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Jean Maurice Bonneau: Horses, a lifestyle.

An interview with Jean Maurice Bonneau, technical consultant and YRA’s Chef d’Equipe. His experience, his knowledge of the world of show jumping at the highest possible levels, his competence as a trainer, coach and manager added to his organisational capabilities, have made him one of the most prestigious personalities in global equestrian sports.

Our sport has experienced constant technical and professional evolution. On the basis of your experience as a rider and a coach, is it more difficult nowadays for a young person to build a career and reach the highest levels than it was twenty years ago?
This question addresses a key aspect of our sport. The evolution of a sport is connected to the evolution of society. We must be constantly connected to reality and use all the tools we have these riders get to the top of their sport. So this is the picture. So what means can we use? We are, for example, using our network. Thanks to our coaches, the Board of the Young Riders Academy and myself, we all have many connections everywhere and try to motivate them. If we want to create new athletes, new champions for tomorrow, we must do everything possible to support and help them.
Clean Sport, welfare and antidoping procedures are increasingly at the centre of attention, as is sensitivity concerning the management of horses and an awareness that one should allow them to live according to their nature as much as we can. Which rules should be followed to ensure horses have a long sporting career and enjoy psycho- physical wellbeing?

Clean sport, welfare, anti-doping procedures are certainly part of our programme. It is up to us – since we have the background and work with these unbeliavable animals – to explain that even sport horses can live in harmony with people around them and be happy. We must explain how we work, observing and respecting rules and animal welfare, obviously because when one competes in equestrian sports horses become our partners. We talk about all this with the young riders because they need to know […]. Ours is an Olympic sport, it is a global industry and that is why I will defend my life, my passion and my sport for as long as I live. Equestrian riders and all top sports champions are heroes, and you become aware that they must be clean, otherwise you would be lying to all the kids, to all the fans. No one can afford to do that. It is one of the main issues, otherwise our sport doesn’t make any sense.

Full interview on April’s issue.