Georges Rimaud, the director of the Aga Khan Studs in France for a quarter-century, will retire at the end of 2024. He will be succeeded by Pierre Gasnier, who has assisted Rimaud for the past two years.
Trained at the Irish National Stud in 1980, Rimaud worked at Spendthrift Farm and later managed Hurricane Hall–both in Kentucky–and also managed Virginia's Audley Farm. Named manager of Haras d'Etreham in 1991, he joined the Aga Khan Studs in June of 2000. Since then, horses carrying His Highness The Aga Khan's distinctive silks have won 83 Group 1 races under a management team led by Princess Zahra Aga Khan and supported by Rimaud, Pat Downes and Nemone Routh.
During Rimaud's tenure, the breeding operation of Jean-Luc Lagardere was integrated in the Aga Khan Studs after being acquired in 2005. The current Haras de Bonneval roster features four stallions, all homebreds–Siyouni (Fr), Zarak (Fr), Vadeni (Fr) and Erevann (Fr).
Rimaud, currently the chairman of Arqana Holding, will continue in that position, with Constantin de Lencquesaing, chief financial officer for the Aga Khan Studs, will also remain a member of the Arqana board.
“The entire Aga Khan Studs team extends their warmest and most sincere sentiments to Georges as he approaches his retirement,” the Aga Khan Studs said in a statement. “His Highness the Aga Khan and Princess Zahra Aga Khan express their deepest gratitude to him for his expert management of the French studs over the past 25 years. His contribution will impact the Aga Khan Studs and thoroughbred families for generations to come.”
Gasnier will be the point of contact regarding the stallions and studs in France. De Lencquesaing will be in charge of the stallion syndicates. Enquiries regarding horses-in-training in France should be directed to Routh, director and racing manager, who is also the main contact for the press, while Downes, director of the Aga Khan Studs in Ireland, remains the point of contact for enquiries regarding Sea The Stars (Ire) and the studs and horses-in-training in Ireland.
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