Top Class in Cannes
The Cannes lifestyle is not absent from the Festival. In about one week, the Hespérides arena will receive the international elite of showjumping riders: nine out of the world’s Top 10 according to the Longines world ranking from May, and 26 of the Top 30 riders will be present.
The circuit of the Longines Global Champions Tour has the same importance in show jumping as the World Championship in Formula 1 does in motorsports. It’s an elite circuit that stretches out over three continents, all the way to Qatar and China! The Cannes stage is particularly appreciated for its atmosphere and lightness.
Christian Ahlmann, the world’s n°1 and winner of the German stage of the Longines Global Champions Tour in Hamburg, will be leading a team of eight Germans, the current world champions. The Dutchman Gerco Schröder seems to have subscribed for the runner-up position (world n° 2 and double silver medal winner at the Olympics in London) – except for last year in Cannes, where he took home the Grand Prix. Kevin Staut (world n°3) will be the head of the French unit that seems to be in perfect shape at the moment, as Patrice Delaveau recently demonstrated by winning the Grand Prix in La Baule. Three of the riders from the victorious British Olympic team will also be present in Cannes, with Nick Skelton, world n°9 and winner of the Grand Prix in Rome with Big Star, ahead. It is understood that the Olympic Champion Steve Guerdat (SWI, world n°4) will come to Cannes, too.
Athina Onassis, fully recovered from a big fall off a horse last summer, resumed competitions in Florida this winter and proved to be brilliant with Camille Z (3rd in a Grand Prix), and went on to achieve the same result at the Madrid CSI5* with AD Babouche vh Gehucht Z (Baloubet du Rouet).
Even in the absence of their leader Beezie Madden, the United States will be represented in Cannes by competitive riders, including Bruce Springsteen’s daughter Jessica, a regular participant in “five star” events.
We will observe riders from Qatar and their improving performances with great interest, for example prince Ali Al Thani, finalist of the last World Cup.
Lower-level CSI competitions (“one star”), taking place in the afternoon (free access), will most likely attract some autograph hunters of movie stars: Guillaume Canet, who rediscovered his passion for jumping on the set of the movie “Jappeloup” (more tan 1,6 million visitors), will also participate in the Hespérides arena.