France Secures Victory in Thrilling Nations Cup at Morocco Royal Tour
The second week of the Morocco Royal Tour concluded with an exhilarating finish as France emerged victorious in the CSIO4*-W Nations Cup, an event proudly sponsored by the Ministry of National Education, Preschool Education, and Sports. Competing on their home turf, Morocco claimed the runner-up position, while Germany secured third place in this prestigious equestrian competition.
At 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 11, the much-anticipated CSIO4*-W Nations Cup commenced following a vibrant parade of nations. The riders faced a meticulously crafted course designed by the renowned Spanish course designer Santiago Varela, who acknowledged the complexity of creating a Nations Cup course. He stated, "Designing a Nations Cup course is never easy, as you have to take into account the level of all the riders and the fact that there are two rounds. Horse welfare is also at the heart of my priorities. The course needs to be technically challenging for the riders without putting the horses in difficulty. In the end, the sport did the rest, and we were treated to a truly great competition today."
Among the nine nations participating in the first round, Spain unfortunately did not qualify for the second round after accumulating 16 penalty points. The remaining competitors—Brazil, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Morocco, and France—returned to face the challenge once more, with everything on the line. The Moroccan team rose to the occasion, finishing the first round with only four penalty points and securing a place in the jump-off alongside France, Germany, and Belgium.
Abdelkebir Ouaddar, selected by Moroccan team manager Philippe Rozier, was the first to tackle the decisive jump-off course. In front of an eager crowd, Ouaddar and his horse, Festival d'Argouges, executed a flawless round, finishing in an impressive 33.78 seconds. The audience erupted in applause as he set a formidable target for the remaining competitors. Next up was France's Jeanne Sadran with her reliable partner, Dexter de Kerglenn. Their astonishing time of 33.24 seconds ultimately dashed Morocco's hopes of victory. Germany's Tom Schewe, riding Congress Blue PS, clinched the third podium spot with a time of 34.93 seconds, while Belgium's Mike van Olst and Comme Elle Faut Odth Z finished fourth with a time of 33.95 seconds, incurring four penalty points.
France's hard-fought victory was met with delight from assistant team manager Olivier Guillon, who expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance. He remarked, "It was an absolute pleasure. For me, this is a somewhat new team, particularly with Jeanne and Olivier (Perreau), who are usually part of Edouard's (Coupérie, French national team manager) squad. We've had a wonderful stay here in Morocco, and that's also one of the keys to success. There's very little to say about the organization, except that everything is done with the riders and horses in mind, and I think we all agree on that. This tour really matters on the international calendar and is one of the events for which we receive the most requests from French riders."
Reflecting on her performance, Jeanne Sadran shared her feelings about the competition, stating, "All the horses jumped really well this weekend, and it was also a great way for me to get back on track. I've been through quite a difficult period over the past few months, during which I'd lost some confidence in myself, so it feels good to rediscover my natural feel in the saddle. Dexter is truly special; he's an exceptional horse, and he proved it once again today. He's in fantastic form, and we still have so much to achieve together. He'll be my top horse for the upcoming World Cup season."
For Morocco, the newly appointed team manager Philippe Rozier was thrilled with the team's second-place finish, sharing his aspirations for the squad. He stated, "When I took over as manager of the Moroccan national team, our first objective was to win a medal at the Mediterranean Games. We came away with two. The second was to get back onto the podium in a Nations Cup. What stands out to me most is the quality of riding shown by the entire team. We produced four beautiful rounds, and days like this can only help the team progress. We're setting a great example today for the young riders watching. When you have a strong group leading the way and bringing everyone along with them, it works everywhere, in every country. Kebir had some doubts about my decision to select him for the jump-off. He wasn't sure he was the most deserving rider to go back in, but I had absolutely no doubts."
Prior to the Nations Cup, the CSIO4*-W riders also competed in the Prix SOREC, a highly competitive 1.45m Grand Prix event. Saudi Arabia's Abdullah Alsharbatly claimed victory aboard Atome des Etisses, clocking in at an impressive 45.79 seconds. The Netherlands' Mans Thijssen followed closely in second place with Nero Z, finishing at 46.20 seconds. Competing in front of a supportive home crowd, Morocco's Abdelkebir Ouaddar secured third place aboard the 10-year-old stallion Larsino, with a time of 46.89 seconds.
After two weeks of intense competition, the Morocco Royal Tour is set to continue its exciting journey to El Jadida for its inaugural CSI5*. For many riders, this event will mark the beginning of the indoor season ahead.
As reported by equnews.com.
