Inaugural first 4* in Bordeaux

Already scheduled for several years with its famous "battles," dressage has found its place this year in Bordeaux competitions program with the first 4* CDI ; the birth of new major event for dressage, this time in France's southwest quarter. Twelve horses and riders from all over Europe inaugurated this new show this morning, organized by Sabine Zaegel and her team.

After few weeks away from competition due to injury, while she send her horses to Belgian rider Nico Nyssen, Simone Pearce made a winning return with her Will Marq. The bay, already seen in the 2022 World Championships 6-year-olds classes with Antonio Segui Sintes, delivered a flawless test, with a few minor moments of tension. Very collected in his first pirouette, the stallion by Rio Marq showed impressively uphill flying changes on every stride. They left the Bordeaux arena with a score of 71.130%, a new personal best.

Pauline Basquin and Sertorius de Rima were returning to competition for the first time this year. Very serious, focused, and precise, the Cadre Noir pair rode a timid first piaffe and a second with a slight energy loss. Unfortunately, they made a mistake in the flying changes every stride ; a fault that nevertheless did not prevent them from receiving a score of 71.065%, placing them second. " I'm very happy with my horse. I tried to ride him in a way that would help him regain his confidence after a difficult season last year. During the warm-up, he was very energetic, but once in the arena, he seemed quite calm, with his ears forward. This reassured me that he still wants to compete. I was a little overconfident with the changes every stide ; I didn't prepare them well enough, it's really my fault. He had a lot of rest this winter, and I rode him in a snaffle bridle to work on the basics. He's sixteen years old and can do everything. This 4* CDI in Bordeaux allows us to start things quietly. It's really great to have a second major indoor dressage competition in France, I'm thrilled. I decided to change my Freestyle because I'd been using the one I presented at the Games for two years, with the music designed for Paris 2024. Now, we're moving on to a new goal with the World Championships in Aachen this summer. I felt in Lyon that the program was becoming a bit too difficult for him, so I created something more suitable. As for the music, it won't be covers but a complete composition with African drums,” she told the FFE.

While Joao Victor Marcari Oliva concluded his 2025 season in Le Mans with Feel Good VO, he choosed to launch his 2026 campaign once again in France. Not totaly square in his entry halt, nor in the one before the rein-back, the Westphalian, with his super elastic and bouncy trot, showed small resistances in the rein-back and a lack of stride in the extended walk. Despite not always very dynamic hindlegs in the passage, he also offered straight, forward, and uphill flying changes ; a consistent performance scored at 70.522%.

Complet results HERE

picture : Jumping de Bordeaux