Interview with Gérard Lachat

The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping is considered the top event of this sport Do you feel under pressure when designing the Rolex Grand Prix in Geneva and what are the challenges?

The Rolex Grand Prix is ​​a challenge every year, especially since it attracts the best horses and riders in the world, so there’s a certain amount of pressure.  There is also money at stake, which adds a bit of pressure, but more importantly, it’s one of the biggest competitions of the year: the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping is special! We have to make sure that the course lives up to the expectations of the riders, the public and the sponsors.

Can you tell us a little bit about the course you’ve designed for Sunday?

Well, at this moment in time it’s still being built! I already have a basic plan which I think will be similar to previous years. It is quite classic, since it’s a classic event with obstacles that are close together, and it will certainly be technical in terms of distances and heights. Of course, we are always looking to achieve maximum difficulty for this type of event.

The track isn’t 100% finalised yet as I’m working with another renowned assistant this year, Grégory Bodo. In the same way as when I worked with Louis Konickx in previous years, it happens like this: I put together a plan at home, but will discuss everything together including distances and we will adapt the course afterwards.

This is the first time in several years that you’ve not worked with Louis Konickx. How do you feel about this change and what can you tell us about your new teammate?

He’s a different person, but I get on with both of them! We have the same ideas, and we have the same perspective and mindset for the sport. For me, it doesn’t make much difference, working with Gregory or Louis.  I’ve been working with Gregory on the CHI Basel for two years now, so we know each other well. I think and hope that the results will be the same as with Louis because we’ve got great results so far!

How do you balance creativity and practicality when designing a course? Are there any specific techniques or principles that you follow?

It depends on what type of event we’re designing! In this case, it’s an event with a jump-off so that already gives us an idea of the kind of course line we are going to follow. Then, we try to be as creative as possible so as not to repeat the same lines as last year or the year before! We always try to change it a little bit to add an element of surprise, but we all bring our own style and distinctive character to the design process.

Has there been a horse-rider combination that has impressed you during your career as a course designer?

There have been many and there are always new ones that impress us every time!  There are riders like Steve Guerdat, for example, who is always there.  He had found his match with Nino des Buissonnets, and then it took a little while for him to find a new combination. Now, we’ve noticed that with his “new” horse Dynamix de Belheme, he’s been able to develop a magnificent symbiosis. There are also other riders like Marcus Ehning, who has an impressive number of good horses and an unmistakable style. In a way, all riders have their own specificities, a bit like us designers have our own style. Beyond the combination, a jump-off like the one achieved last year in the Rolex Grand Prix by Richard Vogel on United Touch S, who “stole” a stride during the course, is what impresses me even more.

Looking to the future, what are your goals as a course designer? Are there any upcoming projects or events that you are particularly excited about?

Yes, I’ve been given the opportunity to design [the course] for the FEI World Cup™ Finals in Basel in April, it’s a project that I’m particularly excited about!  This is a big milestone for me, as it’s the first time I’ve been fortunate enough to design a Championship course myself. Of course, this comes with added pressure. Obviously, I also see it as an achievement, it’s the level we all hope to reach as designers.

You’ve been involved in the course design for many major events. How do you keep your tracks authentic and innovative while remaining true to the traditions of the sport?

I try not to do too many competitions each year. I’m lucky to have an equestrian centre with foals to breed and I still ride a little. I train these young horses and I think that with this diversity, of not being a course designer every weekend, it clears my mind and allows me to try to be more creative. The CHI Geneva is also different, it's big, there's the lake and it's a big ring, it's a bit like being outside. When you have indoor arenas, like in Basel, which are square or rectangular, we always come back to the same lines because we can't always come up with something different. However, we always try to innovate a little bit, to challenge ourselves every time so that it’s as interesting as possible for the riders. And a challenge for us too! When we notice that something doesn't work, we look at why, we think about it, and we tell ourselves that we won’t do it again because it doesn’t work.

What role does location play in your course design? How do you adapt to different rings, whether indoors or outdoors?

Obviously the arena matters a lot! If you have big rings, you also have longer distances - the distances automatically change because the horses have more space to gallop. A ring like the one at the CHI Geneva is like an outdoor arena, so we can use the distances that we use outside. When you have a smaller arena, it’s naturally a bit shorter because the horses don't get into the same rhythm or stride as they do outside. Even though today things have changed a lot. Over the last twenty years, the quality of horses and their training has improved tremendously which has influenced our profession as well.

In your opinion, what qualities make a great course designer?

First of all, you have to be as creative as possible while keeping the horses in mind by imagining what will work for them. Today, it is even more important to have courses that don’t cause big faults, to ensure the well-being of the horse. So, we have to think of clever ways to cause little faults here and there throughout the track. We want to avoid, as far as possible, any bad mistakes that could frighten or even injure the horses and riders.

With technological advancements and data analysis in sports, are you incorporating modern tools or technologies into your course design, such as digital simulations?

No. I think the onus is on us to do a bit more work on this. However, we work with human beings, so I’m not sure artificial intelligence would be particularly useful right now. The horse may be in slightly worse shape that day, the rider too, and we cannot design a course to say "I want this or that person to win, and for there to be so many clear rounds". I even believe that with all that artificial intelligence could bring us, we’ll not be able to find the answers and that’s also what’s good, keeping the human behind all that!

In your opinion, how important is the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping for the sport?

For me, it’s a very important concept for riders, because it’s still a Rolex Grand Slam and it’s not only open to elite riders but those who have earned their place on merit. These really are the very best, those who have worked hard during the season, who have the possibility of competing - they all have a chance, even an outsider for example who qualifies on Thursday evening in the Trophée de Genève has a chance of winning the Rolex Grand Prix on Sunday. For me, it’s the best in the world.