In the streets of Gazeran, a small village in the south of Yvelines, there are no banners or messages of support for Christopher Six.
The inhabitants know the Écuries de la Cendrinière, his stud farm where he has about twenty boarded horses but no one knows that a Gazeran is participating in the Tokyo Olympics in the eventing events.
A very discreet decor that fits the character well.
The 36-year-old rider who is competing for the first time in the Olympics was initially expected to be on the substitutes' bench.
This was without counting on the abandonment of Thibaut Vallette, due to the state of health of his horse, Qing du Briot.
The French team, the reigning Olympic champion, has also just suffered three forfeits in less than a month.
“When he learned it at the beginning of July, it was an explosion of joy, the Olympics is his dream,” says Sandrine Batista, his communications officer.
Replacing a rider at a moment's notice is not easy but it will be an opportunity for Christopher Six to show what he can do.
French champion in 2021
Crowned French Pro Elite champion in eventing last April, he finished fourth at the 2019 European Championships, posting the best French performance.
“At that time, it surprised because few people knew how talented he is, he is not a sportsman who puts himself forward, he is rather reserved.
"
In Tokyo, the rider will compete on Thursday or Friday (at 1 a.m. in France) in the first event of the eventing, dressage.
"For the time being, we do not yet know its order of passage".
Then comes cross country, the most complicated specialty, on the night from Saturday to Sunday.
Finally, Monday will be show jumping.
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Christopher Six will ride Totem de Brecey, a little horse of six feet which, too, was not intended to participate in the Games.
When his owner moved to Paris for his studies, she decided to board him with Christopher.
"Pretty quickly, she didn't have time to assemble it, we hesitated to sell it but Christo offered to take it back for the competitions in 2018", explains her mother, Michèle Souweine.
The duo progressed quickly, "Totem rose the levels of difficulty easily until being selected in the French team".
The Japanese wanted to buy Totem for the Games
After the fourth place at the European Championships, Japanese buyers offer owners to buy the horse back for the Tokyo Games.
Despite a great offer, “we decided to live the adventure to the end with Christo, he is very concerned about the animal's well-being, with him it's nickel chrome
(sic)
.
"
A "huge hard worker"
Installed in Gazeran since 2016, it is in Essonne in Fontenay-lès-Briis that the champion grew up and started riding at the age of seven.
The one who accompanied him every week to the pony club was his father, Bruno, a “leisure rider” who transmitted his love of horses to him.
“At the start, it was hard, Christo does not come from a family of professional riders, our means were limited but he stuck,” he says.
At 20, he gave her his first mare,
Lytchie de la Gane
.
“Next to the horse, he took a BTS in agricultural management, for me there was no question of him going into this without a diploma.
"
In addition to competitions, Christopher continues to train riders in Limours (Essonne) every afternoon.
“He's a bear like me, but above all he's a huge hard worker, he deserves to be at the Olympics.
"
For nine months, Alix Gardot (left) has been training Christopher Six (right) in show jumping at his home in Bailleau-Armenonville (Eure-et-Loir) once a week.
Mahaut d'Ornellas
An observation shared by his trainer, Alix Gardot.
"This year, he took part in six competitions and made six podiums, he is very determined, he and his horse really have a card to play in Tokyo," he said.
For nine months, he has been training him in show jumping at his home in Bailleau-Armenonville (Eure-et-Loir) once a week.
"We count on him to bring back a medal!"
"
“He's a very humble person who adapts to everything, he also brings me things, it immediately stuck between us.
The two men who have become friends wish to continue their collaboration after the Olympic Games: "We both want to make a long-term commitment, together we will do great things".
At Écuries de la Cendrinière, his entire team is behind the champion.
“When he left for Tokyo, everyone cried but we are counting on him to bring home a medal!
»Exclaims Cloé.
The rider, in training for a year "could not have dreamed of a better instructor".
Totem is also their mascot, "all year round, we take care of him, like nannies".
For the different stages of the eventing competition, "we will watch them all together, here, in the middle of the night, we have planned to install an overhead projector so as not to miss anything."
