Thursday, April 20, 2023
In March 2023, we visited the Balsiger stables in Switzerland. We visited our new ambassador Ken Balsiger, who had just joined the Seaver team. We learned about the day-to-day life of the Swiss show-jumper, who divides his time between top-level competitions and teaching at the riding school.
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Ken Balsiger is a 28-year-old international show jumping rider from Switzerland. Together with his father Thomas Balsiger and brother Bryan Balsiger, they run an equestrian center in the hills above Neuchâtel.
Outre leur excellence en tant que compétiteurs à haut niveau, la famille Balsiger est également compétente en enseignement et en coaching pour les élèves de tous les niveaux. Le centre équestre du Cudret dispose de plus de 25 ans d’expérience. Ainsi, ils proposent des cours pour apprendre ou perfectionner sa technique.
Ils offrent également un service de commerce de chevaux et aident chaque client dans sa recherche grâce à leur carnet d’adresses ainsi qu’aux chevaux disponibles dans leurs écuries. Que vous cherchiez un cheval de loisir ou de compétition, la famille Balsiger s’engage à vous aider à trouver celui qui conviendra le mieux à vos envies et à votre budget.
If you'd like to find out more about the Centre Equestre du Cudret, visit the Balsiger Stables website. You'll find all the information you need about their services, the stables and news.
You're now based at the Centre Equestre du Cudret, the Balsiger stables in a magnificent setting just outside Neuchâtel. Can you tell us a little more about these stables?
Je suis né ici à Neufchâtel et j’ai toujours été aux écuries Balsiger, ici au Centre Equestre du Cudret. Mes parents, Thomas et Patricia ont construit le centre équestre lorsque je suis né. À part une petite expérience à l’étranger, je n’ai jamais bougé des écuries.
L’emplacement est idéal ! Situé en pleine nature et en lisière de la forêt, les écuries offrent une vue imprenable sur le lac de Neuchâtel et les Alpes. En plus, il se trouve à seulement 10 minutes du centre de Neuchâtel et à 5 minutes de la sortie d’autoroute la plus proche. C’est parfait pour aller en concours !
If you'd like to see what's going on at our equestrian center, you can check out our Instagram account, the official Cudret Equestrian Center Page, where we share our latest news, results and life at our stables.
Could you tell us more about your daily life at the Balsiger stables and describe a typical day?
Every day is different for me, which is one of the reasons I love my job! The routine is dictated a little by the weather conditions, as we also have to take care of the ancillary installations.
Generally, my days go like this: in the morning, I try to work my horses. In the afternoon, I spend more time on stable maintenance and other tasks. Finally, in the evening, I give lessons to my riders.
Nous avons également régulièrement des compétitions, qui rythment ma saison et me permettent de fixer des objectifs spécifiques pour chaque cheval.
What's your most vivid equestrian memory?
My most memorable memory is taking part in the World Championships with a horse I trained myself. We finished in 8th place. It's one of my greatest achievements to be able to take a 4-year-old horse to that level of competition! It fills me with pride.
"One of my greatest prides is to be able to lead a young horse to the highest level."
At just 28, you're still very young! What's your biggest equestrian dream?
My greatest dream would be to take part in the Olympic Games, ideally with my brother so that we can team up together. And in the shorter term, another of my dreams is to take part in CSIOs with the Swiss team.
Do you have any goals for this season?
For this season, my aim is to further consolidate my position at national level. Last year, I had a good season, which enabled me to take part in the CHI in Geneva. This year, I'm aiming for at least the same level of performance, if not better, and I want to be even more consistent in my results.
Since our interview in March 2023, Ken has already started to achieve his goals! On Monday April 10, he won the Amriswil Grand Prix with his magnificent grey horse, Héros de Roumaillard CH. With this victory, he won the first Grand Prix of the season, which counts towards the Wild Cards circuit.
Do you have an indispensable object or accessory when you ride?
Personally, I'm not very attached to any particular items, and I rely mainly on my gut feeling. As every horse is different, I use different equipment for different situations: some horses need whips, spurs, hunting collars and martingales, while others don't need them at all. So I don't have a single accessory or fetish object that I use systematically.
"Every horse is different, the most important thing is to know how to adapt."
How do you feel about the use of airbags in general?
As far as I'm concerned, I think airbags are beneficial, especially for young riders who are in the learning phase and often fall. In my opinion, airbags can prevent a large number of falls and serious injuries.
You are now equipped with the SAFEFIT by Seaver airbag. What did you think of it when you first tried it out?
Lorsque j’ai essayé l’airbag SAFEFIT pour la première fois, je l’ai trouvé très agréable à porter et confortable. De plus, son design élégant ne m’a pas du tout dérangé à cheval !
The Balsiger family is organizing its summer horse show at the Centre Equestre du Cudret in June 2023. Divided into several categories, spectators will have the opportunity to attend over 2,000 starts. Follow the news on their website and social networks to make sure you don't miss out on any information about the event!
We're delighted that Ken Balsiger has opted for the SAFEFIT by Seaver airbag to reinforce his safety on horseback! This partnership with a world-class rider demonstrates Seaver's commitment to extending protection to a wide range of riders, even at the highest level.
