Astier and 'Ronaldo' at Blenheim
At twenty six years of age Astier Nicolas became the youngest winner of a CCI4* this year when he stood on top of the podium at Les Etoiles de Pau, France in October. The big win came on board the 12 year old Selle Français gelding Piaf de B'Neville, the horse on which he also won the Under 25 CCI3* at Bramham in 2012, but this is not the only star in Astier’s stable
In September we spoke to Astier when he came a close second to Jonelle Price in the CIC3* riding Spes Addit’Or, who has a significant nickname after a famous Brazilian footballer
“”I call him Ronaldo – that’s a better name for him” said Astier “”He’s my biggest hope for hope for Rio and he is my absolute favourite. I know I shouldn’t say that because I have several lovely horses but he is special”
When asked what at makes Ronaldo so special, Astier smiled gently and with genuine affection for the nine year old Anglo Arab bay gelding that didn’t have a smooth start in eventing despite his excellent breeding
“He’s very talented but it isn’t just that. Come and see him and you’ll find out. You’ll feel the same about him when you enter his stable – he doesn’t leave you indifferent, he really watches you and has something about him. I feel as if I have a special partnership with him”
Astier was asked to ride the six year old Ronaldo three years ago by the breeder and then owner, Marie-Christine de Lauriere (Duroy). Marie-Christine had ridden his sire, Yardlands Summer Song, for a team silver medal at the World Equestrian Games at The Hague and was convinced that the young progeny had ‘something about him’.
At the 2013 FEI World Young Event Horse Championships CCI2*at Le Lion d’Angers
Although Ronaldo had not been very successful as a four and five year old, Astier agreed with Marie-Christine from the very first ride and he took on the young horse. The pair came third at the CICYH1* at Pompadour in 2012 and followed it up with a sixth in the FEI World Young Event Horse Championships CCI2*at Le Lion d’Angers in 2013. In 2014 they moved up to 3* level but Ronaldo was out of competition from mid-2014 until August 2015
“He’s been out for a year and we’re just getting back into it again. It was a minor injury but we took our time with him because we rate him so highly and we just didn’t want to take any risks”
They had his first competition back at Aston-le-Walls in August, then the 2* at Le Pin au Haras before heading to Blenheim where, despite finishing second, Astier was a bit frustrated that he had let his horse down.
“I lacked competition experience with him because of the year off and he’s changed quite a lot in that year. He’s a lot quieter now – I used to have to be saying whoa to him all the time but now it’s ‘let’s go’ so I wasn’t perfectly with him in the show jumping and it cost us a rail”
“It was only a little mistake on my part but it may have cost us a win; I’m not too worried about that because Jonelle would probably have gone faster if I was closer but I just want to give this horse the best possible ride I can so I’m being quite demanding on myself when I ride him”
Astier is used to be demanding on himself as he trains mainly on his own.
“Generally I don’t have a regular trainer for cross country or jumping – I just train my horses myself. But in the lead up to Blenheim I did have a few lessons with Annabel Scrimgeour, who works with Andrew Nicholson; I found it really helpful and I might do a bit more with her in the future”
Having spent some time earlier working in the UK with Andrew Nicholson, Astier based himself with Nick Gauntlett in the lead up to Badminton in 2013; once there he decided that, despite the English climate (“I don’t live here for the weather!”), he loved the eventing scene in England and wanted to stay. More recently he has established his own yard based with Helen Cole in Calne, Wiltshire
“It’s a lovely yard and it was a very good opportunity so I moved there in April. I don’t know what the future holds but I’m having a great time here now. Ronaldo now has English owners too (Helen and Paul Fearn) and they did the best thing they possibly could have done for me by buying this horse. They are lovely, loyal people who have been very patient while he was recovering from injury”
At Blenheim Astier was himself still recovering, not from injury but from the disappointment of not being able to compete as part of the French team at the FEI European Championships at Blair Castle. He had encountered a last minute issue with Piaf De B'Neville in the preparation for the Championships but was looking forward to heading to Les Etoiles de Pau as a backup plan. As it turned out, it was a backup plan that gave him his first CCI4* victory on home soil in front of family and friends
It may be that Piaf De B'Neville has stolen some more of Astier’s heart thanks to the recent 4* win but we have a feeling that Spes Addit’Or’s nickname may be a good omen for 2016
Astier has been supported by Hermès since the beginning of 2012; this short film about Astier and Ronaldo was produced by them
