Text © World of Showjumping 

With the only clear round, crowd-favourite Steve Guerdat (SUI) and the 11-year-old stallion Easy Star de Talma (Quick Star x Opium de Talma) won Saturday’s CSIO5* 1.50m Derby de La Baule – Demeures de Campagne at Jumping International de La Baule 2025. It was the first victory for Guerdat in this historical class, which dates back to 1963, and a step up from last year when he and his lovely stallion finished second. 

The derby course counted 21 fences that included several natural elements and jumps such as the lake, the derby banks, the double of banks, the open water, and a selection of other unusual fences, gates and fillers. It also had a new title sponsor, thanks to Demeures de Campagne. 

Fifteen horse-and-rider combinations had lined up for the derby, and twelve of them completed the course. As Guerdat – reining European champion and Olympic vice-champion – entered the ring as last to go, it was home hero Nicolas Layec (FRA) leading the way after finishing on a score of four faults in 133.59 seconds having had only a foot in the water. 

Although not French, Guerdat certainly had the support from the crowd in La Baule – who was at the edge of their seats as they watched on. Crossing the finish line after a magnificent clear round, there was immediate celebration for Guerdat and Easy Star de Talma who clearly are much loved by the unique public that fills the François André Stadium. 

“I was just trying to keep it a bit cool,” Guerdat said to World of Showjumping about his performance. “I did not feel like it was my best ride in that derby, but finally it was enough for the win. Some of the other years I would have deserved the win more than this year, but anyhow the horse deserved it! It’s really enjoyable to ride these classes when the horse enjoys it like him; it’s just a pure pleasure.”

“Obviously I knew what I had to do because I was last to go and there was no clear,” Guerdat said. “Easy Star can be fast in a jump-off, but is not the fastest over a long course – that’s why I normally prefer a derby with a jump-off. But the time was beatable today so I thought that I had to be quite fast to the double of verticals; I thought that was basically the last that I [potentially] could have down – unless I had some bad luck. So, after the double of verticals, I took a little bit more time going home.”

“Easy Star has such a great character,” Guerdat said. “He’s always trying and he is very competitive – when we bring him to the show he normally always comes home with a good result for us. He is also so versatile, you can have him in a big class, a speed class, a derby – it’s a pleasure to share sport with horses like him.”

La Baule is only Guerdat’s fourth show since he returned to international competition in mid-May after his back surgery in February, but he has already managed to jump two double clear rounds in five-star Nations Cups, place 9th in last week’s five-star Grand Prix in St. Gallen and today win the La Baule Derby – a long-time goal of the Swiss rider. “As the day goes on I get tired quite easily especially in my right leg, but the good thing is it keeps getting better and better,” Guerdat said about how he feels physically following his come-back. 

Though not 100% yet, Guerdat still managed to best the rest in La Baule today, leaving Nicolas Layec (FRA) and Georgio Louvo Z (George x Quintus D'09) to second, while Jessica Mendoza (GBR) and Disa DM 42 (Diarado x Feliciano) finished third with only a plank down at the end of the course which also put her on a score of four faults – 3.79 seconds slower than Layec.