Géraldine Badan was prepared for Saturday Night Lights to be exciting and nerve-wracking, but as a groom, she did not expect to find herself at the center of the spotlight. Her rider and horse, Richard Vogel and Gangster Mondesir, had just won the CSI5* $500,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix at Wellington International.
“I was really surprised,” Badan said. “All my friends were hugging and everything, so I came in, and they were saying, ‘Come on, Gigi, you also have to go.’ I was like, me? No?”
Choosing the Grooming Path
Badan grew up riding and competing in showjumping in Belgium. By the time she was 18, she had already gained experience working with horses in breeding and other areas of the sport. It was then she realised that grooming was what she truly wanted to pursue.
Last year, at age 23, she learned about an opening with Germany’s Richard Vogel and decided to apply.
“I thought it would be great because it was to start in America, and I love to come over here,” she said. “And I know that Richie is really competitive. And I am too. On paper, it’s a dream job.”
A New Horse With a Big Personality
In November, Badan arrived in California to begin the role and was introduced to Gangster Mondesir, a relatively new horse in Vogel’s string and one with a notable character.
“He’s a bit grumpy,” she said, smiling. “But he is a Selle Français, so we say he has a French attitude. He complains, but at the end of the day, he will do it.”
Gangster is highly aware of his surroundings, something Badan manages carefully.
“With shadows or if the ground changes, he can be spooky,” she explained. “But sometimes that carefulness is actually an advantage.”
Watching From the Ingate
That awareness proved valuable on Saturday night’s technical course, where clear rounds were slow to come. Vogel and Gangster jumped late in the order, and Badan found the waiting difficult.
“I cannot really stand still,” she admitted. “I’m making a video, I’m almost jumping with him. I’m like, ‘Come on, go, go.’ Once they are in the ring, we have no control anymore. It’s stressful.”
Even after a clear round, the pressure was not over.
“It’s only halfway done,” she said. “Then you still have to wait for the jump-off.”
Creating Calm Away From the Ring
Back at the barn, the atmosphere is far calmer. Badan shares responsibility for eight horses with one other groom and focuses on keeping the horses relaxed and content.
When Vogel travels to competitions abroad, Badan rides and manages the horses at home.
“It depends on the horse,” she said. “If they come back from a show, we do it a bit lighter. We try to have them out as much as we can, in the field, the arena, on grass, on trails. We really try to keep them happy.”
Early Mornings and High Energy
The workload is demanding, especially on show days, which start very early. Daily routines often begin around 6:30 or 7 a.m., as Vogel’s horses compete at both national and top-level international shows.
“It’s a bit dizzy,” Badan said. “But you wake up in the morning and think, ‘Come on, we have this to do.’ We’re all motivated, so it’s really fun.”
A Rare Moment Front and Center
The hard work at home was rewarded under the lights on Saturday night. After the Grand Prix win, Badan was presented with the $500 Double H Grooms Award in front of a packed International Ring.
“It was nice to be in front of the scene,” she said. “Because we are always backstage.”
This groom interview is part of an ongoing series by HorseGrooms, featured throughout the Wellington season in the official publications of Wellington International, the WEF Weekly Wire, and the AGDF Times. By highlighting the grooms behind elite competition, Wellington International supports HorseGrooms’ mission to give greater visibility to the people whose daily care, horsemanship, and dedication underpin top-level equestrian sport.
HorseGrooms collaborates with events, horse show organizations, brands, and professionals worldwide to share practical knowledge and real stories from the people who care for horses every day, from local barns to top-level competition venues.
For support options and to learn more, go to www.horsegrooms.com/get-involved
Sarah Eakin has a long history of sports reporting and covering equestrian disciplines – particularly show jumping, polo, racing and dressage – for a range of international publications as writer and editor-in-chief. In 2024, Sarah launched Paper Horse – an online magazine with an eclectic mix of stories from the horse world at www.paperhorsemedia.com. Paper Horse is an official Media Partner of Wellington International. Sarah was born in England and came to the US in 1996 as Sidelines’ Polo Editor; at the time she was chief polo writer at the Horse and Hound and Polo Correspondent to The Daily Telegraph. She married US professional polo player Gary Eakin and stayed Stateside traveling throughout North America while covering equestrian events. She is also an author; Wed, White and Blue, her first novel is on Amazon.
