ENGLISH TEXTS
stand still . Olivier Jouin , Clément Lefebvre , Valentin Morin , Alain de Chitray , Geoffrey Ré , Jérôme Delaunay , Nicolas Lefebvre , Christophe Soumillon , Mathieu Nadot , Thomas Beaurain , Camille Peltier and Wilfrid Denuault are all there to help you improve : adjusting your position , thinking through your trajectory , waking up a sleepy pony , refining your hands and softening a fall . You ’ re 9 or 10-year-olds , flattered that they ’ re all there just for you , though it ’ s only later that you ’ ll realize the privilege of having such a gathering of talent entirely at your service . You ’ re 9 or 10-year-olds , the sun is shining , it ’ s warm and you ’ re living a dream ! The next day , 17 races for all levels and disciplines take place , with kids of all ages helping each other . They call out to one another and talk within the groups , but at the finish line , it ’ s every rider for themselves - everyone ’ s in it to win . You ’ re 9 , 10 , or 11-year-olds now , with your hair neatly tucked under your helmet , your safety vest securely fastened , your silks perfectly fitted , and race after race lined up . Yesterday ’ s instructors turn into your biggest fans , helping you mount your pony while exchanging knowing glances : “ These kids are lucky .” You can see them running alongside the rail , shouting encouragement . Life is a celebration , and the weekend concludes with a massive costumed karaoke session . Here , people may ride horses better than they sing , but there ’ s no better way to have a good laugh ! As for the karaoke ? Let ’ s keep those files private , and no pictures , please ( wink ). Now open your eyes - you weren ’ t dreaming , you just took a dive into the summer of 2022 at Lion-d ’ Angers . Your knees aren ’ t scraped , your hair is combed , you don ’ t have a snack in hand , but for a few minutes , you were 9 , 10 , or 11-year-old again . And this summer , it ’ s happening again in Vaumas : come dream and ( re ) immerse yourself in the childhood you haven ’ t quite forgotten !
PAGE 122 TOP They even face the water jump during training . © Poneys Au Galop
PAGE 122 BOTTOM Gritting their teeth and pushing through , under the watchful eyes of Matthieu Nadot . © Poneys Au Galop
PAGE 123 TOP Clément Lefebvre all smiles during these three days of training . © Poneys Au Galop
PAGE 123 BOTTOM The President of Poneys Au Galop , Cécile Madamet ( far left ), closely observing the training sessions . © Poneys Au Galop
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PEDAGO
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A DIP INTO THE SURFACES
By Céline Gualde
The Greek philosopher Aristotle What determines a horse ’ s aptitude to race on a particular surface : turf , all-weather or even the dirt on which most races are run in the United States ? Genetics come into play , but so does the trainer ’ s audacity !
IThis is the story of a punter who prayed to the Lord every day to win the jackpot . Exasperated , God finally said to him , “ At least , play the lottery !“ Taking a chance is what trainer Nicolas Caullery did not hesitate to do by once again entering King Gold in this year ’ s Firebreak Stakes , a Group 3 over the mile at Meydan racecourse . The son of Anodin won , getting up on the line to beat Laurel River , the defending champion in the Dubai World Cup and crowned joint-best horse of 2024 ! The grey King Gold , an 8-year-old , does not have a “ dirt “ pedigree , however . This surface , which is popular in many countries other than France , is , to put it simply , a descendant of the American dirt tracks , the composition of which varies from racecourse to racecourse . The top layer of the one in Hong Kong , for example , is made of fifteen centimetres of fine sand mixed with pine bark chips . “ It ’ s the horse that takes the start and not his pedigree !“ says Nicolas Caullery , who is not afraid to tackle these potentially disconcerting tracks . “ I don ’ t have any preconceived ideas , so I race my horses , I try ! King Gold has a low action , he ’ s relaxed in a race , so he ’ s easy to handle , and he has impressive basic speed .“ Qualities that have enabled Mrs Christian Wingtans ’ horse to triumph on dirt after winning a Group 1 on the turf at Deauville , the Prix Maurice de Gheest ( 1,300m ) in August 2023 . A reward for audacity ! “ When you enter a maiden , you see that there ’ s also a Fabre or big owners and you think you ’ re not going to win ... It ’ s the same thing when it comes to
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