Nina Mallevaey: France’s rising equestrian star
It was no surprise to see Nina Mallevaey lining up for France at the European Championships in A Coruña, Spain, in July, not after her exploits in previous weeks. Having impressed on Nikka VD Bisschop as part of the France team that placed second in the Nations Cup in Rome in May and then partnered Dynastie de Beaufour to third in the CS105* Grand Prix in the Italian capital, she took the runners-up spot in the CSI5* Grand Prix in Rotterdam a month later. And as if that were not enough, the French rider claimed fifth in her maiden Rolex Grand Prix in Aachen, again on board Dynastie de Beaufour.
Just a week on from her productive Spanish experience, the 25-year-old excelled in another CSI5* event, taking third place in the Rolex Grand Prix Ville de Dinard. A flag bearer of France’s new generation of riders, Mallevaey has jumped from 300th to 28th in the FEI world rankings in less than a year. And her climb up the standings is set to continue following her stunning victory on Dynastie de Beaufour in last Sunday’s prestigious CSI5* Rolex Grand Prix in Brussels, where she topped the podium from Grégory Wathelet and Harry Charles.
Ahead of her trip to the Belgian capital, we spoke to the modest young French rider, who is taking everything in her stride and is now hoping to star in Calgary.
You’ve had quite a year so far and have just taken part in your first major championships, the Europeans in A Coruña. How are you feeling right now?
It’s definitely been the best year of my career. I’ve been fortunate enough to have an amazing entourage and horses behind me. I know there will be ups and downs, so I’m making the most of it all and working hard to keep my run going. We didn’t get the results we wanted in A Coruña, but the group stuck together and our team-mates Kevin Staut and Julien Épaillard gave us the benefit of their experience and helped us a lot.
Can you tell us a little more about your two leading mares, Nikka VD Bisschop and Dynastie de Beaufour?
They’re absolutely great. They’re both 12 years old and belong to the Rein family. They complement each other, and having two mounts of that quality means I don’t overuse them and allows me to put together a programme tailored to each of them. They seem to love competing because I can feel them grow in stature when I go into the arena. I’m so lucky to have them. Dynastie has been competing at this level for barely a year, but I’ve been amazed at how well she’s taken to it. Nikka has all the experience in the world and saw all the big events with her previous rider [Canada’s Erynn Ballard], so I’ve got complete confidence in her. I’ve also got My Clementine and a few other younger horses to count on.
Aside from your success in Rome, Rotterdam and Dinard, you showed all your coolness and expertise in making your debut in Aachen, where you finished fifth.
It was incredible, to be honest. Everyone dreams about going to Aachen. I went there in 2023 to watch an event, but I could never have imagined placing in the Rolex Grand Prix two years later. It was a wonderful experience. And once again, it was thanks to my horses, my entourage, and the Rein family and Helena Stormanns, our trainer, who gave me the very best advice. Being able to perform there made things even more magical.
You’re about to head off for the CSIO5* in Calgary. What are you hoping to achieve there?
It’s my first appearance at the competition and it’s another of those events you dream about. I’m planning to take Nikka for the Nations Cup [France are expected to enter a team] and the Grand Prix. She knows the arena very well, having jumped there already with her previous rider, which gives me confidence for what is a legendary competition. I’ll also be riding My Clementine in the intermediate events to give her some experience. She did really well at Aachen, so the large grass arena should suit her.
You’re only 25. Your heroes are now your rivals, but here you are, climbing onto CSI5* podiums every other week. How do you manage to keep your feet on the ground?
It’s not difficult when you work with horses (laughs). My father taught me to stay humble and work hard. And you learn things from horses too. They teach you patience. You can have a great win one day and be rock bottom the next. I was brought up to think that way, but it’s part of the sport too.
What are your goals in the short and medium term?
After Calgary, Dynastie will go to Gassin (France) for the Nations Cup. We still haven’t worked out what we’re doing after that and it will all depend on what happens when we get back from the USA [Mallevaey is based in the States from October through to April and in the Netherlands for the European outdoor season]. I don’t know if I’ll be taking part in the World Cup season, because the rest of the year has been full on. And then there are the World Championships coming up in Aachen next year. We’re going to have to discuss it all with the Rein family and Helena Stormanns.
What are you wishing for as you embark on the next step of your professional career?
Right now, I’ll settle for winning in Calgary.
Interview by Sophie Lebeuf
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