Riders’ Stories: Simon Delestre

Simon Delestre: “I’m so proud of him”.

Riding his extraordinary Cayman Jolly Jumper, Simon Delestre has once again confirmed he is one of the best riders in the world. With their two exceptional rounds this partnership finished second in the Rolex IJRC Top Ten Final.

How do you feel about this edition of the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final? 

My feelings about this Top 10 are that it has been something really incredible. I think every rider wants to win this once in his career. One can see that everyone is riding their best horse and really trying their best to win this class.

You and Cayman are an extraordinary pair: tell us something about your performance in the Top 10 and in the Grand Prix.

What I can say that I’m so proud of him, because when I checked I saw there is no other horse that jumped a double clear in both the Top 10 and the Grand Prix. So it means that at this level he is really one of the best horses in the world.  

Cayman looks like 'wind, fire and storms'. Tell us something about his personality and the way you have to ride him, the connection between you.

He certainly has incredible bloodlines, but he has also so much quality and scope, which creates something that is a good mix, between the blood and the rest of his qualities he is so gifted that everything is possible with him, so you can always achieve something. It’s really difficult to find the right words to express what he is, because he is so exceptional that I don’t know what to say. He is the best horse ever I have seen in my life.

Images@IJRC/F.Petroni/S.Secchi