Astier Nicolas won team gold and individual silver at Rio 2016 Olympic Games
On May 8th, French eventing riders , Astier Nicolas, Maxime Livio, Nicolas Touzaint and Lieutenant-Colonel Thibaut Vallette helped raise money in support of French riding schools and pony clubs affected by the Covid-19 crisis
The “Treasures of Champions” Auction on Arqana's online auction platform saw more than 560 bidders raising 36,238 Euros for the emergency fund launched by the French Equestrian Federation.
The top price was reached by Philippe Rozier's "treasure", the first nomination to his Olympic stallion Rahotep de Toscane, owned by Christian Baillet. Frédéric Pérouse forked out 8,500 Euros on this unique mate to his daughter’s mare.
In second place, the winner’s rug won in 2019 by Simon Delestre and Hermès Ryan in the Grand Prix du Saut Hermès, was acquired by Océane Finet for 4,009 Euros as a moving tribute to her mother.
Rounding out the podium is the Hermès saddle of Olympic champion eventer Astier Nicolas, winner of team gold at Rio in 2016. Stéphane Colas laid out 2,580 Euros for this special birthday present for his daughter.
The "Treasures of Champions" on offer appealed not only to equestrian fans but also to Philippe Guerdat, former coach of the French national team, who acquired Kevin Staut's rug from the Final of the 2014 Barcelona Cup of Nations, where France finished third under his direction, as well as Thierry Rozier's French team polo shirt worn during the World Equestrian Games in Tryon in 2018.
Eric Hoyeau and Christophe Ameeuw, founding partners of The Auction, warmly thank the bidders, the 21 champion riders representing the disciplines of show jumping, eventing, dressage and para-olympics; the photographer Jessica Rodrigues; Alexandre Bekka, the riders' agent at the initiative of this sale; as well as all the volunteers who took part in this charity auction.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to:
Patrice Delaveau, Kevin Staut, Philippe Rozier, Julien Epaillard, Simon Delestre, Thierry Rozier, Félicie Bertrand, Nicolas Delmotte, Olivier Robert, Edward Lévy, Geoffroy de Coligny, Camille Condé Ferreira, Astier Nicolas, Maxime Livio, Nicolas Touzaint, Lieutenant-Colonel Thibaut Vallette, Jessica Michel-Botton, Morgan Barbançon-Mestre, Anne-Frédérique Royon, Michel Robert, Pierre Durand.
