ENGLISH TEXTS
IN THE EYE OF
JOËL BLANC
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An artist of the moment, Joël Blanc captures horses in full gallop and freezes the instant with his brushstrokes. Trained in fine arts at a high level, he has established himself as a recognized artist, particularly for his live watercolors created during equestrian events. Born to a rider father, he has been fascinated by the equine world since childhood. As a teenager, he spent time at the Louvre and at the Cadre Noir, practicing sketching, refining his eye, and shaping his vision. He has a particular fondness for horse racing, which represents a true challenge for him. As soon as the animal moves, its musculature transforms, its complex anatomy becomes elusive, yet the goal is to seize the precise instant to render the movement. It is a never-ending exercise, where each detail always calls for refinement, pushing him to improve and offer a more accomplished work each time. The vibrant atmosphere of the races, with the tumult of spectators and the cries of bettors, animates and enriches his watercolors. He seeks to move away from traditional depictions of horses, static and in black and white, to propose a modern, colorful, joyful, and positive vision. His travels have broadened this perspective, allowing him to discover unusual breeds such as the golden-coated Akhal-Teke. Alongside his watercolors, Joël Blanc also produces oil paintings and bronze sculptures, and he designed the horses featured in the current PMU logo, remaining faithful to his representation of the horse in motion.
EDITO
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HEADING INTO A NEW SEASON
It’ s back-to-school season. The days are starting to shorten and autumn colors are about to tint the landscape. After the exhilaration of August on the Normandy coast, marked by historic figures in the sales ring and spectacular performances on the track, the two great Parisian temples are preparing to reopen their gates: ParisLongchamp, with the excitement of the Qatar Prix de l’ Arc de Triomphe( Gr. 1) weekend, one of the finest events in the world, and Auteuil, with all the promises of a great autumn season and the most thrilling 48 hours of the year. The word“ rentrée” has a very special flavor when you love racing- here’ s to this second half of the year! Wishing everyone a great rentrée and an enjoyable read of this new issue.
Sofiane Benaroussi Publishing Director
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OUR
CONTRI- BUTORS
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They refine the pages of Galorama for your enjoyment and ours.
Bruno Barbereau He is the man of numbers. As a consultant and data analyst, Bruno is also the leading reference for racing data in France and internationally. Time, speed, ground, aptitude … he has been compiling and analyzing horse performance data for over 20 years to produce unique studies.
Cécile Adonias After contributing for 5 years to the international promotion of French racing with the FRBC, Cécile founded the brokerage agency Cava
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