Biography

Florian Ganneval

It will be a first Badminton for French amateur rider Florian Ganneval (38) and Blue Bird de Beaufour. The combination has completed three 5* events and last year was 17^th at Pau.

Florian is a full-time farrier based in south-eastern France in Saint Avit (between Lyons and Valence). He produces Blue Bird with the help of his father Richard who does the yard each day and grooms for him at competitions, and his wife Laure – the couple has two young children aged 2 & 6.

Florian also enjoys teaching and motocross and karting.

He trains with Laurent Bousquet.

Blue Bird de Beaufour is a 13-year-old jumping bred Selle Francais gelding. Bred at Haras de Beaufour which is owned by former French international Eric Levallois, he is by the legendary former resident stallion Diamant de Semilly out of a jumping mare Macy van Leut by the KWPN jumper Elanville. Eric Levallois and Diamant de Semilly won team gold at the 2002 WEG. After being retired to breeding Diamant went on to become one of the world’s most successful jumping sires – he died in 2022 aged 31.

Blue Bird was acquired by Florian as a nervous four-year-old from French rider and former eventing Olympian Koris Vieules (Atlanta 1996). At the time of buying Blue Bird was nervous of humans and could only be mounted in the box. He has since been produced by Florian.