If French horses are reputed to be among the best in the discipline of eventing, they proved it again this weekend in Kronenberg by taking the first seven places in the final classification of the CCI4*-L.
This is what is called real success. Of the twenty-one horses entered in the CCI4*-L of Kronenberg, twelve were born in France, and seven of them finally occupied the first places in the final classification! In the Netherlands, this weekend, the tricolor horses were simply unbeatable. And especially Ellipse of the Vigne, SF. Ridden by Sébastien Cavaillon, the son of Oldenbourg Arko III out of Korrigane de Vigne, SF (Duc du Hutrel, SF), born to Lucien Villotte, held the lead in the competition from start to finish, not adding any penalties to his score of 30 points acquired during the dressage test. A superb performance, which allows him – after a seventh place in the French championship for seven-year-olds, a participation in the Mondial du Lion and an ICC 150 the same year as well as a tenth place in the CCIO4* of Avenches in 2022 – to win a competition for the first time, he who is still only nine years old. After the exceptional Vinci de la Vigne, SF (Estérel des Bois, SF), Elipso – who is none other than the latter’s uterine brother – could he be the new nugget of Lucien Villotte’s breeding for eventing? ?
On the second step of the podium, it is a seasoned tricolor couple that we find: the excellent Anglo–crossing arabic Sursumcord’Or (Yarlands Summer Song, SESF and Dambine, AA by Prince Ig’Or, AA) and Julie Simonet who also did not move from the start to the end of CCI4*-L and maintained their score of 30.2 thanks to faultless cross country and horse racing. The solid duo thus adds another fine performance to their list, having already finished third in the CCI4*-L at Lignières-en-Berry last September after taking part in the European Youth Championships. Born to Marie-Christine and Renaud De Laurière, Sursumcord’Or – who, in terms of pedigree, is the uterine brother of a certain Alertamalib’Or, who took part in the last world championships at Pratoni del Vivaro – has thus once again proven that seventeen, he still had plenty under his hoof.
Finally, on the third step of the podium, with a final score of 31 points, it is a well-known Selle Français that we find: Brecey’s Totem. The bronze medalist in Tokyo and recent second in the Saumur stage of the Grand National FFE – AC Print, born at Jean Muris from the cross between the favorite stallion of French breeders Mylord Carthago, SF and Jessy Landaise, SF (Quouglof Rouge, SF ), thus continues to chain the good performances after a difficult year 2022.
Two sons of Mylord Carthago in the Top 7
The rest of the classification is also 100% blue-white-red and, like the podium, also brings together experience alongside the youth. At ten years old, Cocorico de l’Ebat, SF, signed one of the best performances of his young career by finishing fourth (31.5 points) under the saddle of the man who gave birth to him, Luc Chateau. The bay is a son of another product of the family breeding which has also evolved at a high level with its breeder, Propriano de L’Ebat. Succession therefore seems assured, especially as the chestnut stallion is not at his first foal indexed at more than 100 and that one of them, Bastia de L’Ebat, SF, ICC 152 in 2022, would also run this CCI4*-L! The latter, seventh after dressage, was unfortunately not at the end of the cross.
Behind him, with 31.7 points, we find another Olympic medalist from Tokyo: the Selle Français Absolut Gold*HDC (Grafenstolz, Trak and Belle Meralaise, PS by Verglas, PS), bred by Philippe Patenotte, still ridden by Nicolas Touzaint. He is ahead Casanova from Bel Air Z who, for his first time in a 4*-L format, ranks sixth (33.1 points) with Benjamin Massié. Registered in the Zangersheide stud-book, the gray was however born in France, at Myriam Patricia Labecot-Chauviere, from the cross between the Holsteiner Cassaro Z and Saphira de Bel Air, a daughter of Caritano Z, Holst, and maternal granddaughter of Selle Français Alto de B’Neville.
Finally, the tricolor group shot is concluded by Big Boss MeloSF, and Mathieu Chombart. Just like Totem de Brecey, the gray gelding is a son of Mylord Carthago, crossed to Octavie de Normandie, SF, a daughter of the famous Flipper d’Elle, SF. Born with Jean-Victor Pacilly, Big Boss Melo had been labeled “Very good” at five years old then “Elite” at six years old under the saddle of Clotilde Bellas (with whom he had also participated in the Mondial du Lion), before joining Mathieu Chombart at eight years old and to win an ICC 159 in 2022. He would run his very first CCI4*-L there.
In addition to this Top 7 made up of 100% horses born in France, we should also note the ninth place (39.9 points) of Lady Heart TardonneSF (Lando, DWB and Soade Tardonne, Holst by Contender, Holst) and Camille Lejeune.
To view the full results, Click here.
Photo: Elipso de la Vigne and Sébastien Cavaillon, here during the world championships reserved for seven-year-old horses at the Lion d’Angers in 2021. Credit: Eric Knoll.
