The news fell like a stone in the pond, that of the women jockeys.
The weight reduction that has been granted to them for three years to promote their development within the French pelotons, in a sport that enjoys gender diversity, has worked (too) well.
The current success of Marie Velon (21) is the best proof of this.
The other side of the coin is that now it's the men who are left behind.
In any case, this is the message sent by professionals in the equestrian sector.
They sounded the alarm and were heard.
Would the measure have achieved both its objective and its limits?
"This measure has done its work so well that it created an imbalance," says François-Xavier de Chevigny, president of the association which brings together the French coaches.
We wanted to change things, because we fear a disaffection of boys in an already very complicated economic context.
On the other hand, we must also think about the renewal of our pilots in future generations.
We wanted equal weight until the fiftieth victory which marks the passage of apprentices into the ranks of professionals.
"Yet agent of Marie Velon, rising star of the pelotons, Jules Susini recently told us that the landfill" is a hecatomb for the boys!
".
France Galop, at the request, renewed for a year, of the associations of trainers and jockeys, decided, during its committee of November 23, to cap the discharge for apprentices and young jockeys (who have not won 70 races) to 2.5 kg when they do not climb for their apprentice master and 3.5 kg when they climb for their boss.
This reform can only be made effective after the vote of the next Council which will be held on December 14th.
After that, it will be incorporated into the General Conditions of Flat Races of 2021.
"It will be difficult to achieve the right settings without penalizing either one or the other"
“Women jockeys have reached a much higher level in just a few years.
Above all, they have shown that they are capable of winning on an equal footing with men, ”analyzes François Xavier de Chevigny.
Evidenced by the success of Jessica Marcialis in the Prix Marcel Boussac (Group I) on October 4 at ParisLongchamp.
A high level event in which the weight advantage is not allowed by the racing code.
As for Marie Velon, she could be the first woman in the history of French racing to end the year in the top 10 jockeys.
Is this the end of an era that brought girls to the forefront of the sporting scene by wringing its neck against the old principles that a woman cannot triumph in hotly contested finish races?
Will this flashback not call all these achievements into question?
Delphine Santiago has not taken off since she learned of the news.
The experienced jockey does not hesitate to draw a parallel with the right to vote granted to women in 1944. “It's as if we were going back on this fundamental point, argues the 41-year-old pilot, very annoyed by this step backwards, and I don't think of myself when speaking like this, but of future women jockeys.
»François Xavier de Chevigny remains very vigilant and more measured.
“It will be difficult to achieve the right set-up without penalizing either side.
"
The file is not closed.
More adjustments will likely be expected in the months or years to come to satisfy everyone.