2024-04-23 15:00:46
The 38th edition of the Saumur Complet, scheduled for April 24 to 28, will bring together an exceptional field with 150 riders on the track. This is the final French opportunity for participants to qualify for the Games.
Before gallivanting to Versailles, many couples meet in Saumur. The Saumur equestrian committee is organizing the 38th edition of its eventing competition from April 24 to 28, with a CCI4*-L and a CCI2*-L on the program. The competition represents the last French qualifying event for the Paris Games. This is why, for the first time, Pierre Le Goupil, designated course manager for the events which will be held in Versailles this summer, will design the cross-country course for the 4* in Saumur.
150 riders from 13 nations (Germany, Belgium, United States, Spain, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Sweden, Thailand), i.e. 52 couples, will be at the start of the 4* . This is a participation record.
A royal plateau in search of an Olympic ticket
The best riders in the discipline and from the countries competing to win a qualifying ticket for Paris will travel to Saumur. The presence of the New Zealand couple Tim and Jonelle Price, who last year monopolized the first two places in the world ranking of eventing riders, bears witness to this.
The German world champion and multiple team and individual medalist during the London and Rio Games, Sandra Auffarth, will take the start at the reins of the Selle Français Viamant du Matz with whom she shone at the European Championships at the Haras du Pin last summer by climbing onto the third step of the podium. Sara Algotsson Ostholt, silver medalist at the London 2012 Olympic Games, will also be there with Dynamite Jack.
On the French side, Maxime Livio, best French rider in the discipline, ranked 8th in the world, will start the 4* with Vegas des Boursons. Olympic team champion and 2nd individually in Rio, Astier Nicolas will also be present at the controls of Alertamalib’Or with whom he won this same event, in Saumur, in 2022. As a reminder, three riders and a reservist will wear the colors of France at Versailles: the list of those selected will not be officially made until the beginning of July. The rider from the town of Saumur, Jean-Lou Bigot, European champion in 1993, and his faithful Utrillo du Halage will take part in the competition. The couple finished 5th in 2021 in the CCI4*-L in Saumur.
Regarding the CCI2*-L, a qualifying event for the French championship for 7-year-old horses, nearly 100 couples will compete in Maine-et-Loire.
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