West Palm Beach, Fla. – Jan. 15, 2019 – Since its inception in 2010, Voltaire Design has experienced unmatched growth in the equestrian industry. In only nine short years, the company has transformed from a workshop in a garage in the south of France to a world-wide distributor of superior products to athletes that include elite champions across multiple disciplines. On January 14, 2019, the Voltaire team reached the pinnacle of that growth, surrounded by equestrian VIPs and Voltaire royalty who had descended upon the Lake Pavilion in West Palm Beach, Fla. for an unveiling that was years in the making.
Teasing the phrase “If it doesn’t exist, design it,” the team from Voltaire succeeded at cultivating interest and intrigue around their newest design, which looks to be the first in the next generation of smart saddles. The highlight of the elegant affair, President and Founder of Voltaire Design, Brice Goguet, revealed the surprise for which the crowd had been anxiously awaiting: the Blue Infinite Saddle, an overhaul of Voltaire’s current saddle offerings.
Photo courtesy of: Voltaire Design
“In 2010, the Palm Beach introduced fashion into saddles and an unprecedented level of comfort for riders and horses. In 2016, the Blue Wing revolutionized the industry as the first high-tech saddle. It has proven at the highest level of the sport how effective it can be. Today I am proud to announce the saddle that will set the path of technology for the next decade. I am talking about the Blue Infinite. The Blue Infinite is a saddle like no other. It includes materials usually reserved for the most advanced aircraft in the world,” began Goguet, setting the tone for the first-rate list of design accomplishments soon to follow.
The forward-thinking design of the Blue Infinite boasts an impressive series of engineering feats including its adaptable tree, 30 percent lighter weight and data collection, not to mention the sleek look and personalized QR code that allows owners to track saddles across their lifetimes and prevent theft.
Photo courtesy of: Voltaire Design
“Our engineers have been working hard at pushing the limits in saddle design. Voltaire Design is one of the only equestrian companies in the world with a dedicated research team,” noted Goguet. “The first component of the Blue Infinite is its tree. It is a beautiful piece of engineering. The revolutionary web-shaped design for the tree makes it adapt itself to almost any [horse] and to men and women with the same efficiency. Its anatomical engineering leads to outstanding performance and can reduce the pain that some riders feel in the saddle.”
While providing maximum rider comfort, Voltaire’s unique design was also reputed by Goguet to be the new standard at accommodating the natural movements of the horse and allowing for movement throughout the shoulder thanks to flexible tree points, lack of stitching on the underside of the panel, memory foam that provides shock absorption and an adaptive fit as the horse moves. The team at Voltaire believes so strongly in the durability of the saddle’s tree that they are offering a lifelong warranty on the Blue Infinite, the lightest saddle ever made by Voltaire Design.
With a goal of making the most compelling saddle in the world, Voltaire went a number of steps further, seamlessly integrating an electronic component without the need for any external device. This “connected” saddle will allow for both professionals and amateurs to access more meaningful information about their horses, as well as display analytics to veterinarians or trainers for input regarding a horse’s health or training.
“We set two goals, one which was to help riders better understand their horse. Horses are complete athletes. We believe that we can help you monitor your horse over time, and monitor its wellbeing. Our second goal is to improve performance. Blue Infinite lets you analyze your jump course, jump by jump. It can help you understand why you had a jump down, where you could have saved more time or how you won,” said Goguet.
With his presentation enhanced by a series of easy-to-read infographics that mimic what owners of the Blue Infinite will receive, Goguet demonstrated the multiple facets of a ride that the saddle will be able to track and analyze, including straightness over jumps, weight percentage on each leg, pressure upon take-off and landing on either side of a jump and the measurement of the bascule, among other data sets. Even more impressive, Voltaire’s innovative new saddle will also be able to synchronize data with video footage shot on any device to provide for a visually stimulating method in which to better understand your horse and your riding.
With the Blue Infinite slated to be in rider’s hands by March, it is a good bet that the show ring will be seeing much more of Voltaire’s signature bright blue in the months and years to come, undoubtedly making plenty of appearances in the winner’s circle.
Outside of product development, Voltaire Design is also a frontrunner with regards to company culture, having contributed to worthwhile causes such as education for children, equality for all people and protecting the Earth with its respected list of corporate partners that include Just World International and Plant-for-the-Planet. Thanks to its superior quality products and dedication to service, Voltaire has attracted some of the world’s most high-profile names to represent the company.
Voltaire Design toutes the reigning 2018 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Finals champion, Beezie Madden, among its distinguished list of sponsored riders, each of whom comprise a portion of what the company has dubbed the “Voltaire family.” Madden is a longtime supporter, and attributes her loyalty to more than only the craftsmanship.
“Obviously, we love the saddle, but most importantly we love the people and the service we have gotten. They have been nothing but a pleasure to work with,” commented Madden at the unveiling event. “I feel like the saddle itself is comfortable, it puts me right in balance with the horse, and at the same time the horses seem to like it, as well.”
Other than the performance version for show jumping, the Blue Infinite model also comes in a hunter fashion for the more traditional and equitation riders who want to reap the benefits of a high-tech saddle. Sure to be taking advantage of the hunter version, which displays a more traditional flap and deeper seat, is Patricia Griffith, one of Voltaire’s most successful sponsored riders in the hunter ranks.
“I enjoy the feedback process with Voltaire a lot. I feel like any little thing we can do to help the horses and help the feel in the saddle, especially in today’s day and age with all the cutting-edge technology, is important. I like how the Voltaire saddles have kept up with that,” praised Griffiths. “I took the saddle, rode in it twice, and went right into a big class and felt really secure in it. That’s what you’re looking for, especially when you are jumping bigger jumps. You want the grip and the feeling that you are with the horse.”
Also onsite for the festivities was Shane Sweetnam, one of the Team Ireland members who claimed the gold medal at the 2017 FEI European Show Jumping Championships, as well as household names Schuyler Riley and Brianne Goutal. A testament to the quality of Voltaire products, the company’s international line-up of hunter/jumper sponsored riders includes Mandy Porter, Erynn Ballard, Ashlee Bond, Amanda Steege, Rowan Willis, John French, Shawn Casady, Lorcan Gallagher and Jennifer Alfano, among many other top talents.
With a self-proclaimed emphasis on design, comfort and performance, the team at Voltaire Design, with Goguet at the helm, shows no signs of slowing down with regard to advancements in the equestrian sphere. After pushing the envelope for nearly a decade, the company that once simply took up space in a garage has now potentially introduced the most advanced saddle ever created. More than just a contender in the market, Voltaire Design is working towards solidifying itself as a leader in innovation in our industry, and the Blue Infinite is just the saddle to get them there.
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For more information, please visit voltairedesign.com.