‘It is quite symbolic’: Paris medal winner tops thrilling indoor eventing class

It was a case of saving the best till last in the Devoucoux Indoor Derby at the 2025 Jumping international De Bordeaux last night (7 February).

It was an all-French start list, with 15 event riders lining up to throw their hats into the ring, but it was the incredibly popular Karim Florent Laghouag, who was last to go, who clinched victory with a clear round in a time of 108.79 sec.

It marked a fifth victory in this class for Karim, but a first for his ride this year, Dream De Vieve, a 12-year-old owned by Philippe Lemoine, Guy Bessat, S.A.R.L. Ecurie Karim Laghouag and Jean Luc Force.

“Dream De Vieve is a horse I’ve been preparing for two years,” said Karim, who competed this horse in indoor cross-country competitions at this show in 2024, finishing 14th, and twice at Geneva, where they finished sixth in 2023 and ninth in 2024. “It’s the first time he has won an indoor cross-country and I’m particularly pleased that it’s here.”

The enthusiastic crowd cheered home every competitor around the track, which included both showjumps and cross-country fences with banks, corners and brush fences, but the roof was well and truly raised for Karim, who many last saw winning team silver at the Paris Olympics last summer, riding Triton Fontaine.

This was also a slightly emotional victory for Karim, given that his previous four victories in this class came with Punch De l’Esques, a former four-star winner, plus two top-10 places at five-star, as well as being part of the French team at two European Championships in 2013 and 2019, who retired upon winning this class in 2023.

“We said farewell to Punch’s career here with a final victory and Dream is getting his first win here, which is quite symbolic,” said Karim.

Fabrice Saintemarie and the very likeable grey César De Roy completed their round just prior to Karim entering the ring and went into the lead with just one to go. They jumped a very polished clear round in a time of 110.34 sec, only for Karim to go in and clock a time that was 1.5 sec faster.

Cupidon Du Cardonne was last seen when winning this class in 2024, but had to settle for third this year, clocking a time of 113.26 sec under Benjamin Massie.

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