Jappeloup

A small horse who looked like two halves put together’, Jappeloup nonetheless proved to have a big heart and a huge talent”.

- Bernard Bale

FRANCE has a fantastic pedigree of equestrianism going back through the annals of history. It has been a force to reckon with in modern sports with many great riders and some wonderful horses.

There is however one name that stands out above them all, a legend that lives on in the memories of aficionados of showjumping – and that is Jappeloup.

This little horse’s partnership with rider Pierre Durand fired the equestrian world of the 1980s and took them both to the pinnacle of success – an Olympic gold medal. It was a far cry from the uncertainty of their first meeting.

“I did not know what to make of him,” says Pierre, now 69. “When you are looking for a good potential showjumper you are expecting to find something that could be called a big horse.

“Jappeloup was not a big horse, he was 15.2hh, which is only a few inches more than a pony. Could a horse of this size really cope with the challenge of major jumping courses? I admit that I was doubtful. In fact, I decided against him at first.”

Jappeloup certainly had an interesting background as he was part-thoroughbred and part-Arabian through his dam, while his sire was a French trotting horse. He had the aristocracy of the thoroughbred and the speed and stamina of an Arab.

It was an interesting combination – a risk waiting to go wrong or a marvellous mix heading for the top. History provides the answer.

Breeder and owner Henri Delage was a friend of Pierre’s father and a year later he again brought Jappeloup to meet them.

“I was not convinced, but my father urged me to take him, so we did,” Pierre says. “I didn’t actually ride him for a little while. I wanted to get to know him first.