ENGLISH TEXTS
03 HERITAGE
TOLD BY HIS STUDENTS
BY CÉLINE GUALDE
YANNICK FOUIN
“ A TOUGH BUT FAIR BOSS”
Trainer Yannick Fouin was, during the first part of his career, a salaried jockey with Jehan de Balanda. He joined him at the age of eighteen, already crowned with his Étrier d’ Or titles( best French apprentice in flat racing) and best apprentice in Europe. Testimony.
“ I started working for Mr. Balanda in 1988 or 1989. I was coming from André Fabre’ s stable, where I had completed my apprenticeship, and I had already lost my weight allowance. I remember a tough but fair boss who gave me my chance. He trained horses, but also men! He kept his employees around him a bit like a family; he liked us to be devoted. We had some great sporting moments, such as victories in the Grande Course de Haies de Deauville at Clairefontaine in August 1991 with Professional, for the Magalen Bryant colors. Less than a month later, we won the Grand Steeplechase of Merano! My best memories from that period are with the stallion Denham Red, a superb horse who carried Mr. Teboul’ s colors and was always runner-up to Villez in the big meetings. He ran up against that obstacle throughout his entire career! At Jehan de Balanda’ s there was an incredible team of jockeys: Denis Leblond, who was a star, Dominique Bressou, Thierry Gillet, Christophe Lemaire at the beginning of his career … We gave the boss a hard time now and then, we were young! Once, in Deauville, after celebrating a bit too much with Thierry Gillet, with whom I shared a bungalow, I showed up at morning training having forgotten my boots. I galloped my mare Gravières wearing purple sneakers and got a serious dressing-down! At twenty-six, just as I was reaching full maturity as a rider, I was seriously injured at Auteuil, with several fractured vertebrae. The doctors refused to reinstate my license; the jockey’ s profession I loved was over for me. It felt like the sky had fallen on my head. Mr. Balanda was very present during my hospitalization; he told me I had to get back on my feet, that I would become his assistant. He supported me. I therefore worked alongside him for a year and a half before setting up on my own as a trainer.”
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BY EMMANUEL RIVRON
DOMINIQUE BRESSOU
“ A MAGNIFICENT ATMOSPHERE IN THE YARD”
Among the leading French NH trainers, Dominique Bressou spent many years as a jockey in Jehan Bertran de Balanda’ s yard, notably forming an exceptional partnership with Le Sauvignon, a seven-time Group winner.
GALORAMA. How long did you stay at Jehan Bertran de Balanda’ s yard?
Dominique Bressou. I stayed there for about fifteen years. When I joined the yard, my primary objective wasn’ t to ride for such a prestigious stable, even though the hope is always there in such cases. At the time, there were probably 60 to 70 horses, with excellent jockeys like Denis Leblond and Yannick Fouin, who rode a lot as well, along with other good riders. I was the fifth or sixth string. When I joined the yard, my goal was mainly to have a bit of freedom at weekends so I could honour my rides“ in the countryside,” in the West of France.
G. What were your first impressions when you arrived at this top-level yard?
D. B. I immediately loved Jehan’ s way of working, whom I called“ Boss” at the time. The horses were quickly put into a rhythm. We did
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