From this Friday, March 15 and until Sunday, the Hermès house will welcome sixty of the world’s best riders and their horses to the Grand Palais Éphémère for three days of competition labeled 5*, the highest level of international competitions. Twenty international hopefuls under the age of 25 will also take part in the Hermès talent tests.
The line-up for this fourteenth edition of the Saut Hermès at the Grand Palais, organized in partnership with GL events, is promising. The Swede Henrick von Eckermann (SUE), world number 1 for more than a year, has confirmed his presence as have his runners-up, the Briton Ben Maher and the Swiss Steve Guerdat.
The leading trio in the international ranking will be surrounded by serious competitors, like the two best French riders Julien Épaillard (4th) and Simon Delestre (7th). Currently eighth in the world rankings, Max Khüner (AUT) completes the list of six representatives of the top 10 announced on the Parisian track. To take up the sporting challenge proposed by the Spanish course manager Santiago Varela Ullastres, many other champions responded. No less than twenty nations will actually be represented in this competition.
Finally, this year France will have sixteen representatives among the most successful of the moment, including the experienced Roger-Yves Bost, the reigning French Pro Elite champion Edward Levy, Kevin Staut three times winner in CSI 5* since the start of the year, or Olivier Perreau, author of a double flawless performance in the Abu Dhabi Nations League last January. The younger generation will also be well represented, in particular by Julien Anquetin who has seven victories and three podiums in 4* and 5* competitions since December, or even Jeanne Sadran, who is preparing, at only 22 years old, to take is taking part in his first FEI World Cup Final after his second place in the FEI World Cup Grand Prix in Bordeaux last February.