Photos: Courtesy Hermès
For almost two centuries, in 1837, horses have been at the heart of Hermès’ life and have inspired its artisans. “Everything starts with them and nothing happens without them”.
Thierry Hermès, the house’s founder, created a new harness with a functional and comfortable design that enhances and values the beauty of the horse, offering it more freedom of movement.
In 1910, specific saddles were created for different equestrian disciplines. From one century to the next, the artisans at 24, faubourg Saint-Honoré have closely followed developments in an increasingly competitive sport requiring state-of-the-art equipment that respects the comfort of both horse and rider.
In the stables, in the workshops or at the Saut Hermès, the horse is at the heart of everything, without leaving fashion and style in the background. The saddle is the link between the rider and the horse. It must allow his movements and fit his morphology.
“At Hermès, the concept of performance is considered as a whole: it is associated with exceptional materials and know-how, a love of work well done and, above all, with respect for the wellbeing of horses, both during leisure and when competing,” comments Ly Lallier, Head of Hermès’ equestrian métier.
Saut Hermès au Grand Palais Éphémère, Paris 2022
From March 18th to 20th, 2022, at the Grand Palais Éphémère, the 12th edition of the Saut Hermès welcomed the teams and horses that arrived at the stables in Champ-de-Mars until their departure after Grand Prix Hermès.
The facilities were carefully planned by Course Designer, Santiago Varela Ullastres —a Spaniard who was present at Olympic Games in Tokyo— and was assisted in Paris by Frenchman Grégory Bodo. The most important thing when thinking about steeplechase is the performance of the horses combined with the guarantee of safety and comfort.
13200 spectators over three days, 1 evening event, 2100 sqm of arena, 130 show-jumping horses, 12 show horses, 11 ponies, 55 riders in the CSI 5* competition, 20 young riders under 25 in the Talents Hermès competition, 17 nationalities and 736,000 euros prize was part at Saut Hermès.
Let’s start with the last competition: “Grand Prix Hermès” was divided in two phases: the first part consisted of jumping without knocking down obstacles and with good timing. The winners competed in the second phase where the course time was very important.
This time was won by the Olympic champion Kevin Staut riding his mare Cheppetta with an extraordinary time of 35”50. The Frenchman advanced over the two Swedes: Henrik Von Eckermann on King Edward with a time of 36”05, and very close to third place, his compatriot and world number one, Peder Fredricson riding Hansson WL with 36”22.
On the last day also competed for “Prix de la Ville de Paris” winning the Italian Emanuele Gaudiano and his trusty Carlotta 232. “Talents Hermès” is the competition for young riders under 25 years old who compete as a team, being the winners of this edition, the Belgians Gilles Thomas is 23 and Thibeau Spits is 21.
On Saturday there were several alternative events such as a night show about equestrian ballet. Horseman gallop into the arena and move to the rhythm of the music, their “pas de deaux” takes us to Andalusia.
Also, during the day there was a jumping contest with man’s best friends, the dogs ran and jumped over obstacles as well as the horses. Pony rides and grooming workshops were available for the kids to get to know and learn how care for them.
Equestrian show jumping competitions started on saturday with “Les Talents Hermès,” where the Marseillaise was heard for the victory of Laura Klein making a time of 33”87.
“Prix GL events” gave the first prize to the British pairing of Scott Brash and Hello Shelby. And finally, “Le Saut Hermès,” which with only 15 hundredths per second, the Belgian Gregory Wathelet triumphed over the German Christian Ahlmann who had a time of 42”84. The Australian Edwina Tops-Alexander completed the podium.
The main event kicked-off opening at “Prix du Grand Palais,” invited 47 competing horse and riders pairing to discover for the first time the main nave of the Grand Palais Éphémère, the future venue for the Paris Olympics 2024, located between l’École militaire and the Champ-de-Mars, near the Eiffel Tower. In this first event Emanuele Gaudiano riding Carlotta 232 covered the track without faults in 27”50.
The first of three “Talents Hermès” events won by British rider Sienna Charles with 23”37. “Prix Hermès Sellier” was a great spectacle, where the Swiss Martin Fuchs mount Sinner and was the only competitor to go clear on a sub-57-second (56”94).
The saddlery riders
The “Steinkraus” saddle designed in the late 1960s by Olympic champion William Steinkraus, “Hermès Cavale” was created with partner French rider Simon Delestre. The “Hermès Arpège” saddle and its extra-deep seat are designed for dressage with rider Jessica von Bredow-Werndl in 2016.
The “Selle Rouge” brings horse and human together as they jump obstacles, while revealing Hermès’ saddlery art in an unprecedented way.
Thus began a new chapter in the history of Hermès saddles, the “Selle Rouge” was designed with Belgian Jérôme Guéry, who has been part of the team since 2016. This saddle merges with the horse, is less thick and allows more contact with it.
The depth of the seat favors the fusion between horse and rider. The saddle tree, which has its origins in dressage, benefits from a slender fork to increase lightness, proximity, and stability. The skirt is incorporated into the flaps and the blocks are recessed to avoid any superfluous thickness hampering movement. The stitched seam is known as “fil-au-trait” and avoids any unnecessary friction. In addition to its technical and aesthetic innovations, it’s recyclable.
The “saddler’s red” refers the Maison’s emblematic color obtained when the artisan greases the saddle, anointing it with oil and glycerin soap to soften, nourish and protect the leather deep down.
The “Hermès Cavale II” is the first saddle with a seamless seat suitable for riding out of the saddle, created in 2019, just as the ultra-flat “Hermès Vivace” is a worthy heir to the “Steinkraus.”
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