A night to remember: WEG opening produces ‘wow’ factor

Wow wow wow.

Even though I had been to the rehearsals, I was silent stunned past times the amazingness of the opening ceremony. It really honoured what nosotros all honey – the Equus caballus as well as the athletes that ride them. It was a fine but mutual depression temperature dark inwards Caen. There seemed to live a huge lay out of people trying to instruct into the entrance at once, but it appeared to clear fairly apace as well as the stadium shortly filled to close capacity at somewhere some 20,000.

Even though I had been to the rehearsals H5N1 dark to remember: WEG opening produces ‘wow’ factor

The kickoff human activity was over inwards a flash, as well as some missed seeing it (me) but heard it as well as saw the evidence. Fighter jets doing a flyover leaving a jet stream trail inwards the French colours. Pretty spectacular but at that spot was to a greater extent than to come. At this signal of the proceedings it was silent daylight as well as rather pleasant temperature sitting inwards the stand.

The kickoff horses into the arena were the Normandy cobs. One was ridden, ane inwards a harness as well as also some other yoke inwards harness. The ridden ane was a flake upset past times the crowd’s clapping, especially when they started clapping inwards fourth dimension to the music, but all successfully negotiated a few laps of the arena.

There was a large cheer when the ii American quarter horses entered the arena, doing some reining demonstrations as well as lots of lovely canter, looking calm as well as relaxed.

These were followed past times 5 Moroccan barb horses inwards traditional dress, followed past times 4 Akhal Teke racehorses, led past times an unusually coloured palomino. The crowd loved their lastly fast lap, as well as I tin entirely promise that everyone at travel out was gear upwardly for their hasty exit!

At this signal the music was thus loud you lot could experience the drum beats on your ribs but things were adjusted as well as later on that it was really appropriate. At to the lowest degree it become everyone going!

Next into the arena was French Republic Guard mounted brass band. These guys were awesome, I was peculiarly impressed amongst ane of the greys that carried the drums. Not all of them were stone company inwards their placidness, thus the riders did good to play their musical instrument as well as command a skittery horse. No instruments, riders or brass striking the deck.

Now it was fourth dimension for the athletes. South Africans kickoff into the stadium. There were large thanks for the Germans, Australians as well as Canadians. The Brazilians danced their agency some the stadium to loud applause. The small-scale Bermudian delegation of simply iii looked slap-up inwards scarlet shorts (for the ii men) as well as skirt for the woman, with dark blazers.

The New Zealanders had some slap-up back upwardly too, as well as looked really smart inwards their uniform. No eventers there, they are silent competing inwards England, as well as are due inwards to French Republic on Monday. I didn’t spot whatsoever eventers inwards the Australian, High German or British teams either.

While at that spot were non that many Union Jacks waving inwards the stands, the British supporters made upwardly for it past times their cheering. The biggest cheer however, was for France. The squad looked spectacular inwards their vivid scarlet trousers – such panache! They danced as well as cheered their agency some the stadium, as well as got the crowd going into a Mexican moving ridge which went some the stadium most 5 times.

The Percheron stallions got quite the workout leading the teams around, carrying their flags.

We as well as thus had the official speeches, including ane from Princess Haya inwards both French as well as English, earlier the French Prime Minister was brusk as well as to the signal along the lines of “I straightaway declare the 2014 World Equestrian Games open”.

Showjumper Kevin Staut as well as dressage gauge Anne Prain each did the oath on behalf of all other riders as well as officials, promising to honour as well as abide past times the rules, ensure the horses’ welfare was paramount as well as save the glory of equestrian sport. There was as well as thus ane to a greater extent than rousing functioning from the mounted band, as well as thus lights dimmed as well as the amusement side of the demonstrate began.

Bringing tears to many an eye, the biggest white percheron Equus caballus was led some the Earth (in lights) past times a tiny piddling daughter accompanied past times sensational music. The huge Equus caballus carefully walked around, never putting a pes wrong. This was followed past times dancers earlier the Earth disappeared as well as amongst some deft arena work, several brightly coloured tents / teepees became the centre piece.

The music quickened as well as inwards stormed ii teams of horse-ball competitors who galloped dorsum as well as forth to each cease as well as goal, throwing the ball to each other, scooping it off the Earth as well as to a greater extent than oftentimes than non looking similar they were having a slap-up time.

The reining horses horses were next, amongst ane doing a slap-up project of putting inwards a few jumps over the lights whizzing some the light-green grass. The lighting was actually amazing, I was especially impressed amongst how they created the body of body of water scenes.

Injecting a flake of civilisation into the proceedings, at that spot was a lovely slice featuring dancers as well as horses inwards art, beamed onto large canvases on stands some the arena. The scene was as well as thus changed to a classical one, as well as travel into the military machine horses doing classical dressage movements accompanied past times classical music. One oops past times a overwhelmed Equus caballus saw a pot constitute demolished but it was really impressive overall.

Even though I had been to the rehearsals H5N1 dark to remember: WEG opening produces ‘wow’ factor Vaulting was as well as thus showcased, as well as a well-performed routine to a fantastic flake of music kept us spellbound. How the Equus caballus went inwards thus quietly amongst the lights creating a moving metropolis where he walked impressed me. The Equus caballus did, however, strangely non instruct by thus good inwards the full general parade at the end, yet he was stone company at this point.

Back to history again, as well as nosotros had both medieval pes soldiers fighting every bit good every bit mounted ones. More deft ringcraft saw an amazing recreation of the Bayeaux tapestry beingness created, thus really artistic.

I loved the hoof prints appearing some the arena, kickoff inwards walk, as well as thus trot, as well as thus canter as well as gallop. Awesome lighting as well as audio effects.

One of my favourite was the dancers as well as the horses on the chess board, it was over also shortly but the grand finale was the fantastic white Carmargue horses who came racing into the arena. The lighting showed the arena simply similar ane of their native beaches, as well as and thus Lorenzo came into the arena, standing on the dorsum of ii of them. He as well as thus did some incredible performances amongst the whole herd. Just amazing.

There was ane concluding lighting creation of Pegasus which finished amongst a bang, as well as thus at that spot was the concluding parade of all the participants, including Lorenzo amongst his white horses.

What a slap-up show, as well as worth staying until 11:30, inwards the cold! Reports are that traffic jams did hateful it took a patch for people to instruct home, but I mean value they volition live glad they made the effort, it volition live a demonstrate to recall for some time.