Above: Foreground, left to right: Senator Edmond Cavillon; Henry Paté, under-secretary (i.e., deputy minister) for Physical Education; and Armand Masson. This prelude to the Paris-Cannes race took place on Thursday, January 3 at a civilized hour of the morning with speechmaking by dignitaries who were noticeable by their absence on the frosty morning of January 5.
Source: Biblothèque nationale de France (via Gallica). Photo credit: Agence Roi press photograph.
Above: Suzanne Le Bourdonnec, January 3, 1929 (two days before the race; detail).
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France (via Gallica). Photo credit: Agence Roi press photograph.
9. Paris-Cannes, 1929 (continued)
On January 3, two days before the official start of the 1929 Paris-Cannes race there was a kind of weighing-in ceremony at the Club d'Étrier in the Bois de Boulogne. It provided a photo and speechmaking opportunity for Massard and his muster of dignitaries with the amazons serving as a backdrop and captive audience.
Sylvia attended with Friedenspalme who, decked out in multicoloured flags, gave the occasion a carnival air.
The proceedings were described in a not entirely respectful article in L'Écho des Sports. After they had gone through the motions of inspecting the horses (and riders) the race committee was treated to "a rather eventful trotting race, which put the members of the Committee – who had taken refuge in the center of the track – in danger...."
With the chilly formalities dispensed with, everyone repaired to the warmer confines of the nearby Pavlllon Dauphine "for a glass of port, hosted by the Minister of Sports himself, as Mr. Henry-Pâté, a horseman at heart, had kindly agreed to preside over this equestrian event." The writer left it unclear as to whether the "equestrian event" was the Paris-Cannes race or the glasses of port in the Pavillon Dauphine.
At the Dauphine Paté "was surrounded by Mr. Edmond Cavillon, senator and president of the French Equestrian Confederation; Colonel Baron du Tell, president of the Equestrian Society; General Brécard, inspector general of the Cavalry; Mr. Ernest Molier, grand master of equestrianism, [and Rachel's old mentor from the Cirque Molier]; Colonel Rozan of the 12th Cuirassiers; Squadron Leader Bridoux, head of the Cavalry Technical Section; and all the gentlemen who are the pride of equestrian competitions."
Perhaps this thicket of equestrian gentlemen was there to protect Paté from the women, because after offering the riders "the kindest encouragement and his most sincere compliments for their fine sportsmanship" he indiscreetly announced his regret that he would be unable attend Saturday morning start "not because of the early hour, but due to his ministerial duties".
This provoked "The intrepid Mme Lenoire [who] then stood up to ask him to at least offer, through his presence, a final word of encouragement to the riders." Paté blandly promised to come if "accompanied by Frantz Reichel", president of the Sports Press Association, who offered no comment.
There was also a speech by Armand Massard in which he had gall enough to give "wise advice on equestrian safety to the riders."
"Then everyone left, hoping that the announced camel, which had called in sick, would be fully recovered by Saturday." Sadly the camel, if it existed, never showed up.
Unlike Henry Paté and other dignitaries from January 3, Sylvia attended the start of the Paris-Cannes race on January 5 to see the other women off, even though she herself had decided not to compete.
"Fraulein von Kuchler is also there. She is not riding," reported Die Stunde. "Her horse, on whose back she covered the 4,000 [sic] kilometers from Lithuania to Paris, is most happy about this."
And with that last little geographical exaggeration Sylvia and Friedenspalme fade into history.