The Devoucoux Indoor Derby at Bordeaux in France never fails to deliver an event that gets the crowd roaring, but this year there was the added emotion of a victory for Punch L’Esques, ridden by Karim Laghouag, at the horse’s final appearance in CIX-arena cross country
The Jumping International de Bordeaux returned this year after two years of pandemic related cancellation and it is also celebrating its 50th anniversary. The main arena was packed on Friday night for the Devoucoux Derby, an indoor cross country class that takes place on the main arena as well as the warm up arena over a distance of about 1,000 meters.
Eighteen riders lined up to tackle the course designed by Pierre Michelet, with its nineteen obstacles and twenty-six efforts. 13 French riders were joined by Germany’s Michael Jung, Brazil’s Carlos Parro, Thailand’s Korntawat Samran, Sweden’s Sofia Sjoborg and Spain’s Albert Hermosa Farras but it was France’s Karim Laghouag and the 20-year-old Punch de l'Esques that reigned supreme (watch their ride in the video above from 55:15)
It was their fourth victory here and Karim was delighted with his ‘old friend’
"Yes, he really showed us that it is impossible to believe that he is that old. When we started thinking about retiring him last year, I rode him every day and thought there was no way he was already 19. He was still the usual Punch and now he has to stop while still being at the top of his game. Doing this course with him is so simple, Punch is in my head: I look left, he goes left, I squeeze my buttocks because I'm afraid of dropping a fence and he jumps a metre over it, it's a beautiful story!”
Punch may be retiring from competition but he has a long and happy retirement to look forward to
"I have the feeling that the people here have made Punch their own. You see his portrait everywhere, on the course there is even a fence paying tribute to him, you don't see that anywhere else. And now we're going to celebrate his farewell to competition without crying because there's nothing sad here. He is retiring and will live many more beautiful days hacking with me, with my son and especially with my wife. He is going on holiday and we will see each other every day.”
Completing the course with no penalties in 110.34 seconds, Karim topped an all French podium with Benjamin Massie riding Cupidon du Cardonne in second place (111.34 seconds) and Stephane Landois riding Atos Barbotiere in third (112.11 seconds). Michael Jung riding Kilcandra Ocean Power finished fourth with 113.92 seconds
Punch de l'Esques ridden by Karim Laghouag takes victory for the final time
