Cedric Gallinard Retires Under 25 Grand Prix Horse Scherzo ZC

Dressage

France

French Under 25 Grand Prix rider Cedric Gallinard has retired his number one horse in the barn, Scherzo ZC.

Scherzo ZC is an 18-year old Belgian SBS sport horse registered gelding by Ferro out of Rotgold (by Romadour II).

He is bred by Joseph "Joe" Zeegers and Odette Zeegers Jourdain-Collard in Belgium.

Late Bloomer

The dark bay gelding made his competition debut late in life at age 11. Under Thibault Cambourieu, the horse first competed at Grand Prix at the CDN Vierzon in March 2013. The pair had a strong first show season at national level and carried on successfully into 2014.

Mid 2014 Scherzo ZC moved to the stables of Catherine Henriquet. The pair had its international show debut at the CDI Saumur in May 2015, where they scored 63.500% in the Grand Prix. A month later they rode in Compiegne and upped the score to 66.420%. At the 2015 French Grand Prix Championships, they were 11th.

Henriquet and Scherzo at the 2015 CDIO Compiegne

Henriquet competed the horse once more in an international in April 2016 in Saumur after which the horse was offered for sale

Grand Prix Horse for Gallinard

In the autumn of 2016 the owners of Scherzo ZC allocated the ride on their horse to Cedric Gallinard.

In 2016 the then 21-year old rider had had made his international show debut at Young Riders level on the Dutch warmblood Tornado (by Gribaldi x Genever x Lungau), which he had taken over from Caroline Brun, who had competed Tornado at the 2006 World Young Horse Championships in Verden.

Scherzo ZC became Cedric's stepping stone to Grand Prix level. Trained by Julia Chevanne, they made their CDI debut April 2017 in the Under 25 division at the CDI Saumur and went on to compete at Compiegne, Riesenbeck, Deauville, and Waregem that year.

In 2018 starts in Ornago, Leudelange, Nice and Exloo led to a selection to represent France at the 2018 European Under 25 Championships in Exloo, where they placed 22nd in the Short Grand Prix. In 2019 they made it into the Kur to Music finals and placed 10th in the freestyle at the European Under 25 Championships in San Giovanni. They returned to the Euros in 2020in Budapest and were 11th in the freestyle.

At national level, Gallinard was the 2018 French Under 25 Champion and the reserve champion in 2017 and 2019.

Retirement from Sport

The 2020 European Under 25 Championships turned out to be their goodbye show. The 18-year old Scherzo ZC has been retired from sport.

"Although still fit and shape since the European Championships, I have taken the decision to give Scherzo ZC the beautiful retirement he deserves," said Gallinard. "He has taught me so much and guided me well to Grand Prix. I want to give him a dream life at the side of his sister, in the same field where he gres up his first years. He returns to the pastures with his owners. I'm incredibly grateful to Odette and Joe, who have shaped my life as a rider. I'm infinitely grateful for their trust over the years."

New Horses for the Future

Gallinard will continue with the 7-year old Dutch warmblood Independent Indo (by Everdale x ) and the 4-year old L'Espresso (by Expression x Oscar).

Cedric recently sold his 10-year old Westfalian gelding and small tour horse Sir Henry (by Sir Donnerhall x Carprilli) to the U.S.A. and the 4-year old KWPN mare Lelie (by Feel Good x Contango) to Carolin Brun.

He has reinvested into the young Westfalian Bradley Cooper (by Bon Coeur x Rohdiamant) at the auction in Munster and the 3-year old Leonhard (Londontime x Sandro Hit) at the auction in Verden.