They may be paid in oats and apples however there isn’t a doubt who the celebrities are in The Gala of the Royal Horses, coming to the PPL Heart in Allentown on Thursday.
The present spotlights the abilities of Lipizzaners, Arabians, Andalusians and Friesian horses — breeds which have lengthy, storied histories of being raised for the royalty of Europe and utilized in wars by such legendary figures as Genghis Khan, Alexander the Nice and Napoleon.
The viewers will get to see the horses demonstrating dressage maneuvers, particular jumps and different precision expertise for which they’re well-known.
Main the present is Renee Gasser, producer, coach, rider and grasp of ceremonies of The Gala of the Royal Horses, which is making its first tour of North America.
Gasser was born in Switzerland to a household who labored with horses for seven generations, first within the army after which in circuses and present enterprise. For some time Gasser carried out acrobatics earlier than returning to his equestrian roots.
“As soon as it’s in your blood you simply can’t steer clear of these stunning animals,” he says in a telephone interview. “These explicit horses, they have been all bred for the royal households of Europe. The royal households wished not solely probably the most stunning horses but additionally probably the most highly effective horses. That’s why the Friesians, the Andalusians, the Lipizzaners, the Arabians are such magnificent animals.”
The regal horses have been used continuously in motion pictures, together with “The Starvation Video games: Catching Fireplace” and “The Masks of Zorro” due to their putting appearances and trainability.
“In any kind of motion pictures that use horses, they’re probably to make use of them as a result of they’re so splashy with their lengthy manes and large tails and their stunning necks,” Gasser stated. “They’re good to coach to carry out as a result of they’re very wise horses.”
Among the many most spectacular feats within the present are these in what’s known as “The Airs Above the Floor,” which Gasser says have been first taught to horses to be used in warfare. The primary maneuver is the pesade, during which the horse rears up on its hind legs so it’s at a 45-degree angle to the bottom. Then within the levade, the horse raises his forelegs, balancing on his hind legs with its physique nearer to the bottom. With the courbette, the horse rears up and jumps ahead a couple of occasions on his hind legs and within the capriole, the horse leaps within the air and kicks out with all 4 legs.
“The Airs,” that are among the many oldest dressage actions, are an actual crowd pleaser, Gasser says. The horses utilized in jumps are among the many smallest within the present and are totally warmed up in order to not hurt them.
“We don’t use huge heavy horses for that as a result of it will be too onerous on their bones,” he says.
Gasser insists all of the horses are handled humanely and are nicely cared for.
“You’ll be able to’t make one thing stunning that’s merciless,” he stated. “There’s not make-up for that.”
Within the second half of the present, Spanish Flamenco dancers will come out and dance as a Flamenco guitarist performs. Then a horse will be part of the dancers and they’re going to do steps collectively. Flamenco dancers have been historically gypsies in Spain, and gypsies have been additionally horse folks.
Through the present, Gasser explains how they practice the horses.
“I used to be taught to be respectful as a result of on the finish of the day, even certainly one of our medium horses weighs half a ton, like a thousand kilos,” he stated. “I urge folks to not overlook that once they work with horses.”
The present options horses from Germany, Austria and Spain, the place horse breeding has been handed down by way of generations for lots of of years.
“I’ve certainly one of our horses from a household that has been elevating horses for 700 years,” Gasser says
The riders come from world wide. Matching a rider to a horse is an artwork in itself since you don’t need a extremely strung rider on a extremely strung horse, he says.
Gasser says, nonetheless, that some horses merely don’t have the character to carry out in entrance of 1000’s of individuals.
“Not each horse works out for us,” he says. “Even after I assume typically this horse can be good, it really will get stage fright, identical to folks do.”
“I had one horse and he was an impressive horse and when the curtains opened up with so many individuals there, he really sat down,” Gasser remembers, laughing. “He simply regarded on the folks and sat down. We have been almost all on the ground laughing.”
At such occasions, the Gala riders and different performers merely roll with the punches, a talent born of coping with typically unpredictable animals.
“If it’s humorous, we really deal with it that means,” Gasser says. “And there’s quite a lot of horse folks within the viewers who perceive that.”
The 2-hour present contains an intermission. The Gala sells a VIP ticket that permits a ticketholder to remain after the present to pet a few of the horses, take photographs and ask questions on them.
The present attracts all ages however Gasser says it’s not unusual for “horse loopy” girls to carry their reluctant husbands.
“The humorous factor is they bring about the husbands alongside and the husbands assume, ‘Oh my God, now I’ve to take a seat by way of two hours of horses,’” he says. “And they’re those that really come after the present and so they can’t clarify it sufficient to you the way a lot they loved it as a result of they didn’t anticipate it.”
Gasser has been touring with this present and others for about 15 years. They’ve carried out in Europe, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and North America.
After they aren’t touring, Gasser and his household return to their equestrian middle close to Melbourne, Australia, the place they practice the horses and the riders they are going to tackle the street. Amongst these riders are Gasser’s 17-year-old daughter, Gigi. His 14-year-old son, Sidney, is simply beginning to carry out within the household enterprise.
Gigi has determined to observe in her father’s footsteps however Sidney would possibly observe a unique path.
“I didn’t need to push him into it,” Gasser says. “It’s acquired to return from them. It’s trying good however you by no means know. My son is into computer systems as nicely.”
Margie Peterson is a contract author.
Jodi Duckett, editor
Jodi.duckett@mcall.com
610-820-6704
THE GALA OF THE ROYAL HORSES
*What: Equestrian performances by riders on Lipizzaner, Arabian, Andalusian and Friesian breeds that have been traditionally favored by royalty for his or her energy, magnificence and beauty. Spanish Flamenco dancers will be part of horses in a dance and execute a sequence of adverse maneuvers often known as “The Airs Above the Floor.”
*When: 7 p.m. Thursday
*The place: PPL Heart, 701 W. Hamilton St., Allentown
*How a lot: $25-$75
*Data: pplcenter.com, 610-347-8499
HORSE BREEDS
Friesians, largely black-colored, come from the Friesland province within the Netherlands, and have been utilized in such motion pictures as “The Masks of Zorro,” “Snow White and the Huntsman,” “The Chronicles of Narnia,” “The Starvation Video games: Catching Fireplace,” and tv exhibits reminiscent of “Sport of Thrones.” Filmmakers admire their magnificence and trainability.
Arabian horses are one of many oldest breeds and have been used for 1000’s of years amongst desert tribes within the Center East. They have been mounts for well-known figures in historical past reminiscent of Genghis Khan, Alexander the Nice, Napoleon Bonaparte and George Washington.
Lipizzaners or Lipizzans have been bred by the royal Habsburg household, which managed Spain and Austria through the Renaissance. They’re born black, brown or grey however their coats lighten as they age till they flip their attribute white. Disney made a 1963 film about Lipizzans known as “Miracle of the White Stallions” primarily based on a real story in regards to the evacuation of the famed Spanish Using Faculty in Vienna throughout World Struggle II and efforts to avoid wasting the breed.
Andalusians, which have been bred in Spain, have been utilized in bullfighting and have been often known as an incredible struggle horse due to their agility, energy and calm temperament. Andalusians have been dropped at Holland through the Crusades and bred with horses native to the province of Friesland to create the Friesian breed. The form of the Andalusian’s head is convex, giving it a particular look, and the predominant coloration is grey.
