First noticed by Master Couillaud (founder of the Horseman Professionnal School) for his outstanding abilities, and then by the Colonel Lair (Ecuyer en Chef) for his obvious talent, Patrick Le Rolland rapidly joined the famous Cadre Noir of Saumur in 1964.
It’s very young and in the midst of brilliant "Ecuyers" that PLR has shown real equestrian qualities and prowesses.
Very quickly he became “Maître de Manege” and ended his military career as “Chief Warrant Officer”.
After several experiences in horse racings and eventing, Patrick Le Rolland became the only rider to represent the Cadre Noir of Saumur in Dressage International competitions during many years :
- 4 times winner of the French Championship : 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973 with his horse Cramique
- Vice champion of the French Championship : 1971 and 1972 with his horse Quipos
- Winner of the Rotterdam International Horse Trial in 1970 with Quipos
- Munich Olympic Games participant in 1972 with Cramique
- 4th at the Grand Prix of Aix-la-Chapelle with the French National Team in 1973 with Cramique
- 7th at the World Championship of Copenhagen in 1974 with Cramique
- 3rd at the Grand Prix of Aix-la-Chapelle with the French National Team in 1975 with Cramique
- 3rd at French Championship in 1978 with with his horse Débarras
- 12th at the European Championship of Aarhus in 1979 with Débarras
- 2nd at the nations Cup with the French National Team in 1979 with Débarras...
Patrick Le Rolland remains one of the rare riders in the world to have get the mark of 10/10 “in position”, during an International Horse Dressage competition.
After numerous victories and through an atypical route, PLR became the contemporary rider of exception who managed to marry the elegance and the lightness of Equitation with performances at the highest level of competition.
World wide acknowledged by his peers and considered as the most talented French dressage specialist, Patrick Le Rolland was named very first national coach of this speciality in 1981:
- Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984
- Margit Otto-Crepin’s coach and her horse Corlandus...
Patrick Le Rolland participated in 2 Olympic Games: Munich 1972 as Dressage rider and Los Angeles 1984 as trainer of the French Dressage team!
End of 1984 PLR left the French Equestrian Federation to become a private coach.
After a short break at the Rockefeller's barns in the USA, he moved in to Belgium, where his fame followed him and where he rapidly became a coach Globetrotter.
In 2001, Patrick Le Rolland returned to France where he carried on his career as a private Dressage coach in Normandie.
Back to Saumur en 2005, PLR was still very much sought-after in France as well as world wide.
Patrick Le Rolland continued to provide clinics to advanced riders of the highest level and the emerging generation seeking to deepen and develop its unique expertise.
Appreciated for its pedagogy, PLR taught much more than a simple technique to his students.
He transmitted them his philosophy of the horse: communion between the horse and rider, always in the respect of the horse.
Patrick Le Rolland remains one of the international references in the Equestrian World alongside Nelson Pessoa or Nuno Oliveira.
In late 2007, Patrick Le Rolland and his son Thomas founded a new French clothingand riding accessories brand called: PLR Equitation.
Since PLR Equitation proposes a brand new style of show jackets, with a revolutionary and avant-gardist design, combining elegance, originality and extreme comfort.
PLR Equitation it is also an original line of raincoats, of chic sportswear, accessories for riders and equipments for horses.
From the bridles to the original Le Rolland training aid passing by the stirrups, all the PLR tack shop products were thought, validated by Patrick Le Rolland and recommended for the wellness of your horse.
2011 was the year of release of one of the book reference in horse Dressage : "Les Principes de Dressage de Patrick Le Rolland"...
In January 2012, the movie "Of Women and Horses" was released at the cinema. Directed by Patricia Mazuy this film was freelyinspired bythe life of Patrick Le Rolland, with actor Bruno Gantz playing the role of PLR.
As a true Horseman, Patrick Le Rolland worked with the best riders of all equestrian disciplines, all over the world, as for example... Michel Robert, Patrick Caron, Gilles Bertrán de Balanda, Marcel et Philippe Rozier, Jean-Maurice Bonneau, Eric Navet, Hervé Godignon, Margit Otto-Crepin, Dominique d’Esmé, Jean-Paul Guerlain, Jean-Marie Donard, Jean Teulère... in France ; Georges H. Morris and Bettina Drummond in the US ; Ivan Kalita in Russia ; Nelson et Rodrigo Pessoa en Belgique... as well as Philippe Le Jeune with his horse Vigo d'Arsouilles which Patrick Le Rolland helped to become world champion of Jumping at the Equestrian World Games of Lexington (USA) in 2010 !
After 71 years of a hectic life entirely dedicated to Horse, Patrick Le Rolland regrettably passed away struck down by a heart attack, at his home near Saumur, on August 28, 2014.
Patrick Le Rolland still embodies, and for some considerable time to come, the Equitation in the French Tradition.