ENGLISH TEXTS
MIND( RE) SET
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GALORAMA celebrates its first anniversary this month, overflowing with joys, sporting feats and encounters. A first journalistic year that also had to face the difficult reality of the loss of former jockeys, or of the accidental second that changes a life( or lives) forever. One of the common denominators between these two realities, though so antinomic, remains mental health. It walks a tightrope, whether in the happiest of moments or in the hardest ones. Two words that remain taboo in our society, more widely normalized in some countries, and which, nevertheless, are beginning to be heard more and more each day thanks to the courage of those who dare to express their distress.
A reality also emerging in high-level sport, where the“ superhero” athletes who dominate the world stage reveal not only physical and psychological vulnerabilities, but also the vital importance of being surrounded and supported. Michael Phelps and Naomi Osaka were among the first to alert public opinion on the subject, followed by Teddy Riner, Lewis Hamil- ton, Simone Biles, Camille Lacourt, to name just a few; the most recent champion being French Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who wins gold in every cycling discipline, and who spoke of her depressive episode after the Rio Games and the importance of breaking the taboo of mental health. Following the Paris Olympics, moreover, 17 % of the 1,800 athletes surveyed, aged 16 to 25, reported having experienced moderate to severe depression( study by the FondaMental foundation). Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, Minister of Sports and of the Paris Games, emphasized:“ The legacy of the Games must not only be measured in terms of medals and records, but also by the lasting impact on the awareness and support of athletes.”
What about in horse racing, and particularly for jockeys, who achieve sporting feats day after day, all while under intense physical and mental pressure, and racing through a fast-paced professional life? Because taboos and unspoken words are a formidable risk, and because shared words bring freedom, this issue humbly explores aspects of jockeys’ mental health, highlights the initiatives already in place, salutes those who break the silence, and celebrates the extraordinary destinies that stir the emotions of our passion.
PART. 1
AND YOU, HOW ARE YOU FEEL- ING?
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By Jocelyn de Moubray
1. MENTAL HEALTH IN HORSE RACING
STÉPHANE PASQUIER IS HIS OWN COACH
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By Céline Gualde
In thirty years of a fruitful career, Stéphane Pasquier has never relied on a psychologist or a mental coach. The life path of the kid from Nanterre helped him build a shell and withstand the hard knocks. At forty-seven, he is still among the top ten French jockeys. A darling of the racing world: the fairies sprinkled a generous dose of talent over his cradle, and until recently, he never had to struggle with weight. From the 2006 Arc de Triomphe( Rail Link) to the 2018 Jockey Club( Study of Man), via the 2017 Prix de Diane( Senga) and the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Mile( Karakontie), the star jockey has won the most
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