GOLDENDALE, Washington -- June 26, 2008 -- The noble Lipizzans horses of White Horse Vale Farm will perform a very special gala event on Saturday, July 12, 2008 in Goldendale, Washington. The approximately two-hour show will begin at 11:00am and will be followed by a Farm Tour given by farm owner, June Boardman. Admission for the event is $10.00 for Adults, $5.00 for Children ages 6 through 18. Children ages 5 and under are free.
The White Horse Vale Lipizzans are all trained in dressage, and these Performances will highlight the various stages which the Lipizzans progress through. The training at White Horse Vale is conducted by Head Trainers, Thomas and Shana Ritter and their staff of Apprentices and Assistant Trainers. Thomas and Shana have an extensive background in the classical dressage training of horses, as is also taught, practiced, and exhibited with Lipizzans at the famous Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria. Based at White Horse Vale Farm, Thomas and Shana run a Classical Riding School whose mission is to preserve and promote classical training.
The Lipizzan horse breed owes its royal association and origins to the Imperial Hapsburg family of Austria which developed the breed for Haute Ecole (High School) Dressage at the Spanish Riding School in Austria, Vienna. The Lipizzan name comes from Lipica (now located in modern day Slovenia), one of the earliest Lipizzan stud farms. The breed is actually quite rare, with only approximately 4000 purebreds in the world. Fortunately, the largest breeder of Lipizzans is located in Goldendale, Washington. The White Horse Vale Lipizzan Farm, owned by June Boardman of Goldendale, Washington, has been breeding Lipizzans for 23 years and is very active in the promotion and preservation of the breed both Nationally and Internationally.
The performances on July 12th will feature a series of exhibitions, all set to music, including a Quadrille, Pas-de-Deux, Pas-de-Trois, Long Rein Kur, Solo Musical Freestyle, Assorted Steps and Movements of the Classical School, Young Horses under Saddle, Carriage Driving, Work-in-Hand and in the Pillars, and the ever-popular crowd-pleasing Mares and Foals. The Quadrille is a Ridden Ballet of Lipizzans performing a choreographed display of intricate maneuvers with graceful ease and accuracy. The Pas-de-Deux and Pas-de-Trois are acts involving just two and three horses, respectively, also choreographed and set to music to highlight the beauty of the horses working together in harmony. The Long-Rein Kur is a performance where a highly trained Lipizzan stallion is guided by the trainer on the ground by a long-rein. The Solo Musical Freestyle is a performance which highlights one rider on one stallion, performing to music, displaying the beauty, generosity, and talents of the Lipizzan breed. Assorted Steps and Movements of the Classical School is a performance which artistically illustrates an assortment of the classical movements, articulating the special qualities of the horses. Young Horses Under Saddle is where the farm will show the earlier stages of the horse's training and this is often the first exposure these young horses have to performing in public. Carriage Driving exhibits the traditional use of the driving for the the Lipizzan mares. In the Work-in-Hand and Pillars Performance, the Lipizzans can show what they are famous for - the highly collected and extravagant airs on the ground and above the ground. For the grand finale, and always the crowd favorite, the mares and foals are brought into the arena and turned loose to demonstrate at liberty their in-born natural talents for leaping and dancing to music.
Two other gala events are planned for 2008. White Horse Vale farm will host a second Summer Performance on the Saturday of August 30, 2008 and a very special and unique Holiday Performance is planned for Saturday, November 29, 2008.
Further information is available through June Boardman at White Horse Vale Farm. She can be contacted by phone at (509) 773-5222 or email at whv@gorge.net. Further information on the Events, Lipizzans, and the Farm is available online at the WHV website at www.whv-lipizzans.com.
