Ambassadors committee

Benjamin CASTALDI

Benjamin CASTALDI

“They say that the horse is man’s greatest conquest. Well, in my case, horses conquered me. The emotion that comes over me when I’m near my horse and our eyes meet is unparalleled! There are no more intimate secrets than those shared between a horse and his rider. He knows how to love you for what you are and puts you back in your place if you ever get too big for your boots! The horse is a projection of everything that man wishes to be: strong, powerful, handsome, seductive. In this way, it provides us with a way of escaping monotony. And there is certainly no chance of monotony at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 in Normandy. Together we will experience a highly exceptional sporting event. I am truly honoured to be able to be a patron of this event, which has the added bonus of being held in the extra special breeding ground that is Normandy! Though all sports are noble, we must admit that equestrianism is in a league of its own, as it is the only individual sport to be done in pairs…or in teams of 4 to 8 😉 So get ready to cheer, get ready to tremble, to hold your breath, to laugh and cry, because there is no doubt that at the 2014 Games we will witness some unforgettable moments.”

Biography

Banjamin Castaldi, ambassador for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy :

Benjamin Castaldi is a television presenter and producer. He started out in the 1990s alongside Michel Drucker as a cinema reporter on Studio Gabriel on France 2.

In 2001, he became the first person in France to present a reality television show, Loft Story (an adaptation of Big Brother), broadcast on the channel M6. Following on from this, he presented various reality television shows, such as Secret Story (another Big Brother spin-off) and A la recherche de la nouvelle star (based on Pop Idol).

Benjamin Castaldi also came up with a successful hidden camera show, whose concept was sold in 17 countries: Mes parents vont t’adorer.

“Benji” started horse riding at a young age. Until the age of 13, he rode at French show jumper Alexandra Ledermann’s family yard, no less! However, he was forced to give up the sport as he could not afford a horse on which he could compete at a higher level.

He eventually got back in the saddle when he met his wife Vanessa, who had been a rider for 25 years, and even began competing in show jumping competitions. At his first show, in Barbizon, he met the Bost family and struck up a friendship with Roger-Yves (Bosty), and is now his greatest fan!  

He loves: stroking Noxen, his horse

He hates: to grease the hooves 🙂

Back to the ambassadors