Caroline Rioche : we must stop saying that you have to go abroad to find a good horse
Alongside the "Grande Semaine de Dressage"—held for the first time last week in Le Mans—Boulerie Jump and Philippe Rossi’s team also hosted the France Dressage Finals for the fourth time, offering a prime venue and a renowned organizational setup for the rising talents of tomorrow. Back from the Sarthe region, Caroline Rioche—who has been at the helm of France Dressage for a decade—offers an enthusiastic assessment this year, full of hope for the future.
"This year, we had 196 entries compared to 147 last year—a 37% increase!" the breeder noted. "We saw 330 foals during the qualifying rounds and awarded labels to around a hundred mares." At Le Mans—and this is not the first time—the international judges officiating alongside François Fischesser, Grégoire Thomas, Marc Besnainou, and Didier Dupeyrat (namely Marian Dorresteijn from the Netherlands, Brecht D'Hoore from Belgium, and Iben Stroem from Denmark) were quick to highlight the quality of the foals presented to them. "Our judges kept telling us that the quality had really improved and that these foals could even compete with the best horses seen at international shows." Caroline Rioche naturally delved deeper into this point with them: "I asked where our foals stood in comparison. Their answer was unequivocal: some could rival the top ten horses they usually judge abroad. They were genuinely impressed, especially considering the number of births in France—which is far lower than in Germany, Denmark, or the Netherlands, for instance."
While the difficulty of finding quality young horses in France was a long-standing issue for Caroline Rioche, that battle is now being won: "French breeders are producing quality stock—that is a fact now firmly established. I would even go so far as to say that professional riders can find horses in France for international-level competition. We really need to stop saying that you have to go abroad to find a good horse, or that French horses are more expensive. On the contrary, for equivalent quality, I think horses are actually more expensive abroad." And business was indeed transacted in Le Mans, particularly during the presentation of foals for sale held in the indoor arena. "That is the whole point of bringing together the SHF Finals and the France Dressage Finals—and perhaps adding another event in the future: riders were there to watch—something they don't always have time to do during the actual competitions—often accompanied by their partners or owners. Everyone could see the quality of the foals being presented. People came up to ask me for contact details for various breeders, even for foals that weren't officially up for sale. We need to keep this momentum going."
Reflecting on her ten years as President of France Dressage, Caroline Rioche says: "I feel that, together with the entire team of volunteers—who give so generously of their time and energy, especially during the annual finals—we have really made a difference. We can be proud of French breeding and the growing recognition it is gaining year by year." While participation numbers in the SHF "Classique" events were down, the trend on the breeding side is quite the opposite: "My only concern is that breeders might become discouraged by a lack of prospects for their foals."
crédit photo : Les Garennes
