Individual bronze medallist Thibaut Vallette at Blair Castle 2015
The French eventing team for Rio has been announced as;
- Karim-Florent Laghouag and Entebbe De Hus
- Mathieu Lemoine and Bart L
- Astier Nicolas and Piaf De B’Neville
- Thibaut Vallette and Qing Du Briot
Reserve: Nicolas Touzaint on Crocket 30
The French team originally qualified for the Rio Olympic Games at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy but lost their qualification following the disqualification of team member Maxime Livio due to a positive dope test for his horse Qalao Des Mers. At the FEI European Championships at Blair Castle in 2015 the French team of Thibaut Vallette, Karim-Florent Laghouag, Mathieu Lemoine and Thomas Carlile once again secured selection thanks to individual and team bronze medals
Karim Florent Laghouag and the 11 year old stallion Entebbe De Hus also finished third in the CIC3* at Chatsworth this year and fifth at Les Etoiles de Pau CCI4* in 2015, which was won by the young French star Astier Nicolas on his nominated horse Piaf De B’Neville. Astier also won the second leg of the Event Rider Masters at Chatsworth - watch his cross country ride on Piaf De B'Neville here
Thibaut Vallette no doubt secured his position on the team as the individual bronze medallist at the FEI European Championships at Blair Castle in 2015 while Matthieu Lemoine and Bart L also had a good result at Chatsworth, a targeted selection event for the French team, finishing fifth in the CIC3*
Prior to the team announcement, it was advised that the long-listed squad member Thomas Carlile had withdrawn his horse Sirocco du Gers from consideration due to an inflammation of the splint
