Participating for the first time at 4* level, young French star 23-year-old Thibault Fournier amazed everyone with his performance in the show jumping final yesterday, at Pau CCI4*. Winning the title in Pau this year was a particularly amazing achievement, as Fournier was competing against the best riders in the world, and finished ahead of British squad World Champion, Gemma Tattersall.
After a series of unexpected twists that really shook up the leaderboard after the cross-country competition on Saturday, the riders really had to stay focused and take the pressure as they faced the final test in the equestrian 4* triathlon. The show jumping final drew in the crowds despite the gloomy weather. Horse and rider combinations had to contend with a series of high and extremely technical obstacles – unprecedented in their difficulty according to some of the leading riders – which kept spectators on the edge of their seats right up to the last minutes, as the competitors set off in the reverse order of the provisional ranking.
Last on the starting list, but certainly not least, was Fournier, who needed to avoid making more than one mistake to clinch the title. A bar went down as from jump no.3, a delicately-balanced upright fence in front of the big screen. Both the crowds and the young prodigy’s entourage held their breath as horse and rider took on the rest of the course. Fournier held it together beautifully with an amazing demonstration of grit and determination, to clear the remaining obstacles flawlessly. As he crossed the finish line, he barely had the time to realise that he had won and with tears in eyes, he dismounted to congratulate his horse, Siniani de Lathus, in the middle of the main arena: “I’m lost for words. I came to Pau to see whether I had the level to compete in a 4* competition against the best riders in the world,” he said. “I’m overjoyed with what I have achieved here, but I’m especially thrilled with my exceptional horse who carried the whole competition off brilliantly! Siniani was jumping so well in the warm up area that I came into the main arena almost too relaxed. When I heard the bar fall, it was a definite wake-up call that helped me refocus immediately on the competition. Then I just rode like I always ride, but there was a lot going on in my head.”