The galloping Frenchwoman

Galloping around a dirt track while trying to collect rings with a lance is a Ville Platte tradition that dates back to the mid 20th Century when the Tournoi was revived after being brought over by the original French settlers of the area. This year’s running will hearken back to the sport’s ancient origins as one of the qualifiers is a native of France.
Marie Toustou, from Narbonne, France, has been a teacher for the past six years and is currently a French Immersion teacher at Mamou Elementary. She is the youngest of three daughters and studied law before becoming a teacher. She enjoys travelling around the world and has been to North Europe, Russia, and Asia. She has also previously been to the United States. “And I swear, USA is my favorite place, as my mom who, by the way, met Ted Kennedy,” she said.
Toustou is no stranger to riding horses and owns her own horse in her native France. When she arrived in Mamou, people found out about her love of horseback riding. This led Wanda Verrette to invite her to participate in this year’s qualifications.
“I’m someone who really likes to try new things, so to discover a new world in “horse riding world,” with a part of history inside, motivated me a lot,” she expressed. “And, here I am. I have to admit I was stressed until the moment when it was my turn, so I really thank every person who helped me, lent me the horse, explained the rules, and showed me how to proceed.”
Toustou admitted she did not know something like the Tournoi exisited but said similar events are held in France. “There were a lot during the Middle Ages in France,” she explained. “In addition, we have ‘tournois’ in France, but these are shows. People love them, but maybe it could be a great idea to create one when I go back.”
While her knowledge of the sport was limited, Toustou quickly learned the rings represent the seven enemies of cotton - flood, drought, boll weevil, boll worm, silk, rayon, and nylon.
When the day for qualifications came on Sunday, September 26, Toustou was one of two women attempting to make the cut. The other female, Lisa Crane, is no stranger to the competition.
“I didn’t feel a big difference between us men and women,” Toutou said. “It was a really friendly day. But learning we are only two women, yes, I feel proud. Now, the next step will be the great day between horse riders and spectators who want to see the show. I’m sure we’ll spend a really good time together as we did for qualifications.”
Once her turn came to ride, Toustou stated she was flooded with emotions. “I was really stressed at the beginning because everything is totally different than I already know,” she said. “Usually, I practice jumping with my horse, so to try an activity totally different, in a saddle totally different, with a horse I didn’t know two weeks before was a challenge. But what a great challenge. I spent one of the best days since I arrived in the USA, and, after the first round, I realized how fun it is.”
Toustou finished 10th after the three rounds were complete and expressed how much she enjoyed the day’s event. “To be honest,” she said, “at the beginning I was afraid to be ‘the Frenchie’ who wanted to try, but everyone was so welcoming to me. Other competitors explained the rules to me, gave me advice between each round, and asked me how I felt. All the ingredients were united to have an unforgettable moment.”
She hopes to have a similar moment once the Tournoi is held on Sunday, October 24, at the Industrial Park. “I’ll try to do my best, and hopefully we can practice again before the big day,” Toustou said.
Competing in the Tournoi has given Toustou an opportunity to learn more about herself. As she concluded, “I can’t get used to getting out of my comfort zone. It’s a new exercise every time. And I love that! How would life be without new experiences?”
For the other nine riders who qualified, turn to Page 8B. Those nine, along with Toustou, will compete against the top 10 finishers from last year’s competition.