the essential
From a medal at the Paris Olympics to a “sad and radical” separation. If distancing a rider and his mount is never easy, this story seems even more difficult to live with for Stéphane Landois, silver medalist at the Paris Olympics, who moved France by climbing onto the podium in tribute to another rider died in competition. Today the story ends badly, the family having wanted to sell the horse.
Some good stories end badly. This summer, French rider Stéphane Landois won a silver medal in the team eventing alongside Karim Lagouhag and Nicolas Touzaint. And if all medals are beautiful, this one really had a special flavor. Because Stéphane Landois went to get this podium in horse riding by riding Chaman Dumontceau.
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The bond between horse and rider is often very strong, but between these two, there was more than that. Chaman Dumontceau was in fact the horse that Thaïs Meheust used to ride, who died in 2019 at the age of 22, crushed under her faithful steed while competing in competition. “All three of us were with her,” the rider then declared, referring to the deceased girl, to whom he was very close.
There had obviously also been a word for his mount, declaring in tears: “I have the impression that he felt the emotion”. He also assured that he had “brought back a medal for her” who “dreamed of Paris, dreamed of the Games”. It was also a very powerful moment for his parents. “For the first time in five years, we vibrated with positive emotion. We were happy,” his mother explained.
“Shaman is sold in England”
She was also full of gratitude for Stéphane Landois: “We cried with joy and sadness. It was crazy. Everything this horse has become is thanks to Stéphane.” Only a few months later, the story is much less beautiful.
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“Chaman is sold to England,” Thaïs’ family announced. “We felt the need to close this book, which is so painful, so strong, so extraordinary and so paradoxical,” she explained, although assuring that they would be “eternally grateful to the Olympic medalist. .
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The latter did not hesitate to let his bitterness burst out on social networks while he hoped to continue his journey with the horse that took him to the heights. “Despite my infinite desire to keep Chaman with me, even for a simple retreat, I had neither the time nor the opportunity to do so,” he declared “with a heavy heart.”
“The pain is immense” for those who consider that this “adventure” ends “in a sad and radical way”. He considers that he was not involved in a decision that he would have hoped would be different.
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