Oct 25, 2015

Astier Nicolas wins first CCI4* at Les 4 Etoiles de Pau

By FEI - Press Release
Astier Nicolas (FRA), riding Piaf de B’neville thrills the French crowd with his first CCI4* win on home ground at Les 4 Etoiles de Pau, Trevor Holt/FEI Photo.

Astier Nicolas (FRA) had an excited French crowd on the edges of their seats as he scored his first ever CCI4* win in fantastic style at Les 4 Etoiles de Pau (FRA), opening leg of the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016.

With the hopes of his home country resting on his shoulders and Pau’s Jumping course proving as influential as ever, Nicolas, who was third after Cross Country, rode a skillful clear round on Piaf de B’neville in the Jumping arena.

This put serious pressure on 19-year-old Emily King (GBR) and Olympic, world and European number one Michael Jung (GER), who was down to one horse after withdrawing the overnight leader Halunke FBW at the final Horse Inspection, and, to Nicolas’s evident disbelief, they each had a fence down.

King dropped from second to fourth on Brookleigh, but it was a brave effort at her first CCI4*, and Jung, who has made very few mistakes this year, slipped from first to second on fischerRocana, losing the win by just 0.9 penalty, after the mare hit the third fence.

Tim Price (NZL) and the Dutch-bred Wesko, a reliable horse in the final phase, having started his career in a Jumping yard, rose from fourth to third with an immaculate clear round.

Astier Nicolas is the first French rider to win the CCI4* at Pau since Nicolas Touzaint in 2007 and, to make it even more special, the city of Pau is his home, although he is a familiar face on the British circuit, having been based there for a while.

“I wasn’t at all nervous because I had two riders in front of me and didn’t think I would win,” said Nicolas. “It’s very special to win my first CCI4* in France.”

The French crowd had even more to cheer about when two of the seven clear rounds came from Karim Florent Laghouag (FRA), who rose from eighth to fifth place on the lovely black stallion Entebbe de Hus and from 14th to seventh on Punch de l’Esques.

The young German rider Claas Hermann Romeike, watched anxiously by his Olympic gold medalist father, Hinrich, also kept a cool head, jumping clear on Cato 60 to rise seven places to sixth at only his second CCI4*.

Tim Lips (NED) slipped five places to 11th when Bayro incurred 12 Jumping faults and Andreas Dibowski (GER) was lucky to only drop two places to 12th when FRH Butts Avedon had four fences down. Paul Tapner (AUS) also departed from the top 10, falling from seventh to 17 with an unfortunate six rails down on Indian Mill.

As well as the sad departure of Halunke FBW from the Horse Inspection, Bill Levett (AUS) also withdrew Shannondale Titan, 10th after Cross country. Thirty-three horses completed the competition.

The FEI Classics™ 2015/2016 season has started in style with a thrilling contest. Next, the action moves to the southern hemisphere for the Adelaide International 3 Day Event (AUS) on 19-22 November.

About the Les 4 Etoiles de Pau winner

Astier Nicolas (FRA), 26, is the youngest CCI4* winner this year. He represented France at Pony, Junior and Young Rider level and won an individual silver medal in the Young Rider Europeans at Waregem (BEL) in 2009. His previous best CCI4* result was sixth at Pau in 2012 on Jhakti du Janlie.

Riding Piaf de B’neville, he won the u25 CCI3* at Bramham (GBR) in 2012 and was a member of France’s senior bronze medal team at the 2013 FEI European Eventing Championship in Malmö (SWE).

The combination finished runner up at Saumur CCI3* this year. He was also recently second in the young horse CIC3* at Blenheim and ninth at Boekelo CCI3* (NED) on Spes Addit’Or.

Nicolas is from Pau in France but has been based for some years in Gloucestershire in Great Britain, where he came to study for a degree in equine management at the West of England University at Hartpury College.

Piaf de B’neville is a 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding by Cap de B’neville.

Final results
1 Astier Nicolas/Piaf de B’neville (FRA) 38.5 + 0 + 0 = 38.5
2 Michael Jung/fischerRocana FST (GER) 35.4 + 0 + 4 = 39.4
3 Tim Price/Wesko (NZL) 40.0 + 0 + 0 = 40.0
4 Emily King/Brookleigh (GBR) 38.3 + 0 + 4 = 42.3
5 Karim Florent Laghouag/Entebbe de Hus (FRA) 40.6 + 2 + 0 = 42.6
6 Claas Hermann Romeike/Cato 60 (GER) 44.1 + 3.2 + 0 = 47.3
7 Karim Florent Laghouag/Punch de l’Esques (FRA) 49.3 + 0 + 0 = 49.3
8 Sarah Bullimore/Valentino V (GBR) 45.8 + 0 + 4 = 49.8
9 Clare Abbot/Euro Prince (IRL) 49.1 + 1.6 + 0 = 50.7
10 Sir Mark Todd/NZB Campino (NZL) 43.3 + 0 + 8 = 51.3

Full results: www.event-pau.fr<http://www.event-pau.fr>.

Apr 24, 2025 Competitions

The 2025 K3DE Daily: Dressage Day 1

And they're off! The first official day of competition at the 2025 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event (K3DE) begins today and we have a schedule jam-packed with dressage for both the four- and five-star fields.

Apr 23, 2025 Competitions

One Spun, 34 to Move Forward in Defender Kentucky CCI5*-L

The CCI5*-L field was narrowed by one this afternoon following the first horse inspection on High Hope Inspection Lane at the 2025 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. Horse and rider pairs were looking their best, with a few horses demonstrating their readiness for the upcoming competition through their flamboyant behavior (we're looking at you Bronte Beach Z and Dyri).

Apr 23, 2025 Competitions

Fence-By-Fence: The 2025 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event Cross-Country Course Preview

The man, the myth, the legend himself, Derek di Grazia is back in his typical fashion at this year's Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event and he has designed some beautiful tracks for both the CCI5*-L and CCI4*-S competitions this year. You can get a first look at these amazing courses as well as some insider interviews with di Grazia himself thanks to our friends at the CrossCountry App!

Apr 23, 2025 Competitions

The 2025 K3DE Daily: First Horse Inspection

It's the most wonderful time of the year—and we aren't talking about the holiday season. Welcome to 2025 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event (K3DE) week! This week the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, will be crawling with eventing lovers from all across the globe for the first five-star of the 2025 season and the USEA is excited to once again be onsite for all of the action.

Official Corporate Sponsors of the USEA

Official Joint Therapy Treatment of the USEA

Official Feed of the USEA

Official Saddle of the USEA

Official Forage of the USEA

Official Competition & Training Apparel of the USEA

Official Horse Boot of the USEA

Official Shock Wave of the USEA

Official Horse Wear of the USEA