In a tense health-care context, which concerns both humans and horses since the appearance in February of an epizootic of rhinopneumonitis, the Equestrian Committee of Saumur, organizer of one of the three French major eventing competitions, and its partners have made the courageous decision, in the name of sport, to maintain their spring event: Saumur Complet and its iconic competition the CCI4 * -L, from April 29 to May 2. «In the name of sport» because the 35th edition of the event is a central issue in the athletes preparation for the Olympic Games in Tokyo, where France will have a leading place to defend.
From now on until the Tokyo’s Olympics Games, opportunities will be rare for European eventers to perfect their preparation: in Western Europe for example, only seven CCI 4 * -L and CCI 5 * -L have been maintained on schedule up to the 30th of June. This shows the importance of each meeting! Last qualifying step for the French riders, Olympic Team champions and individual vice-champion (Nicolas Astier) in Rio in 2016, the CCI 4 * -L de Saumur Complet will be run from the 29 th of April to the 2nd of May, under strict sanitary conditions, behind closed doors. The public will not be able to physically access the Hippodrome de Verrie. However the public will be able to view the event online.
Saumur : a world-renowned reference in equestrian eventing.
The French capital of equestrianism, will host of the prestigious IFCE . The first edition of Saumur Complet was run in 1986. Since then, some of the greatest have competed in this competition. Triple winner of the competition, the legendary New Zealander Mark Todd, double individual Olympic champion in 1984 and 1988, won in Saumur in 1987 with Charisma, the companion of his victories in Los Angeles and Seoul, and paved the way for other icons. In 1991, for its sixth edition, the competition was won for the first time by France, thanks to French rider Marie-Christine Duroy together with Quart du Placineau. Followed by Didier Seguret with Coeur de Rocker in 1993, Jean Teulère Olympic Team champion in 1994, and Rodosto, ten years later in 2004, the local Jean-Lou Bigot with Derby de Longueval in 2005, Nicolas Touzaint with Tatchou in 2007, also a member of the victorious French team in 2004, Maxime Livio with Qalao des Mers in 2014, until finishing with the first place, Mathieu Lemoine with Bart L in 2015, current Olympic title holder with the Blues.
