green” season. At last! The grass matches will begin on April 11th with the Tournoi de l’Alliance (4/6 goals), and things will get serious on May 2nd with the Tournoi du Printemps, a 10-goal competition like the esteemed Open de Paris Maserati (June 13th to 28th), which will be holding its 121st edition and is thus exactly the same age as the Argentinean Open in Palermo! Après le passage réussi du nouveau circuit sur sable dans le manège de Bagatelle, le Polo Arena Tour (Salon du Cheval, Bagatelle, Pôle international du Cheval de Deauville et finales à Chantilly), le Polo de Paris se prépare à la saison «verte». Enfin! Début des échanges sur gazon, le 11 avril avec le Tournoi de l’Alliance (4/6 goals) et début des choses sérieuses le 2 mai avec le Tournoi de Printemps qui est une compétition de 10 goals tout comme le vénérable Open de Paris Maserati (13 au 28 juin) qui a exactement le même âge que l’Open d’Argentine à Palermo puisqu’il en est à sa 121e édition!

JUMPING AACHEN, ACT ONE: THE ROLEX GRAND SLAM OF SHOW JUMPING MAY 29th to 31st – 29 au 31 MAI 2015

chioaachen.de As we know, Aachen will be playing host to the amazing European Championships from August 11th to 23rd in five disciplines: show jumping, dressage, driving, vaulting and reining, accompanied by a three-star eventing competition. Naturally, the Rolex Grand Slam couldn’t be organized during this period as many of the horses involved are stars of the circuit. But there’s no need to worry: the Soers Stadium will open its doors on May 29th for a five-star dressage and show jumping event whose grand finale on Sunday 31st will be the first stage of the 2015 Rolex Grand Slam, the Aachen Rolex Grand Prix.

«Aachen», on le sait, va accueillir de fantastiques Championnats d’Europe du 11 au 23 août dans cinq disciplines: jumping, dressage, attelage, voltige et reining, plus un concours complet trois étoiles. Evidemment, le Grand Slam Rolex ne pouvait se disputer à ce moment-là car il s’adresse lui aussi aux meilleurs chevaux du circuit. Pas de problème, le Stade de Soers ouvrira ses portes dès les 29 mai pour un concours de dressage et de saut d’obstacles cinq étoiles qui se terminera donc en apothéose le dimanche avec la première étape 2015 du Grand Slam Rolex, le Rolex Grand Prix d’Aixla-Chapelle.

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PARTNER HOTELS & SPAS FRANCE

Le Chalet des Sens Hôtellerie Privée

Sens Ô Riel Le Mont D’Arbois – 40 allée des 3 cailloux – 74120 Megève T. +33 (0) 5 46 30 62 62 – contact@chalet-des-sens.com sens-o-riel.fr Sens Ô Riel opens the doors to its unique property and offers you exclusive services. With Sens Ô Riel, experience the magic of precious moments in an atmosphere of delicate perfumes, rare and exclusive: luxurious property and hotel business, top-of-therange made to measure services, experience exceptional moments in an outstanding location. Perfectly located on the slopes and on the Golf course of Mont D’Arbois in Megève (French Alps), Chalet des Sens welcomes you with luxury, elegance and refinement for a timeless moment. Discover the magic of cozy spaces where privacy and sharing are cleverly combine, where every detail, every material has been designed and implemented to provide our clients with excellence and ultimate comfort. Enjoy a made to measure service with the privileges of an intimacy preserved in the heart of an exceptional setting. Le Chalet des Sens offers a unique sensory relaxation area with its own Private SPA Nuxe.

Mêler sérénité, luxe et privilège, tel est le cadeau que Sens Ô Riel Hôtellerie Privée® vous offre en ouvrant les portes de sa propriété exclusive. Vivez toute la magie d’instants précieux aux parfums délicats, rares et exclusifs: propriété et hôtellerie de luxe, services et prestations sur-mesure très haut de gamme, dans un lieu d’exception pour vivre des moments d’exception. Parfaitement situé aux pieds des pistes et du Golf du Mont d’Arbois à Megève, Le Chalet des Sens vous accueillera avec luxe, élégance et raffinement pour une parenthèse hors du temps. Venez découvrir la magie des espaces chaleureux où se conjuguent intimité et partage, où chaque détail, chaque matière ont été pensé et mis en œuvre pour apporter à nos clients l’excellence et le confort ultime. Profitez d’un service personnalisé et des prestations sur-mesure avec les privilèges de l’indépendance et d’une intimité préservée au cœur d’un cadre exceptionnel. Le Chalet des Sens offre un espace de relaxation sensoriel inédit grâce à son propre SPA Privé Nuxe.

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Hôtel des Dromonts ★★★★

Les Sources de Caudalie

40 Place des Dromonts – 74110 Avoriaz T. +33 (0) 4 56 44 57 00 – reservation@hoteldesdromonts.com

Chemin de Smith Haut Lafitte – 33650 Bordeaux-Martillac T. 33 (0) 5 57 83 83 83 – Fax. +33 (0) 5 57 83 83 84 sources@sources-caudalie.com

As an iconic establishment, with a rich history, the Hotel des Dromonts manages to preserve its original spirit while bringing in new, modern touches with local, noble materials... The original shingle-style siding, a hallmark of the ski area and the period, combines with bright colors and locally quarried slate stones to make the interior of the Hotel des Dromonts a beautiful mix of modern comfort and lively peppy sixties style. Bold and revolutionary lines are revisited with warm, convivial decor touches bringing out all the best of the mid-century mod style. Settle in around the fireplace after a day on the slopes and take full advantage of the cozy rooms that offer a calming cocoon of luxury and charm.

VINOTHÉRAPIE® Located in Les Sources de Caudalie, the Caudalie’s Vinotherapie® Spa offers exclusive treatments in an incredible natural setting. The refined atmosphere of the treatment rooms, the blend of noble materials uniting wood and stone, and the size of the building, reminiscent of an old tobacco kiln; all were designed to harmonize perfectly with the great landscape of the vineyards and give the relaxation lounges a distinctive style. Unique treatments combine the virtues of natural hot spring water drawn from 540 meters beneath the earth – rich in minerals and oligo-elements - with the most recent scientific discoveries of the benefits of the grape and the grapevine.

VINOTHÉRAPIE®

Comme une pomme de pin accrochée à une falaise, le mythique hôtel des Dromonts demeure 40 ans après sa création une œuvre architecturale contemporaine, aussi époustouflante que les cimes enneigées qu’il côtoie. Les dénivelés audacieux et les lignes révolutionnaires ont été revisités dans un esprit cosy, sublimant le design version années 60. En se lovant le soir venu dans le décor boisé et l’ambiance feutrée des chambres cocon, on se souviendra sans aucun doute de son créateur Jacques Labro, qui avait imaginé le lieu comme un «espace ludique pour grands enfants». Un lieu de rêve pour. profiter d’un voyage de luxe entièrement sur-mesure

Au sein des Sources de Caudalie, le Spa Vinothérapie® Caudalie propose un programme de soins exclusifs dans un environnement d’une rare beauté. L’atmosphère raffinée des cabines, le savant mélange de matériaux nobles mariant le bois et la pierre, les volumes du bâtiment qui rappellent les vieux séchoirs à tabac ont été étudiés pour s’harmoniser parfaitement avec les paysages de vignes alentour et confèrent aux salles de repos un cachet tout particulier. Ces soins uniques au monde allient les vertus d’une eau de source naturellement chaude, riche en minéraux et oligo-éléments puisée à plus de 540 mètres, aux plus récentes découvertes scientifiques sur les bienfaits de la vigne et du raisin. Laissez-vous chouchouter par les mains expertes des vinothérapeutes qui vous prodigueront des soins exceptionnels à base des produits Caudalie, aux propriétés anti-oxydantes et anti-âge.

January 8 - March 28, 2015 march highlights (TEnTaTIvE) march 5-8: agDF 9 Dressage CDI W/1*/U25/Y/J/P Presented by Everglades Dressage and Peacock Ridge Palm Beach Dressage Derby Friday, march 6, 7 pm - “Friday Night Stars” Grand Prix Freestyle Presented by Everglades Dressage march 12-15: agDF 10 Dressage CDI W/3*/1*/U25/ Y/J/P Presented by Today’s Equestrian and Diane and George Fellows, and Mike & Roz Collins

FrEE gEnEral aDmission anD parking for the adequan global Dressage Festival ®

Friday, march 13, 7 pm - “Friday Night Stars” Grand Prix Freestyle Presented by Today’s Equestrian and Diane and George Fellows march 21-22: agDF 11 Dressage National march 25-28: agDF 12 Dressage CDIO 3*/3*/1*/ U25/Y/J/P Presented by Stillpoint Farm Dressage Nations Cup Friday, march 27, 7 pm - “Friday Night Stars” Grand Prix Freestyle Presented by Stillpoint Farm

The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center 13500 South Shore Blvd. | Wellington, FL 33414 www.globaldressagefestival.com | 561.793.5867

PARTNER HOTELS & SPAS FRANCE

My Blend by Clarins Spa Hôtel Majestic Barrière ★★★★★ 10, La Croisette – 06407 Cannes T. +33 (0) 4 92 98 77 00 – Reservation: +33 (0) 970 820 900 To create an exceptionally pleasurable and efficient break, Clarins has designed programmes which include several treatments and massages for the Majestic. Experience a moment of unforgettable magic. A cocoon-like space offering four treatment rooms (including one double room), a pedicure-manicure room, a hairdressing space, a sauna, a hammam, an “experience course” (for multi-sensory stimulation), and a relaxation room. The Hotel Majestic Barrière invites you to try its new beauty facilities at the My Blend Spa by Clarins, situated just a few steps away from your room or sun lounger. At an exceptional and highly select location spanning 450 m², enter a wonderful temple of well-being and let yourself be pampered with ground-breaking Clarins treatments and expert coaching.

Lodge Park ★★★★ 100 rue d’Arly — 74120 Megève T. +33 (0) 4 50 93 05 03 — www.lodgepark.com The Lodge Park is a trendy trapper-style retreat in the center of Megève that offers a genuine invitation to travel and experience adventure in a chic, stylish atmosphere. Its restaurant, the Beef Lodge, is the place to eat for lovers of fine cuts of meat. An exceptional culinary experience can also be enjoyed at the Bar “Espace Trappeur” with its New England style comprising log tables and tanned leather easy chairs. The hotel’s 49 bedrooms and suites are all personalized and most feature a terrace or a balcony offering a fairytale view of the surrounding grounds. The “dress code” on the walls is of Scottish inspiration, with contrasting materials that include a leather headboard in maroon and gold, crisp-white bed linen and the warming touch of a woven fur throw… The Pure Altitude Spa, with its four cabins in dappled colors and its atmosphere created using water, wood, plants, stone and fire, sets the final touch that puts the Lodge Park in a class of serenity all its own.

Pour le Majestic, Clarins a conçu des programmes qui intègrent plusieurs soins et modelages et créent une parenthèse exceptionnelle d’efficacité et de plaisir. Vivez des moments d’enchantement inoubliables. Un espace conçu comme un cocon, abrite quatre cabines de soin dont une double, une cabine pédicure-manucure, un espace coiffure, un sauna, un hammam, un “parcours expérience”, (pour une stimulation multi sensorielle), une salle de relaxation. À quelques pas de votre chambre ou de votre transat, l’Hôtel Majestic Barrière vous ouvre les portes de son espace beauté, le Spa My Blend by Clarins. Un lieu d’exception, très privé, une merveilleuse bulle de bien-être où, dans un cadre luxueux, vous sont proposés sur 450 mètres carrés les soins les plus novateurs et l’expertise coaching de Clarins.

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Hôtel ★★★★★ Restaurant Spa Le Mas Candille Boulevard Clément Rebuffel – 06250 Mougins T. + 33 (0) 4 92 28 43 43 – FAX. + 33 (0) 4 92 28 43 40 reservations@lemascandille.com – lemascandille.com The first Shiseido Spa in Europe was officially opened at Le Mas Candille in the summer of 2002 and offers an holistic experience of relaxation. During your stay, you will relax and revitalise enjoying the sauna and outdoor facilities including jacuzzi, fitness area and hydrotherapy pool. The luxurious hotel Spa is the perfect antidote to the stresses and strains of today’s hectic lifestyle. A haven of peace and tranquility, this unique and very special spa offers a wide choice of body, face and beauty treatments in beautiful and relaxing surroundings. Careful planning and total attention to detail have created a Zen-inspired environment which combines the best possible facilities with the ultimate in attentive service. It truly is the perfect place in which to relax and unwind.

L. Di Orio, L Design, T. Shu & DR

Le Lodge Park est un repaire de trappeurs très en vogue situé au centre de Megève. Il charme ses hôtes par une invitation au voyage et la découverte d’une atmosphère chic et élégante. Son restaurant, le «Beef Lodge», est l’endroit où dîner pour les amateurs de bons morceaux de viande. D’autres plaisirs gastronomiques sont proposés par le bar de «L’Espace Trappeur» agencé dans un style de la NouvelleAngleterre avec des tables en rondins et des chaises en cuir tanné. Les 49 chambres et suites de l’hôtel disposent pour la plupart d’une terrasse ou d’un balcon qui s’ouvre sur la vision d’un parc enchanteur. L’inspiration écossaise se retrouve dans l’habillement des murs qui présente de séduisants contrastes de matériaux: têtes de lit en cuir dans des nuances bordeaux et camel, linge de lit d’un blanc éclatant souligné par la teinte chaleureuse d’un jeté en fourrure. Le Spa Pure Altitude avec ses cinq cabines et son atmosphère particulière composée d’eau, de bois, de plantes, de pierre et de feu élèvent sans conteste le Lodge Park au sommet de la sérénité.

Unique Spa Shiseido dans un jardin Zen en Europe, le spa Shiseido du Mas Candille offre une expérience holistique de détente qui repose et revitalise chaque hôte. Venez vous ressourcer pendant votre séjour en profitant du jacuzzi, du sauna, de la salle de fitness et de la piscine hydrothérapie. Un sanctuaire de paix où vous pourrez combattre les effets néfastes de la vie moderne et apporter l’harmonie dans votre quotidien trépidant. Le Spa Shiseido d’inspiration Zen apporte une qualité de service irréprochable dans une ambiance feutrée. Merveilleusement conçu, le spa est décoré afin de créer un abri idyllique, pour une véritable expérience des meilleurs soins de beauté.

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