Tributes paid to jump jockey, 23, who died after suffering stroke in saddle

Daily Mirror

7 days ago

Pierre-Alfred Grondin, originally from Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, had spent the last ten years in France trying to make a career as a jockey
Tributes have been paid to a young jump jockey who died after suffering a stroke in the saddle. Pierre-Alfred Grondin, who was 23, was born on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean and arrived in France ten years ago to try to make a career as a jockey.
According to media reports in France he was riding out at work in Maisons-Laffitte when he suffered a cardio-neurovascular incident, just eight days before he was to turn 24.
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Grondin had never ridden a horse when he arrived in mainland France aged 14 and joined Afasec, the body which recruits and trains people for roles in the horse racing industry.
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He spent his first year with trainer Fabrice Chappet, in Chantilly, before moving to Maisons-Laffitte where he worked for Jehan Bertran de Balanda.
He rode his first winner at Auteuil for Balanda in 2021 and had a career tally of eight wins in total. His last success was at Compiegne in March 2024. He had had ten rides in 2025.
Balanda told Paris-Turf: 'He stayed with me for four or five years. I had sent him to Yannick Fouin for a month or two.
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'He was a great kid, who loved horses. He was very conscientious, very hard-working. He really didn't deserve to leave so soon. '
On Saturday a minute's silence was observed before the first race at Dieppe where the jockeys wore black armbands in his honor. His friend, Gabin Meunier, dedicated his victory to him.
Many tributes to Grondin were posted on the Facebook page of DLG et les Acteurs de Galop.
One said: 'I still remember I passed the selection tests at the Island of Reunion to enter this school and we were in the same group. I think he had never taken horse riding lessons but he showed us his motivation and his potential.
'We were in the same group to leave and when we arrived in France, he was very kind, and he worked hard to reach that level and got where he is. Courage to these parents and his family, rest in peace Pierre.'