Pauline Guillaume is a twenty seven year old competition groom and stable manager for Camille Judet-Chéret and Isabelle Judet at Pamfou Dressage. Pauline has been working for a year and a half at the Pamfou Dressage facility, located in Seine-et-Marne, near Fontainebleau in France.
When did horses enter your life, and how did that journey lead you to become a groom?
World cup final Bâle with Gotilas
I started riding when I was four years old. As a child, I already dreamed of turning my passion into a career. I tried other sports – football, fencing, dance – but none of them resonated with me the way being around horses did. I kept riding until I was eighteen. Then I had to face reality: without financial support, progressing in the equestrian world is very difficult. And since I’m the kind of person who does things fully or not at all, I preferred to stop rather than do it “half-heartedly.”
I then studied dietetics for two years before working in retail. I gradually worked my way up to become the manager of a corner at Galeries Lafayette. In 2023, I was finally able to pay for riding lessons again, and it awakened something very deep in me. Then, on December 31st, 2023, I had a real breakthrough. While listening to “Le sens de la vie” by Tal, I suddenly burst into tears. The lyrics “j’ai trouvé le sens de la vie qui me mène et je l’aime” hit me like a revelation. I told myself: “It’s now or never.” I had been seeing a Pamfou Dressage job posting for months, but I never dared apply. One day, almost without believing it could work, I sent my application. Two months later, I moved to start this new adventure.
My mother always told me: “When there’s a will, there’s a way.” Today, I truly understand what she meant.
What does your role as a groom involve?
At the yard, I work as a groom for Camille and Isabelle. On average, I prepare six horses every morning. I’m also the stable manager, which includes, overseeing the general organisation together with the second manager and the executive assistant, supervising and training the apprentices, and new people, managing a team of around ten people, coordinating with the farrier, vet, osteopath and physio, managing stock and supplies, and handling a wide variety of other tasks!
There’s also the competition side of the job: preparing the horses and travelling to shows, usually once or twice a month depending on the season.
What makes what you do special?
Pauline and the team at the final of the World Championship for Young Horses with Emoji
I’m part of both a sporting and professional project, and that’s incredibly rewarding. Whether we’re at home or at competitions, I make sure the horses are at their very best. I also help with welcoming clients and preparing sales horses. I don’t like routine – and luckily, this job never has any. Every day brings a new organisational challenge.
Least favourite tasks?
I think I can say it without hesitation: cleaning tack is the thing I enjoy the least. Fortunately, I have great colleagues who love doing it! That’s what teamwork is about — everyone focuses on what they’re best at. While they take care of the tack, I’m more than happy to tidy up and sweep.
Most memorable moments?
“when I saw my face and my name on the giant screen I was overwhelmed”
My most memorable moment is still the World Cup Final in Basel with Gotilas. I thought I would experience it like any other show, but when I saw my face and my name on the giant screen I was overwhelmed. Corentin (Pottier) and Gus delivered an incredible performance, and the moment they left the arena is something I’ll never forget.
Hardest parts about being a groom?
Pauline’s first show with Higgins Camille and Livie the previous show groom. “She trained me for two competitions before going”
Being a groom — and especially a competition groom — isn’t just a job; it’s a way of life. I live and breathe Pamfou Dressage. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but I can’t imagine doing things any other way. We’re lucky to have a team that’s 100% committed, and fortunately so, because no two days are ever the same. Every day brings its own challenges. It’s a job where you learn something new every day. Proof of that: even Isabelle, with all her experience, never has a 100% certain answer when we ask, “How do we cover tonight?”
Horses teach us humility. And yes… almost every day, I say, “I’ve had enough, I’m quitting.” But deep down, I love what I do far too much. If this is the job for you, you’ll know it.
What advice could you give to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?
You don’t need a perfect CV to be a groom. What you need is a willingness to learn, a sharp mind and the ability to reflect and adapt.
What does it mean to you to work as part of the support team?
It’s an immense privilege to support Camille and Corentin in their sporting project. I don’t have experience elsewhere, but I know I’m very lucky. And I mean with them, not for them. I have real freedom: I can implement my ideas, organise the spaces, buy the necessary equipment… At competitions, I often feel like part of the family: we share moments, laugh together, and support each other. And at home, the team is close-knit: birthdays, special moments, everything is celebrated.
Unexpected parts of being a groom?
Organisation. It seems obvious, but I didn’t realise how central it really is. Sometimes you have to manage several horses, riders, and clients at the same time, keeping track of hundreds of detail, it’s not easy. And also I love optimising spaces: I dream of labels, storage, and boards everywhere. Hervé (Corentin’s father) could testify: I ask for shelves every week! I think we’re Action’s best customers!
Product you can’t live without?
Pauline with Higgins “my best friend”
My phone. It’s not a horse-related product, but it’s essential for them: all the information, organisation, communication with the team, scheduling appointments. I can’t work without it.
A horse that holds a special place in your heart?
I can’t choose just one horse: each has its own personality. But two touch me particularly:
- Higgins: sometimes grumpy, sometimes cuddly… thanks to him, I experienced my first podium with Camille in Leeuwarden.
- Day: my little favourite, a 5-year-old mare and the kindest horse in the world.
When I lived at the stable, she would always stick her head out every evening for a goodnight cuddle. When I’m sad, she’s always there.
(She’s for sale, in case a generous soul wants to gift her to me!)
Future aspirations?
Pauline’s first show alone, only four months after arriving, Mechelen with Higgins and Gotilas.
My dream is to reach the top level myself. Is it achievable? I don’t know. But I won’t stop until I’ve tried everything. In the short term, I hope to go to the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028.
Top Tip
Believe in yourself.
What advice would you give for someone preparing their horse for a competition?
A horse must be technically ready, of course. But most importantly, it must be mentally and physically ready. The horse’s well-being must always come first if you want to achieve your competition goals.