It’s amazing what it is possible to do and live as different experiences in the space of a year. It would have taken a lifetime for some to do the same, but health helping and guided by a willingness to undertake coupled with an undeniable taste for challenge, the entourage of champion Bahia Quesnot lived an exceptional year 2019.
It all started with a surprise qualification for the 2019 Grand Prix d’Amérique thanks to its 2nd place in the Grand Prix de Belgique. She then had her ticket for the biggest race of the year in her pocket, a race in which she could not stand out. On the other hand, at the end of the winter meeting, Bahia Quesnot signs a new top flight service by concluding third of the very international Grand Criterium de Vitesse of the Côte d’Azur. The performance did not go unnoticed and the organizers of the important Elitloppet (the Swedish equivalent of the Grand Prix d’Amérique in terms of reputation) which issued invitations for their race were practically convinced of wanting it, but they asked for confirmation in Scandinavian land before sending their box. Never mind, the challenge is met: Bahia Quesnot and his coach Junior Guelpa will win at Äby after finishing 3rd in the renowned Olympiatravet. The invitation is validated this time, and Bahia Quesnot takes part in the event at the end of May in Stockholm. She passes very close to a qualification for the Final but fails by nothing. Again, nothing to shake either his morale or that of his team (owner and trainer): in the process, the daughter of Scipion du Goutier finished runner-up to Vitruvio in the Grand Prix d’Oslo in Norway. It is the start of a superb series of second places in the Grand Prix de la Ville de Cagnes-sur-Mer, in the Prix Maharajah in Solvalla (Sweden), in the Grand Prix du Département des Alpes-Maritimes (in a record time) at Cagnes-sur-Mer and finally at the Hippodrome Paris-Vincennes in the European Trotting Masters Final behind Propulsion. Phew, would we be tempted to conclude this extremely rare sequence.
But travel definitely seems to shape youth and Bahia Quesnot takes the direction of the United States in October to participate in the International Trot, a million dollar race. The adventure unfortunately turns short, the mare showing fault at the start and being disqualified. Add to all this a move, Junior Guelpa having left his South-East to take up residence in Grosbois and Bahia Quesnot clearly deserves his title of great traveler!
This winter, she won her qualification for the Grand Prix d’Amérique 2020 when she (still) finished second in the Grand Prix de Bourgogne, two weeks ahead of last year. In permanent movement and evolution, Bahia Quesnot will seduce many fans of outsiders in this Grand Prix d’Amérique 2020 and especially its Manchese supporters, its region of birth, who decided, to come and support it, to do in their turn a good pretty… travel!
