Colonel Christian CARDE (Retired)

Colonel Carde was born in Bordeaux, France, is married with 3 children and 4 grand children. He began his riding career at 14 years of age and entered his first jumping competition at 15. During the next 15 years, he rode in stadium jumping, Combined events and Military competitions.

Christian Carde joined the Officers School of Saint-Cyr in 1960. As a Cavalry officer, he commanded a platoon of machine gunners in Algeria, a squadron of tanks into Berlin, and was second in command of a tank regiment. He has earned the distinction of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, Officer of the National Order of Merit and Gold medallist of the French Ministry for Youth and Sport.

Ecuyer at the Cadre Noir of Saumur for 20 years, he became Ecuyer en Chef of Saumur from 1991 to 1999 ; he was also National Team trainer for France from 1985 to 1999.

Since his retirement from Saumur in February 2000, he continues to Judge dressage and CT competitions internationally, and to conduct training clinics in Japan, India, Canada, and the USA.

Commissioned by the FEI to help India develop its equestrian programs, Colonel Carde travels to that country four times per year. In 1999, he judged the world Dressage Challenge, Group 4, in central Europe and the Canadian National Dressage Championships. Spring and fall, he continues to conduct increasingly popular clinics for event and dressage riders in Vancouver and Victoria, BC.

Col. Carde began specializing in Academic Equitation from 1968 on, and competed throughout Europe at the International level during the next 12 years. Champion of France in 1979, he was chosen to represent France at the Olympic Games in Moscow.

As an FEI (I) Dressage judge and International Clinician, Colonel Carde is a member of the IDTC (International Dressage Trainers Club) and the IDJC (International Dressage Judges Club).