Biography

It will be a first Badminton for French rider Caroline Chadelat (34) who is based in Gambais – 38k west of Versailles, where she runs a livery and training yard.

Caroline was encouraged to ride from a young age by her parents who were amateur riders in the sport. She was competing by the age of 13 and progressed to the junior national championships on a horse belonging to her parents.

She continued education in communication and publicity while competing as an amateur. After gaining her Masters degree in 2006 she was offered a position as rider with Jean-Yves Bonneau.

In 2008 she was a bronze medallist in the amateur elite French championships and became professional in 2012. She made her French team debut with Kadessia in 2013 in the Nations Cup at Boekelo and the pair completed Pau on their four-star debut in 2015.

Caroline enjoys running and swimming

Kadessia owned by Jean Francios Chadelat, is a 14-year-old Anglo Arab mare. She is by the Anglo Arab showjumper Tresor du Renom out of a mare by Fanfan La Tulipe. Tresor du Renom is the sire of several event horses including Thomas Carlile’s three-star ride Opium de Boisy and Ben Vogg’s (sui) Olympic ride Noe des Vatys). She was bought as an unridden four-year-old for her Fathers 60^th birthday. Caroline started riding her and the following year the pair finished second in the young horse class at Pompadour and in 2010 was second in the 7-year-old championship. In 2012 they contested their first three day at Boekelo.  In 2015 they completed their first four-star in Pau but did not complete in 2016. Kadessia is described by Caroline as the ‘horse of my life’.