- Select a language for the TTS:
- UK English Female
- UK English Male
- US English Female
- US English Male
- Australian Female
- Australian Male
- Language selected: (auto detect) - EN
Play all audios:
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT HORSES HAVE RECEIVED THE AWARD Four French military horses have been awarded medals for their performance in the Paris Olympics. The horses - named Dicton de
Vesquerie, Dallones des Dunes, Fast du Pré, and Fly de Vesquerie - have received the bronze médaille de la défense nationale (national defence medal) for their performance. They were among
the 20 Garde républicaine horses put forward to take part in the Olympics, in the modern pentathlon events. This is the first time that horses have ever received this medal. Previously,
animals including dogs and pigeons have received the accolade (for their services during conflicts such as World War One). AWARDS CEREMONY BEFORE COMMEMORATIONS Commander of the Garde
républicaine, General Charles-Antoine Thomas, presided over the awards ceremony in the Quartier des Célestins, headquarters of the Garde républicaine, in the 4th arrondissement of Paris
today (November 11). The ceremony took place before the cavalry regiment departed for the November 11 World War One commemorations. ‘INCREDIBLE HORSE’ Gendarmerie captain Élodie Clouvel was
riding Fly de Vesquerie. She won her second Olympic silver medal in the modern pentathlon in Paris on the same horse, eight years after winning the same medal (silver) in Rio. “That horse
was incredible,” she said after her event in August. “I thank him because today he was with me, completely with me. He handled the pressure…I connected with my horse straight away.”
