Winner of the Prix d'Amérique as owner in 2009, Jean-Pierre Barjon experienced the event with the President's cap of the Trot for the first time last year.
He tells us what he felt ... and preferred.
JEAN-PIERRE
BARJON
What state of mind were you in twelve years ago?
In 2009, I was a racing player with a lot of dreams, ambitions and concerns.
Because before you get to that time, for a week, you don't sleep.
For me it was an absolute
shock
when
Meaulnes du Corta
won the Prix d'Amérique with my gown.
It's as if my life has changed.
It is both an anguish and a selfish pleasure, but in my life I have not experienced anything so strong, nothing so violent.
The video of the Prix d'Amérique 2009:
Last year, for the first time, you were No. 1 in Trot.
What memories do you have of your first Prix d'Amérique as president?
It was totally different.
I was alongside the professionals who do a job of absolute complexity, that is to say, organize hundreds of sequences.
It goes from the reception of the public, to the reception of VIPs, the parade, the track, etc.
You see incredible efficiency.
We have an event once a year, but when you're behind the machines, you feel like the teams are doing it every day.
At 8 pm, you take a breath because it went well but you also want to congratulate your teams who have done a wonderful job.
More than a thousand employees worked on the site that day and 40,000 spectators were present.
This will not be the case this year because of the health crisis since the races will take place behind closed doors.
Morning essentials newsletter
A tour of the news to start the day
Subscribe to the newsletterAll newsletters
What did you prefer?
If I can give you some advice, don't be a president or a journalist that day and ask “off” one day because the emotions experienced as an actor are incredible (laughs).
