THE South African Lipizzaners bring their famous Dancing White Horses to Shongweni Club for two special performances on September 30 and October 1.

For more than seven decades, the South African Lipizzaners have preserved a remarkable equestrian tradition, keeping alive movements that originated on the battlefields of Europe centuries ago.

“Watching a stallion perform a capriole, levade or courbette is therefore about far more than seeing a beautifully trained horse. It is a glimpse into a living history where audiences are witnessing 600 years’ worth of history flowing through their veins.

“The academy is the only performing Lipizzaner organisation in Africa and one of only a handful of institutions in the world preserving the historic battle movements of classical equitation. Unlike a museum where history sits behind glass, here it moves, dances and leaps directly in front of the audience,” said Adriaan van Wyk, managing director and trainer.

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The horses descend from six classical Lipizzaner bloodlines – Conversano, Favory, Maestoso, Neapolitano, Pluto and Siglavy – with a breeding programme that has been maintained in South Africa for generations.

Their performances showcase the extraordinary partnership between horse and rider, from the controlled precision of the piaffe to the dramatic airs above the ground.

Although the Lipizzaners share their ancestry with the famous horses of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Van Wyk said the South African academy has developed a history and identity entirely its own.

“The organisation was established in South Africa after Count Jankovic-Besan brought Lipizzaner stallions out of war-torn Europe in 1948. From those beginnings, the academy grew into an institution with a particularly strong legacy of women in classical riding. Today, the South African riders perform in distinctive red tunics – a colourful contrast to the traditional presentation associated with Vienna – and continue a tradition that has been passed from rider to rider and horse to horse.

“The Lipizzaners’ mission extends well beyond the arena. As a non-profit organisation, the academy depends on public support to provide the daily care, training and welfare required by its horses. At the same time, it is investing in the next generation through its youth development programmes, creating opportunities for young South Africans to develop skills and pursue internationally recognised equestrian qualifications. We educate those who are the future by educating through the past,” she said.

Tickets are available through Quicket.

COMPETITION

Caxton and the organisers are also offering readers an opportunity to witness the spectacular display. By filling in your details in the competition box below, you stand a chance of WINNING two tickets to the show. Competition closes on Sunday, September 27.

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