Sanry-sur-Nied. Carriage driving, a "still little-known" discipline that balances agility and speed

Several cars have parked in a field near Sanry-sur-Nied. There are horse trailers and a few tents, but above all, an obstacle course. It's time for the carriage driving competition . For this second edition, one or two horses are pulling riders from all over Lorraine, as well as Luxembourg. The Lorraine Attelage Association (ALA) is behind the festivities.

The day was organized around two events. In the morning, riders enjoyed a no-strings-attached, marked 8- or 16-kilometer ride. But in the afternoon, it was time for performance, with an obstacle course for the twelve teams involved.

"We've been organizing the event since Thursday morning. Fortunately, I can count on the help of five to ten volunteers," says Émeline Brun, secretary of the ALA, whose headquarters are in Blénod-lès-Pont-à-Mousson in Meurthe-et-Moselle.

In a relaxed atmosphere with a supportive audience, various horses pulled a carriage. "There were ponies, as well as riding and draft horses. Each had its own particularities and strengths," said Émeline Brun.

On the carriages, a driver is seated at the reins, accompanied by a groom who ensures the rear. The latter's role is to ensure balance during the sometimes tense maneuvers. In addition to crossing between the cones, where contact causes a tennis ball to fall and penalty points, the organizer has added competitive equestrian trail riding (Trec) techniques to the course, such as U-turns, reverse walks, and even a 360° turn. "Driving is still a relatively unknown discipline, but there are quite a few people today," notes Émeline Brun.

There are actually around thirty of them who made the trip, like Arnold who came from Maizeroy to discover the area. This amateur photographer never misses an opportunity to take a great shot: "There are quite a few riders who pass by my house, and I heard there was a carriage driving competition here. I'm happy to come and take photos, which I can give to the participants."

On the other side of the barriers, Benjamin Hillard finishes his round, supported by his groom, Jessie Gil. With their Polish-bred Wielkopolski horse, the duo came from the Vosges, near Neufchâteau. The rider is satisfied with the exercise: "It's going well, we're happy. It went well." In twenty years, the thirty-year-old has learned to tame the carriage and its specificities. He finds "great sensations" there. Practicing for leisure, "it's above all a relationship of trust with the horse. You have to be coordinated, especially with your groom, who must be agile and fast," he explains before returning to his vehicle. Now it's time to watch and interact with the other teams.