ENGLISH TEXTS
about the people and horses of that era. We share that memory between us.
G. What made him successful?
A. P. He’ s a relentless worker, with exceptional stamina, raised“ the hard way” by a father who never gave him anything for free. When his father took him to his first race meeting in Paris, it was quite an odyssey. He dropped him off in Joinville with four horses and said:“ Figure it out.” He was left completely on his own. I know a guy who worked for him for years— Jean-Pierre once told him:“ Take the truck and go pick up horses in Germany. It’ s full of gas.” And on the way back, the guy asked?“ You’ ll sort it out with the Germans,” he said.
G. Quite the character...
A. P. As a kid, he decided to quit school and told his parents:“ I’ m leaving.” The police found him on the track. He handed them an ID card he had made out of a scrap of paper. At 18, he declared:“ I’ m setting up on my own.” He left home, bought a horse, tried to improve it, then sold it. He bought difficult horses. He knew how to read them. Kirty was his first real business coup. He’ s a very sharp guy.
G. A precocious talent...
A. P. First apprentice in France, quickly turned professional. At 14 or 15, he was already winning at Vincennes. He often says:“ I was very lucky.” But he’ s a natural horse- man, he had the code from a young age. He’ s gifted!
G. Quite the personality too...
A. P. A powerhouse of work, skill, and knowledge... We’ re not likely to see another man like him. He doesn’ t know how to stop. At his place, you nibble a bit of cheese and then go check the foals. When he doesn’ t know someone, he tests them. He’ s formidable, full of jokes, incredibly diplomatic and extremely charming. He instantly sizes people up. Jean-Pierre always says:“ School is my one big regret.” But he’ s far smarter than many people with degrees.
G. They say he’ s the biggest landowner in the Orne region, is it true?
A. P. Before the Revolution, the Marquisate of Nonant comprised 35 lordships. I like to tease him:“ You’ re the new Marquis of Nonant. You’ ve rebuilt this trotting empire. From Montaigu to Échauffour, the whole valley is yours.” And I’ m not even mentioning his properties in Canada, the U. S., Australia... Even with all the money in Qatar and Dubai, I’ m certain: there will never be another like him.
G. How does he keep track of it all?
A. P. He works like a mercenary. He has no schedule, keeps an eye on everything, and sweeps you up in his pace, with constant self-deprecation. He makes his own hay, his own grain, he’ s built like steel. An incredible force! He adapts to everything. When they were building the southern highway, he trotted his horses right on the construction site. He buys properties nobody wants, and transforms them.
G. His famous visionary streak...
A. P. He’ s a risk-taker. Nothing scares him. In the U. S., he bought breeding rights for selected mares with no money in his pocket. He left with an empty suitcase.
G. Can we speak of a Dubois“ clan”?
A. P. The Dubois galaxy is a family of pioneers that shook up the French breed. A unique dynasty in two centuries of racing. One night, Jean-Pierre told me:“ I didn’ t succeed in life, I don’ t even know where I come from. No documents, everything burned.” I’ m a genealogy enthusiast, and I traced his lineage back to 1830. And then I understood better why he’ s a business king: his ancestors raised pigs from father to son. That commercial instinct, he passed it on to his descendants. Louis( Baudron) is the perfect embodiment of his grandfather. Jean-Pierre says:“ I didn’ t do everything right.” He claims he wasn’ t a good father, but his children and grandchildren are his pride. He watches them carefully.
G. A legend that goes beyond France...
A. P. Jean-Pierre feels at home
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