Steve Guerdat doubles up on Saturday at La Baule

Steve Guerdat had the kind of Saturday that does not often end up filed away in the ordinary memory box. Already a winner earlier in the day in the Prix SAUR with Lancelotta (see our article here), the Swiss rider came back for seconds a few hours later in the Derby de La Baule – Demeures de Campagne, this time with Easy Star de Talma. Even better: the rider from the Jura made it back-to-back wins in the class, one year after his first La Baule Derby crown. At La Baule, some people work on their tan. Guerdat does derbies… and wins them.

The Derby, that old test of bravery

There was sunshine, heat, straw hats and dark glasses in the stands of the Stade François-André. In other words, La Baule was doing La Baule. But out on the grass, this was no post-lunch stroll. The Derby de La Baule is an old monument of the sport: 1.50m, one round against the clock, 21 obstacles, 26 efforts, 1,050 metres to swallow and a time allowed set at 158 seconds. Enough to turn a simple entrance into the arena into a high-pressure sporting hike.

Thirteen combinations were on the start list for this 2026 edition. A small field, yes. A soft one, no. Because a Derby, especially at La Baule, is not won with a good CV framed in the living room. You need mileage, lungs, courage, a horse that understands the game, and a rider who does not discover the mounds like a tourist in sandals.

Lopez opens, Fuchs locks it down… for a while

The first riders to try their luck quickly understood that the course was not handing out kisses. Abdulrahman Alrajhi and Kandide Chavannaise finished on eight faults. Kyle Timm and Atomica des Sequoias Z limited the damage to four. Nicolas Layec and Georgio Louvo Z also left a pole on the ground. Three rounds, three reminders already: in a Derby, the scenery is pretty right up until the moment it starts biting.

The first truly clean round came from René Lopez Lizarazo. Riding Visa de Vy Z, the Colombian crossed the line penalty-free in 136.43 seconds. The crowd liked it, the clock approved it, and the race was on.

Then Martin Fuchs entered the stage with Love de Vie. The Swiss rider was not there for folklore: clear, 130.54 seconds, and the target time was brutally lowered. For a mare discovering the Derby, it was a seriously stylish job.

“The Derby and the Grand Prix are two magical classes. When I come to La Baule, I hope to win one of the two. Second is also good because I’m very happy with my mare Love de Vie , who was jumping her first Derby and did it very well. I’m going to take her to other derbies. It’s also encouraging for Sunday’s Rolex Grand Prix. I’ll start with Conner Jei , who loves this arena. He jumped here for the first time six years ago. He loves France.” said the Zurich rider after the class.

At that point, you could easily think the Swiss move had already been made. Bad reflex. At La Baule, you always have to wait for the last rider. Especially when his name is Steve Guerdat.

Vogel tries the heist, but the Derby keeps the change

Before Guerdat, Richard Vogel almost pulled off a little German hold-up. With Chember 3, he dared, he cut, he sent it. The clock flashed: 122.98 seconds. A rocket. Except one fault stained the copy and pushed the German to the foot of the podium. The fastest of the four-faulters, that cruel category where you almost get everything right except the essential part.

Meanwhile, Martin Fuchs was still in front. He had the clear round, he had the time, he had the status. Only one man remained. A compatriot. A friend. A rider who had already won earlier that day. The kind of last starter who suddenly makes a lead look far less comfortable.

Guerdat and Easy Star, the old pair who know the tune

Steve Guerdat entered with Easy Star de Talma. The horse knows the place. So does the rider. Last year, the pair had been the only combination to finish without penalty and had finally added this Derby to their hunting list. This time, it was no longer about conquering. It was about defending. And doing it all over again.

Guerdat did not ride like a man trying to prove a point. He rode like a man who knows. Rhythm, balance, no panic, no unnecessary showboating just to make the phones go up. Easy Star de Talma, a son of Quick Star, answered with the honesty that makes Derby horses: he looked, he jumped, he kept going.

The line dropped: zero faults, 129.73 seconds. Martin Fuchs was beaten by 81 hundredths. The Derby stayed Swiss, but changed pockets. Guerdat first, Fuchs second, René Lopez Lizarazo third. Richard Vogel, despite his supersonic time, finished fourth with four faults.

Two wins, one Saturday and one big smile

This victory did not come alone. A few hours earlier, Guerdat had already won the Prix SAUR with Lancelotta, producing a double clear in the jump-off in 36.57 seconds. Then he did it again in the Derby with Easy Star de Talma. Two horses, two scenarios, two wins. The kind of Saturday where the truck leaves heavier than expected.

Afterwards, the Swiss rider did not hide behind the fake coolness of a blasé champion. Fist raised, wide smile, Guerdat enjoyed it. He also placed the day in a more personal context.

“It’s true that my start to the show was not quite so good. In fact, I didn’t qualify for the Grand Prix. So last night, I was a bit down in the dumps… I wasn’t sure whether to enter again today, even though as riders we are used to having a lot of lows for a few small highs.”

What followed sounds like a little seaside script.

“This morning, I decided to go to the beach, because I love it. When I came back, the avenue leading to the show was full of people waiting to get into the stadium. It really gave me a boost; it’s so amazing to be here. In the end, I told myself to enjoy my Saturday…”

Good idea. A really good idea.

“My horse jumped better than last year”

Guerdat said it plainly: he did not necessarily think he could catch Martin Fuchs. Not because he lacked ambition. Because a Derby can never be entirely ordered around. It has to be negotiated.

“To be honest, I think my horse jumped better than last year. He was really fantastic, even if I really didn’t think I could be faster than Martin.”

That may be the key to the day: Easy Star de Talma did not simply repeat 2025. He improved on it. More fluid, more confident, more available. In a class where horses have to digest the profiles, the distances, the ground, the natural efforts and the length of the course, that is not a detail. It is almost everything.

The wisdom of knowing how to enjoy it

A few years ago, Guerdat might already have had his mind on the next class, the next target, the next day. This time, he took the moment. Age, experience, injuries too. The Swiss rider recalled how much last year’s back problems had changed the way he looks at moments like these.

“It’s magical every time to win a class here! It’s true that I enjoy it a little more than when I was younger and always thinking about the next day and the next performance.”

Then came this line, stronger than any ranking: