JustWorld Ambassadors Ride, Recruit and Reap Rewards at Fontainebleau
Olympe Virag, JustWorld Ambassador and winner of the Grand Prix Amateur Gold Tour at Fontainebleau aboard Kansas van de Hagenhorst
JustWorld International Ambassador Olympe Virag provided extra exposure for the cause when she took top honors in the Grand Prix Amateur Gold Tour at Fontainebleau, France, during Le Printemps des Sports Equestres, April 22-28.
Organized by GL Events Equestrian Sport, the show offered its first five-star show jumping, plus dressage, para-dressage and eventing.
Virag earned the win aboard her own Kansas van de Hagenhorst, a 9-year-old KWPN gelding. Riding for France, the 17-year-old from Normandy bested nearly 70 competitors.
“When you are a teenager, and as lucky as I am, we often forget that we are a minority to be able to live such a fantastic life,” Virag said. “JustWorld helps me remember that sharing, mutual aid and generosity should be the first values taught at school.”
Virag’s mother, Penelope Virag, also competes for JustWorld, and Olympe has been around horses since she was born. Each year, she chooses a show from which to donate her winnings to JustWorld.
“JustWorld is a great cause,” Olympe said. “The values are often very close to the ones that we share in the equestrian world. It is not only a question of money; it is a question of promoting the great actions of the JustWorld family all over the world, and this is something everyone can do at their own level.”
She believes Fontainebleau provided a great opportunity to spread the word about JustWorld. “It is almost a dream to be able to compete among the best French and even international riders,” she said.
JustWorld International Ambassador and former World No. 1 Kevin Staut of France also had a strong showing at Fontainebleau, which he said provided the perfect setting to showcase JustWorld.
“It’s a great opportunity to be part of Fontainebleau, where all the French riders go to participate in the French championships,” he said. “It’s the first year it’s a five-star, and Fontainebleau is historical for us. The French championships have been there for years and years.”
Olympic riders like Staut and juniors or amateurs like Virag find common ground not just via sport but also through their desire to assist those less fortunate. Additional Ambassadors competing at Fontainebleau included Edward Levy, Charles Henri Ferme and Philippe Rozier.
“The more we can show JustWorld pictures, show JustWorld in general at big events, the greater it will be for us as JustWorld Ambassadors,” Staut said. “We need to show up in these types of events. This [year] is a big step because it’s the first year for a top level international show. It’s good for Fontainebleau and JustWorld doing [this new step] together.”
A team Olympic gold medalist for France in 2016, Staut advanced to the jump-off in both of the CSI5* classes he entered at Fontainebleau with Elodie Levy’s Beau de Laubry Z, finishing fourth in one and 13th in the other. Levy is a JustWorld Ambassador as well, and the pair hope to represent the organization with “Beau,” an 11-year-old Zangersheide, at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.
Elodie Levy and Beau de Laubry Z
Staut has been one of JustWorld’s strongest supporters throughout his storied career. In between earning team gold at the Olympics and FEI Nations Cup Finals, competing in four World Championships, countless World Cup Finals and many other international events, he has visited JustWorld’s partner school in Cambodia and twice been to the Guatemala project.
“When I want to be focused [on sport], I’m really selfish in a way, but that doesn't mean for the rest of my time, when I’m finished with riding, sports, and the organization, I can’t give back what I received,” Staut said. “I feel really lucky. I worked hard but am lucky to have all these opportunities. The deal we have with life in general is to give back as much as possible when we’re as lucky as I am.
JustWorld Ambassador and top international rider Kevin Staut
“It’s great to show that we have a different face than just the one we have in the sport,” he added. “We are athletes, really trying to give the maximum to be successful, but also on the side we can really be supportive of organizations like JustWorld. I want to show that it’s really possible to be successful and at the same time really open to important things in the world.”
Adopt A Project Teamwork
As part of its partnership with JustWorld, Fontainebleau provided the opportunity to educate young riders about those values Staut expressed via two Adopt A Project activations. The top three riders in the CSI Amateur Gold Tour 1.20m and Master Pro French Championships for Youth were tasked with deliberating over a menu of impactful education, nutrition and healthcare projects in Cambodia, Honduras and Guatemala.
Adopt A Project empowers youth riders with an opportunity to learn about the mission of JustWorld and engage directly in philanthropy. Awards were presented to first place (1250), second place (750), and third place (500) riders to be allocated towards JustWorld projects of their choosing. In both classes, the athletes decided to work together to maximize funds to meet a variety of needs presented on the project menu. A total of 5,000 euros was directly distributed to JustWorld projects around the world.
“We have discussed and tried to allocate the amounts received throughout all of the countries and most of the projects,” said Vera Desutter, 18, winner of the Master Pro French Championships for Youth 1.45m. She worked with second-placed Jeanne Hirel, 18, and third-placed Mathis Vallat, 19.
“I have decided to give 500 euros to Guatemala for one month of food for 175 students,” Desutter said. “For them it is already so hard to go to school, then to have food is more complicated. My second cause is still in Guatemala, for the medicine, and my last goes to Honduras for the vehicle that travels around the country to give education to kids from remote regions.”
The top three from the CSI Amateur Gold Tour 1.20m class (Louis Perreau, Camille Fuzeau Thomas and Valerie Bordier) decided to pool their money. “All of [the options: rice or books for Cambodia; nutritious meals, trauma-informed therapy and medical supplies for Guatemala; and fuel for Education on Wheels, art supplies or books for Honduras] are very important for the kids, and we would like to support them equally,” said Fuzeau Thomas.
Louis Perreau, winner of the CSI Amateur Gold Tour 1.20m class at Fontainebleau, scored 1,250 euros to be distributed directly to the project need of his choice.
Perreau, 13, selected 1 ton of rice for the school in Cambodia as his top choice. “Because if they have rice, they can go to school, and that way they can feed themselves,” he said. “I have also chosen the 150 school books for them to study and the clinic, medicines, in case they get bitten by snakes, by animals, mosquitos and also give the school supplies.”
Staut hopes that for these top young riders and others at Fontainebleau, learning about humanitarian needs throughout the world may inspire them, whatever their level, to #RideForTheCause as he has. “I’m really convinced that the future of our civilization is based on education and support, so for sure we need a lot of people to really support JustWorld,” he said. “All young athletes are more than welcome, like I did 20 years ago, and I’m really happy and proud I did so.”
