Allure et panache. Le Saut Hermès weekend at the Grand Palais

The main Parisian show jumping competition, held under the sponsorship of the Maison Hermès, takes place at the Grand Palais every March. It is a top-level, five-star show jumping competition, meaning the obstacles range from 140 cm (Prix Les Talents Hermès, for riders under 25) to 160 cm (Grand Prix Hermès). The prize fund ranges from €28,000 for the former to €400,000 for the latter.

Let's start with the main event: the winner of the Grand Prix Hermès CSI 5* was Scottish showjumper Scott Brash, the world's number one, riding the 13-year-old mare Hello Chadora Lady, whom one French commentator called a "petite bombe" and who made an exceptional impression with her strength and precision. The pair cleared all the obstacles in 32.32 seconds, without knocking down a single one. This harmony-the number one in the World Rankings becoming number one in the Grand Prix Hermès -might seem a bit dull from the outside, but in fact, this year's Grand Prix was full of drama and surprises.

Consider the Frenchman Simon Delestre, Hermès Partner Rider, number 19th in the world, who won last year's Grand Prix on Cayman Jolly Jumper, a 13-year-old gelding, seting a record with three victories in this competition. This time, he rode a different horse, the 9-year-old stallion Gatsby Du Tillard, and did not even make it into the final six–that is, those who advance to the jump-off. The previous evening, however, he had won the Prix Du 24 Faubourg on the mare Olga van de Kruishoeve. Meanwhile, Belgian rider Thibeau Spits, ranked 53rd in the world, rode the stallion Impress-K Van't Kattenheye Z to the final jump-off, finishing fifth (36.55 seconds), which, as commentators noted, confirmed his top form. Dutch Willem Greve, riding the stallion Grandorado TN N.O.P, finished fourth (34.17 seconds). Second place was shared by Switzerland's Martin Fuchs, riding the gelding Conner Jei, and Harrie Smolders from Netherlands, riding the gelding Mr. Tac, with identical times of 33.35 seconds–a rare occurence in show jumping.

Overall, the Grand Prix Hermès proceeded without any major incidents. Several riders retired–their horses simply refused to jump the fences–but no one ended up on the ground. On the very first day of competition, at the Prix Hermès Sellier, two horses threw their riders, and in one case both rider and horse fell, but thankfully everyone was unharmed.

This is the second year that Le Saut Hermès has returned to the renovated Grand Palais, and its monumental Belle Époque splendor lends the show jumping a special sparkle. This time, behind the stands, panels of delicate white clouds on a pink background were installed, and when illuminated by the sun's rays filtering through the glass dome of the Grand Palais—and the weather was exceptional that weekend—the whole scene was filled with a joyful glow. And, of course, it is the presence of Hermès that makes this event so unique. Watching top-level riders and horses, surrounded by the rarest Hermès bags, some of which can rival the price of these horses, is a very special experience. The Maison Hermès guest area was decorated in a seaside style–the floor was covered in the finest, softest white sand, which was used to create three fantastical horse figures with wings or dragon tails, and there were lounge chairs and folding tables like those at a beach café. One of Hermès's leading artists, Dimitri Rybaltchenko, created an animation for the VR experience, which took six months, as he said. You sat on a replica horse, donned VR headset, and a girl in a Saut Hermès uniform gently rocked it by hand, so that you truly felt like a rider, riding it under the arches of the Grand Palais or soaring above a magical sea. Hermès is a great artisanal house; everything is handmade here, even the VR journey.

Courtesy: Hermès

Text: Elena Stafyeva