For anyone watching the international jumping circuit over the past few seasons, the rise of Donatello d’Auge to the top has felt inevitable. The dark bay Selle Français gelding, with his powerful, short-coupled frame and elastic jump, has become one of the most respected – and feared – horses in the sport.
At the Longines FEI World Cup Final 2025 in Basel, Donatello cemented that reputation, giving Julien Epaillard the biggest individual win of his career – becoming only the second Frenchman after Bruno Broucqsault to win the title.
But Donatello’s journey to the top is about far more than silverware – it’s a story of patience, clever breeding, and the quiet confidence in a way of working that enables Julien’s horses to shine at the highest levels.
A steady start to a stellar career
Bred by Julien’s wife, Susanna Epaillard, at their Haras de la Bosquetterie in Normandy, Donatello d’Auge carries bloodlines that read like a blueprint for success. He’s by Jarnac, out of Riviera de Hus, a daughter of Hello Pierreville – both celebrated for passing on sharp reflexes and scope, traits Donatello has in spades.
The Epaillards have enjoyed impressive success with their homebreds, but they are not prolific breeders — producing just five to eight foals a year, focused squarely on the five-star circuit.
Donatello d’Auge’s rise to the top didn’t happen overnight, and that was entirely by design. From the outset, Julien has been guided by a straightforward philosophy: let the horses set the pace.
After his win in Basel, he explained how he typically begins working with horses at around six years old, once they have a solid foundation and are ready to progress. For him, this is the sweet spot – old enough for their physical development to hint at their future potential but still young enough to build confidence carefully, without pressure.
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“Six is a good age to start shaping them,” said Julien. “They’re not yet in the system, so you have time to give them experience and grow them into it.”
Donatello, though, started a little earlier at five, first with Julien’s rider Séverin Sigaud, who produced him up to two-star level before handing over to Susanna, and eventually Julien himself in March 2022.
That careful, methodical development reflects Julien’s wider approach to producing horses. All his string go barefoot – a practice he picked up from fellow French showjumper Michel Hécart, after finding his horses seemed to be healthier and needed fewer visits from the vet.
He also regularly opts for hackamores, favouring simplicity and feel over complexity in the bridle. It’s a straightforward philosophy: prioritise the horse’s comfort, and build performance from there. “If you want to stay for a long time on the same horse at the highest level, you have to make sure they’re happy to go to a show,” Julien said.
At first, Donatello played a supporting role in the Epaillard string, somewhat in the shadow of the ultra-quick Caracole de la Roque. But that began to change in 2023. In January, Donatello broke through with a five-star win in Amsterdam, and from there, the floodgates opened.
The season that changed everything
That Amsterdam victory marked the start of a superb 2023 season. More five-star wins followed in St Tropez, Monaco, Rome and Basel – and, Donatello made his World Cup Final debut in Omaha, where Julien was disappointed to finish outside the top 10 in 18th.
His blend of carefulness and speed caught the eye all year long. Data from analytics experts EquiRatings showed that Donatello delivered a 59% clear round rate at 1.60m in 2023 – comfortably above average in elite company.
By the end of the year, Donatello was the second-highest ranked showjumping horse in the world. But, as a home Olympics beckoned for Julien – who was set to make his debut at the competition – he wasn’t sure if he would be taking Donatello or his other top-level ride, Dubai Du Cedre with whom he won individual bronze at the 2023 European Championships, and was second at 2024 World Cup Final in Saudi Arabia.
Eventually, he chose Dubai Du Cedre, who he rode to a team bronze medal and individual fourth in Paris.
But Donatello wasn’t destined to play second fiddle for long. Following the Games, Dubai Du Cedre was sold, and Donatello stepped up to centre stage, launching into what would become a remarkable World Cup campaign.
There were early setbacks – they missed the podium at qualifiers in Lyon and Mechelen, and though fastest in Madrid, a single rail in the jump-off left them sixth.
The qualifier in Basel, though, proved a turning point for the 12-year-old gelding. It was there that Donatello and Julien delivered a flawless performance.
First to go in a seven-strong jump-off, they threw caution to the wind, scorching around the course in 39.32 seconds – a time no rival could touch. Maikel van der Vleuten and Beauville Z N.O.P. came closest, but even they finished almost two seconds adrift.
It was a statement victory that set the tone for the months ahead – and, ultimately, paved the way to their crowning moment at the final itself.
All the while, Donatello was topping the earnings charts — finishing 2024 as the highest-earning 12-year-old showjumper globally, with over €2.5m in career prize money.
Donatello d’Auge: flying the flag for French breeding
Donatello’s success has also turned the spotlight back on Selle Français breeding – and rightly so. His consistent performances helped propel the studbook to the top of the WBFSH rankings in 2023, underlining the depth of talent coming from France.
For Susanna, his breeder and early producer, it’s been a dream realised. Donatello isn’t just a star in the ring – he’s a homegrown success story, developed from foal to five-star winner under the Epaillard family’s programme.
“To win is special, but to win with Donatello is even more special,” said Julien, following his World Cup Final win. “He’s like family to us, we enjoy living with him every day, he’s very special.”
Donatello’s string of major wins has made him a flagship for the modern Selle Français: athletic, sharp, and mentally tough, with the versatility to win in tight indoor arenas and wide-open outdoor tracks alike.
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Oscar joined Horse & Hound in October 2023 and is the magazine’s dressage editor and sports manager, overseeing coverage of equestrian sport. After studying equine science at Myerscough College, he spent four years working for leading dressage rider Emile Faurie, competing at the 2015 National Dressage Championships and travelling with the yard to CDIs including Aachen and Saumur. He holds a master’s degree in Literature from York St John University (2021).
