ENGLISH TEXTS
confirmed that he is the best around and put his name in the history books by returning to the scene of his greatest triumph later that year and win the Haye Josselin by five lengths exacting revenge on Grandeur Nature. So, what’ s in store for 2025 I asked Louisa“ he grew a lot in confidence last year if you can believe me with those two big wins so we will go for just the one race now the Prix Ingre before the Grand steeple chase. We know what’ s best for him now and the jockey knows him to.” One thing I certainly know, is he won’ t be overlooked or underestimated when it comes to the big day in May
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PONEYS
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By Bérengère Rossignol
A SMILE FOR PONEYS AU GALOP
Smile: a cheerful expression, marked by a small movement of the face that signals pleasure, sympathy, affection. This month,
Poneys au Galop brings you the story of a smile!
Nicolas is quite the character. He once worked in printing, but throughout his life, he’ s been entirely driven by horses, ponies, and the desire to pass on his passion. With the build of a jockey and the fierce determination of those who never give up, he has ridden in amateur races, in competition, during training … On horseback or beside a horse, he’ s always smiling! Everyone who meets him says the same: it’ s his smile that welcomes you. It’ s not just something stuck on his face, but a real smile, straight from the heart. The smile of someone who loves to connect, to share, to teach. Someone who gives his time, always with a smile. A father of four, all introduced to ponies through the traditional Western pony races, he didn’ t stop with his own children— he’ s long been deeply involved with youth in general. Of course, there’ s that classic photo of the four siblings who, in one particular race, were the top competitors— but this time, brotherly love won over competitiveness, as the older ones let the youngest, a certain Clément, take the win. And when you ask them to dig into the family archives, three generations of photos come flooding out— and in every one of them, smiles, always smiles! But it’ s also about the generations of young riders across western France that he has trained— and still trains— starting with the mechanical horse, then guiding them through their first rides on the track, first canters, riding side by side, until finally giving them the green light to experience their very first real race. To all of them, he repeats over and over:“ Go on, enjoy it— you’ re right where you should be!” There have been hundreds of starts he’ s flagged off, always with a little life lesson thrown in:“ Yes, get a good start, but respect the starter and all the other competitors.” And to the sulky child with a frown, he’ ll often say:“ Hey you— smile at life! You’ re lucky to be living this.” It always comes back to that smile. There have also been hundreds of hedge courses he’ s set up and taken down, cross-country routes he’ s imagined and built—“ a bit tricky, but not too much, just enough to teach the kids how to steer.” He oversees mounted sessions during the now legendary French National Cross-Country Championship final in Pompadour, making sure every rider knows their course, has studied the paths, the tricky spots. With 10,000 spectators roaring as the children and ponies race by, that deserves solid prep! And it’ s still a story of smiles, because Nicolas is a dreamer and a breeder. And in 2024, the dreamer shone brightly with Kalios, French Elite Flat Champion in Deauville, ridden by
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