French eventer Stephane Landois not only realised his own dream by helping France to team eventing silver at the Paris Olympics on Monday (29 July).
He was also fulfilling the ambition of his friend, Charman Dumontceau’s former rider Thaïs Meheust, who died in a cross-country fall five years ago.
Thaïs, who had won medals at pony, junior and young rider European Championships, died at le Pin au Haras, Normandy, in September 2019. The 22-year-old, who was also a law student was riding the Selle Francais gelding in the seven-year-old French championships when he fell at the second fence.
Stephane coached Thaïs at her parents’ Normandy yard, and they had become friends.
“Her dream was to reach the Olympics with this horse,” Stephane said.
“When I took him over, I immediately set myself that same goal but, in fact, I was thinking about it without believing in it, and then we climbed the steps little by little and the horse showed me that he wanted it, too.”
Stephane and Charman Dumontceau were on the French team that won bronze at last year’s European Championships and both were making their Olympic debut at this home Games. They scored 24.4 for dressage in Versailles, adding just 2.8 time-penalties across country and lowering one rail in the showjumping, adding 0.4 time-faults, to finish 14th individually.
“I’m very proud, and I think Thais would have loved this day, and she would be happy to see her mum smiling,” he said.
- To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Olympic Games, Burghley, HOYS and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website
You might also be interested in:
Britain’s first Olympic gold of Paris 2024, records broken, and champions crowned: all the stories as eventing signs off
Talented young rider killed in cross-country fall
The equestrian world is in mourning following the death of a 22-year-old rider at a French event
Laura Collett adds to British medal joy in epic individual Olympic eventing show-down
H&H Olympic reporter’s blog: ‘I had a nanosecond to decide if a medal selfie with Laura Collett was unprofessional’
Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round