Épaillard, finally king: Normandy’s TGV masters Fontainebleau… and the long game

We knew him as a sprinter. We thought he couldn’t lift his foot off the gas. Julien Épaillard proved the exact opposite in Fontainebleau. By claiming his first French Pro Elite title with the promising Hard'Rock Queen HJD, the rider from the Pays d’Auge traded pure speed for flawless championship management.

From stopwatch to crown

On Friday, Julien Épaillard was already there. Lurking. Third place, with the fastest round… but a rail in the speed class to remind him that raw pace alone doesn’t win championships.

Message received.

On Saturday, the rider from Normandy delivered. Two rounds, two clear rounds, no hesitation. The Normandy TGV slowed down… just enough to stay on track. And in Fontainebleau, that leads straight to the title.

A missing line finally filled

French Cadet Champion in 1989. Pro Elite runner-up in 2010. And then… nothing at the very top.

A gap.

« I finally did it! This is my first French championship title, my time has finally come ,” said Épaillard, visibly relieved. The kind of win that closes a chapter left open for far too long.

A star in the making

But this victory tastes even sweeter. Because it comes with a 9-year-old horse. Because it comes with a horse Épaillard has only been riding since late January.

The story behind Hard'Rock adds another layer.

Alain Bourdon had spotted it early. “A crack,” he was already saying. He insisted, waited, pushed again—until the timing was right.

Hard'Rock Queen HJD, a Selle Français (Lauterbach x Coolcorran Cool Diamond), almost accidentally found his way into Épaillard’s stables. An opportunity, a twist of fate… and an instant connection.

« After a few jumps, I told Alain Bourdon he was a real extraterrestrial. »

Before that? A largely inexperienced horse. One that hadn’t jumped since May 2025. One that had barely seen grass.

« I knew I came here with a horse full of potential but still lacking experience… He really surprised me with his performance. »

Since then, everything has accelerated. A first 3* 1.50m Grand Prix win in Oliva. And now, a national title.

Clean.

Hurel charges, Joly waits

Behind Épaillard, things shifted. A lot.

Perreau and Anquetin slipped off the podium.

Cédric Hurel and FANTASIO FLOREVAL Z produced the comeback of the weekend. 15th after a rail on Friday, they delivered a double clear when it mattered most. Silver.

Inès Joly, meanwhile, did everything right. Faultless from start to finish with Come On Z. But a very slow time on Friday, nearly ten seconds behind Épaillard—left her with an impossible task. Bronze, yet a powerful reminder: in a championship, nothing is ever set in stone. The small-sized Come On already looks like a big-time horse.