Last week I got quite intrigued by the line-up of riders that was competing at the CDI Vidauban in the South of France in their last effort to improve their FEI Riders' Ranking before the official Olympic cut-off date of 1 March 2012. With 305 riders entered to compete and a brilliant weather forecast of 20° sunshine, I booked a last minute flight to Nice in order to photograph the Grand Prix competition this week.
My afternoon flight from Brussels to Nice was smooth sailing with not a single bump on the "road". While my flight was totally uneventful, getting going to the show proved more difficult than it seemed. An issue arose from an unforeseen corner: trying to get my GPS to work in the rental car. First the bloody Tom Tom, or should I say "Dumb Dumb" didn't find Le Cannet on the map, then the screen went blank and finally the battery died. I suddently noticed how spoilt I am with a built-in navigation system in my own car.
My rental friend for the trip is a blue Renault Clio with a major dent in door. I am already in fifth great at 70 kilometers an hour and when I am driving 110 km on the motorway it sounds like a rocket taking off at Cape Canaveral. The engine hurled its way across the A8 Route Provençale.
Upon arriving at Bernadette Brune's Domaine Equestre des Grand Pins I was amazed by the size of the property: arenas everwhere!! I counted at least 6 huge rings in which a 20 x 60 arena fitted and riders were to be seen everywhere. I parked my car and the first rider I saw was a rider in a left-right flex-war with her horse. I turn my head and see another horse rearing in the ring while a trainer is screaming at girl at the top of her lungs..Wow. Seems like Olympic fever has hit town here.
Fortunately, the other riders were on their best behaviour and displayed good, relaxed warm up stratetgies. The vet check for the Grand Prix was taking place in the main show arena. Judges Alonso, Saleh and Roudier were supervising. I took the time to snap a few candids here and there and chatted with some riders, trainers, parents from Denmark, Belgium, South Africa, England and Germany. It certainly is an international gathering in Vidauban.
When I hit the hospitality tent I met up with friends and was greeted by one of them with the words, "wow you look tired" to which I kindly replied, "thanks, this is how I always look." Was that a hint that I should have chosen to go to Florida for a show in order to get a tan and freshen up my pale winter skin? Probably, but I'm sure with the predicated sunshine in Vidauban I'll get burnt in my face by Friday!
For dinner I went to a local restaurant "Le Boeuf" in Vidauban which has a big cow in front of the door. I joined Swiss Young Rider Dominique Tardin with her mom and close friend Louise Davies and found out that Tardin has actually become my neighbour, having moved from Germany to Belgium. It's a small world after all. I ate magret de canard (duck) and as dessert all four of us had a wonderful moelleux, a warm chocolate brownie which is still gooey on the inside. Delicious but yet another 70,000 calories in my system.
Round 11 pm I headed towards a cute local, British owned Bed & Breakfast, where I was greated by what seemed like twelve dogs and ten cats. The feline and canine quadrupeds were all very interested to welcome a stranger on their property. I was kindly shown my room where I took a refreshing shower and downloaded some photos. A selection you can see below.
The Grand Prix starts tomorrow at 9.15 AM and the GP for Special and GP for Kur will run at the same time.. Time to put my sneakers on because I'll be running from one arena to the other on photography marathon day!
Text and Photos by Astrid Appels
Related Links
2012 CDI Vidauban to Host All Big Tour Classes before Olympic Cut-off Date
2012 CDI Vidauban Gathers the Stars for Olympic Qualification Attempt