Simon Delestre



Simon Delestre (born 21 June 1981) is a French equestrian. His specialty is show jumping, either individually or as part of a team. Delestre ranks twenty-five on the FEI Rolex Ranking List.

Personal life
Simon Delestre was born 21 June 1981 in Metz, France, the son of Marcel Delestre. His father, a former international rider, got Delestre interested in equestrianism at a young age. Delestre tried many sports as a child, but a pony named Panama du Cassou HN gave him a taste for riding.

Delestre's stables are located in the structure of his parents Marcel and Magalis' home in Solgne.

Recently when asked if he had any hobbies, Delestre said "No time for that."

Career
After obtaining a Bachelor of Science in 1999, Delestre was crowned the gold medalist at the France Junior Championships and continued that year to win bronze as part of a team in the European Junior Championships. The following year he won the gold medal with his team at the European Championship for Young Riders. Delestre then continued his career in both Pro and Pro Elite races, as well as international events such as the Nations Cup, CSI-5*, and the World Cup Circuit.

In 2011, Delestre was selected to be a reserve rider at the European Championships in Madrid, Spain, where the French team has won three silver medals. The same year, Delestre managed to qualify for the World Cup Final in Leipzig, Germany, where he ranked sixteenth with Couletto. At the end of 2011, Delestre manages to be in the Top Ten of the FEI Rolex Ranking List, allowing him to participate in the Final Top Ten IJRC of Paris. For that race, he finished eighth on Napoli du Ry. Delestre participated in two World Cup finals, where he got tenth in Stuttgart and fourth in Zurich. However, he failed to qualify for the finals in Hertogensbosch, Netherlands.

Delestre qualified for the 2012 London Olympics on Napoli du Ry, where his coach was Henk Nooren. He finished nineteenth in the individual jumping finals and was part of the French team for team jumping, which came in twelfth.

Delestre is perhaps best known for his prowess in the Mediterranean Games, where he has won two gold medals and one silver, both as part of a team and individually.

Placements

 * 1999
 * Junior Champion of France in Fontainebleau with Bella de Charmois
 * Part of the bronze medal team at the European Junior Championships in Münchwilen, Switzerland with Eddy de Villiers
 * 2000
 * Part of the gold medal team at the European Championship for Young Riders in Hartpury, Great Britain with Didam de la Ressée
 * Winner of CSIOY Reims with Didam de la Ressée
 * 2001
 * Part of the fourth-place team at the European Championship for Young Riders in Gijon, Spain with Faraon de la Ressée
 * 2002
 * Part of the fifth-place team at the CSIO-4* Ebelsberg in Linz, Austria with Didam de la Ressée
 * Third place at the Grand Prix for CSIO-4* Ebelsberg in Linz, Austria with Didam de la Ressée
 * Winner of the Grand Prix for CSIOY in Lummen, Belgium with JPC Rexito Z
 * 2003
 * Seventh place at the Grand Prix for CSI-3* in Lons le Saunier with Hello Arcy
 * Winner of the small Grand Prix for CSI-3* in Vittel with Lucky Luck C
 * The Grand Prize Winner for Pro 1 in Montbéliard with Iceberg Forestry
 * 2004
 * Second place at the Grand Prix Pro in Palaiseau with Holga of Bignons
 * Second place at the Power Pro with Franconville Istar of Vesquerie
 * 2005
 * Winner of the Grand Prix for CSI-3* in Dunkirk with Unpublished Balme
 * Sixth place at the Grand Prix for CSI-3* in Bourge en Bresse with Unpublished Balme
 * Part of the silver medal team at the Mediterranean Games with Unpublished Balme
 * Eighth place individually at the Mediterranean Games with Unpublished Balme
 * 2006
 * Part of the winning team at CSIO-5* in Rome, Italy with Unpublished Balme
 * Part of the second-place team at CSIO-5* in Rotterdam, Netherlands with Unpublished Balme
 * Ninth place at the Grand Prix World Cup of the CHI-5* in Geneva, Switzerland with Unpublished Balme
 * 2007
 * Winner of the Grand Prix at the 1m40 in Cheminot with Melody Burning
 * Winner of the Grand Prix at the 1m45 in Maillys with Melody Burning
 * 4th in the World Championships of six years in Lanaken, Belgium with Neptune's Cottage
 * 5th in the World Championships of seven years in Lanaken, Belgium with Melody Burning
 * 2008
 * Winner of the Grand Prix Pro Elite 1.50m in Sainte-Mere-Eglise with Oda
 * Winner of the Grand Prix Pro Elite 1.50m in Cluny with Unpublished Balme
 * Seventh place at the Grand Prix Pro Elite 1.50m in Cluny with Couletto
 * 2009
 * Part of the winning team at CSIO-5* in Gijon with Melody Burning
 * Individual gold medal at the Mediterranean Games in Pescara, Italy with Melody Burning
 * Part of the gold medal team at the Mediterranean Games in Pescara, Italy with Melody Burning
 * Seventh place at the Grand Prix for CSI-5* at Paris-Villepinte with Couletto
 * 2010
 * Fifth place at the Grand Prix World Cup for CSI-5* in Mechelen, Belgium with Couletto
 * Winner of the Grand Prix for CSI-3* in Montpellier, France with Oslo du Chavet
 * Second place at the Grand Prix for CSI-5* in Brussels (Audi Masters) with Couletto
 * Third place at the Grand Prix for CSI-5* in Paris (Grand Masters) with Napoli du Ry
 * Winner of the Grand Prix for CSI-4* in Antwerp, Belgium with Napoli du Ry
 * 2011
 * Tenth place at the Grand Prix World Cup for CSI-5* in Stuttgart, Germany with Napoli du Ry
 * Third place at the Grand Prix for CSI-5* in Madrid, Spain with ''Napoli du Ry
 * Winner of the French Tour EADS at the Global Champions Tour in Cannes with Napoli du Ry
 * Sixteenth place at the World Cup Final in Leipzig, Germany with Couletto
 * Fifth place at the Grand Prix World Cup for CSI-5* in Hertogenbosch, Netherlands with Couletto
 * 2012
 * Fourth place at the Grand Prix World Cup for CSI-5* in with Napoli du Ry
 * Twelfth place at the Grand Prix of the Global Champions Tour in Doha, Qatar with Valentino Velvet
 * Winner of the small Grand Prix for CSIO-5* in La Baule with Whisper
 * Third place at the Grand Prix for CSIO-5* in Rotterdam, Netherlands with Napoli du Ry
 * Nineteenth place for the 2012 London Olympics individual jumping with Napoli du Ry
 * Part of the twelfth place team for the London 2012 Olympics team jumping with Napoli du Ry