Victor Bettendorf and his horse Mr Tac (All photos: Hermès)
The 13th edition of Saut Hermès returned to Paris, France, last month and what a fascinating spectacle it was. The annual jumping competition took place at Grand Palais Éphémère in the gardens of Champ de Mars.
As Hermès’s first customers in 1837, horses are intimately connected to the brand’s history. The incredible craftsmanship pioneered by founder Thierry Hermès lives on to this day, in its womenswear, menswear, bags, equestrian line and more. The Saut gathers global showjumping elite and rising stars under the age of 25 while celebrating the world of equestrian with special experiences inside the venue or at the stables outside.
“Depending on the perspective of the onlooker, the horse makes curves, rounds or arabesques on the ground before straightening his line to approach the fence and, if all is well, clears it in silence. This subtle combination of turns and gaits around the fence inevitably evokes the vagaries of life and proves the existence of elegant and nimble ways to tackle them, with the indispensable and active assistance of experience, agility and resolve,” says Axel Dumas, CEO of Hermès.
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Fifty-five riders from all over the world participated in the event, including 14 Hermès partner riders. This year’s show was marked by the debut of the brand’s newest saddle, the Selle Rouge, which was carefully constructed over a period of three years.
The saddle made its appearance with Hermès ambassador and Belgian Olympic showjumping rider Jérôme Guery and his horse Cristel. Big winners for the 2023 Grand Prix Hermès were Victor Bettendorf and his horse Mr Tac.
This article first appeared on Apr 3, 2023 in The Edge Malaysia.
