World Equestrian Games – Opening Ceremony

World Equestrian Games – Opening Ceremony - Jenny Sheppard

Normandy is certainly a beautiful part of France, steeped in history and Equestrian tradition of both horse and rider.

Saturday night's opening ceremony celebrated the theme 'Around the World with 80 Horses' starting with a fly over of jets streaming the French colours – red, white and blue in smoke. Followed were parades of horses from different breeds, the French Cob being featured by a Cob leading each Nation into the arena for the Parade of Nations. The full stadium cheered each nation as they entered the stadium.

The 2014 Games has a record 74 Nations competing, the French team was the final team to enter dancing and cheering as the crowd went wild.

Princess Haya of Jordan, the President of the FEI, welcomed the Games to Normandy adding in her speech spoken in French then English "There is magic in the air tonight". The Prime Minister of France Manuel Valls officially opened the Games.

Then the magic light show started, we were treated to the arena being transformed via laser lighting into a giant showcase of the various French equestrian cultures, dancing and demonstrations, the landscape changing as the story of the horse unfolded through moving gigantic kaleidoscopes of land, sea and sky.

Probably the most popular or most amazing demonstration was kept to the end when the famous Lorenzo and his ten wild horses gave a display.

The French Republican Guard, the brass band of cavalry mounted on chestnut horses plus two grey's for the drums are wonderful to see and hear – a perfect fit to the evening program.

ENSW thanks Jenny for her report and we look forward to updates over the next couple of weeks.