California Dreaming: Emilie & Zoé Conter Shine in Thermal 🌴

The California sun was shining bright over Thermal these past two weekends, and so were Stephex Riders Emilie and Zoé Conter. From promising performances in the first week to spectacular podium finishes the second, it was a dream ride in the desert.

Week One: Steady Steps Toward Success

The opening weekend saw Emilie and Zoé establish their presence with consistent results across the 145cm and 150cm classes. Emilie, riding her trusted partner Trixie Z, secured 6th and 10th place, while also finishing 5th in the challenging 150cm class. Partnering with Ocean Quality, she added an 11th place finish. Zoé and her Loui LN claimed a 12th place in the 145cm. A solid start, but the best was yet to come.

Week Two: Stepping Up to the Podium

The second weekend was a true highlight, proving just how hard work and belief can pay off.

• Emilie and Ocean Quality opened strong with an 8th place finish in the 145cm.
• Zoé and La Una delivered stunning back-to-back results, earning 3rd place and then 2nd place in the 145cm division.
• Emilie returned to the spotlight with Ocean Quality, finishing a remarkable 6th place in the 145cm.
• The highlight for Zoé came with Loui LN as the pair soared to 1st place in the 145cm, a well-deserved victory.
• And the pinnacle moment: Emilie and her “once-in-a-lifetime” horse Portobella v/d Fruitkorf secured 3rd place in the prestigious CSI5* 155cm Grand Prix.

Standing on a 5* podium was a dream come true for Emilie, and she beautifully captured the emotion in her own words:

    “Friday the 13th was our lucky day ✨ Bella and I finished 🥉rd in the 5 GP of Thermal 🌴 Standing on a 5* podium has always been a dream of mine 💭 and it still feels surreal 🥹 A million thanks to my incredible team for making this possible and, of course, to my once-in-a-lifetime horse, Bella ♥️”*

Photos by Kim Gaudry