Maxime Livio: a successful Pilot!
Winner of the famous Pau 4* CCI last year, crowned France Champion two months ago and world n°3 (30 Sept 2017), Maxime Livio is the best French enventer this season. An ideal moment to question him about his state of mind!
A great Year beginning !
A simple but effective organization “I split my season in two parts I really try to set goals that suit each of my horses.”
His first part of the season, which extended until May / June. It run through ideally because the athlete confide us that he reached all the goals he had set with each of his horses.
Some disappointments during the summer unfortunately forced the rider to withdraw for the European Championships and for the difficult Burghley 4* CCI. “It put me a little blow because I really wanted that Opium (de Verrières, ed) took part in the European Championships and Qalao (in Mers, ed) to Burghley but it is like that with horses, it is sometimes small mishaps that prevent us to continuing the season as desired, I think that I really have the horses to do it but it is only postponed. Then Pica d’Or took the reins and won the Waregem 3* CICO and the French Championships in a row!
Pau 4*, The come back of the prodigy.
After winning this mythical competition last year with Qalao des Mers it is with Opium des Verrières that we will see him in two weeks. “He did very well in Luhmühlen where he finished fifth for his first 4*, so I think he has his card to play. It’s a horse I know very well, who is really good on the three tests so even if thinking of a second victory is presumptuous, I will try to be 100% with him in order to be in the best conditions.”
An accomplished athlete!
With the help of the vaulting world champion Jacques Ferrari, we can not said that the Livio Stables riders have time to chill !
“Jacques comes once a week, to work with me and the other riders of the stables … The program? Muscular strengthening, cardio-training … everything is focused on the balance and functioning of the rider: position, independence of the aids, to be able to use our eyes without disturbing our balance, etc. I also watch my weight, I think that we ask so much effort to our horses that it is legitimate to do our part.”
Horse Pilot, real partner for the performance
“I am very happy with these equipment because I find them very innovative, in technical and design way. What I like about my competition jacket is its flexibility, but it is also combined with a certain tension which, I think, makes me more tonic while keeping a great comfort.
Beyond the jackets, the pants and the socks are really great. These are the only socks that I manage to keep in a good way (laughs)! The fact that they are quite taut and compressive allows me to have good stability in my boots and to keep a good balance. ”
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A dream victory?
“I like to win no matter the competition!” (Laughs)
More seriously, a contest that I miss for two years and for which I think I have the horse to succeed is Burghley. I have never participated, I think it is a competition where you need to have an unusual horse and I think I have the chance to have one of the best cross country horse in the world (Qalao des Mers, ed.). So I would really like to be able to participate in this event with this horse. It has never been won by a French so I would dream of achieving this performance. ”
a Versatile champion!
Also national coach of Thailand, Maxime is preparing his team for the Asian Games which will take place from 18th of August to 2nd of September 2018 in Malaysia. “It is very important for them because it is the first sporting event in the world after the Olympic Games. I will go to Thailand twice between November and December to watch the riders who are likely to compete. Then they will come in my stables from January to prepare this deadline.
As a rider, my next competition will be the PAU 4 * CCI, the Grand National in Le Mans (jumping) and then the Pouget 3* CIC.”
Maxime Livio: the rising star of the French eventing, which, with his iron will and his huge courage, follow in the footsteps of his tricolor colleagues will certainly get people talked about him. On the road to the Olympic Gold? In any case not without us !
© photo : Nicolas Hodys Photos
