~ At Seaside Nature Park ~
The history of horses on St. Maarten has long inspired Roderick Halley, locally known as Horseman. It is the Spanish conquistadores that brought the first horses to the island, and it literally moved Roderick to Spain, where he trained to be a great horseback rider. He is an avid admirer of Andalusian horses, and Domo Vacqera riding and its lifestyle (a horsemanship art form).
This Sunday both Roderick and his wife Alexandra want to bring to life the Spanish atmosphere so admired by the couple. At Seaside Nature Park, where Lucky Stables is located, they will treat the general public to an afternoon program much like a traditional Spanish Feria (festival).
A major attraction is the Spanish carousel group. Featuring a horseback riding show whereby horses are riding in pairs, while their riders, wearing traditional Spanish costumes, lead them into graceful figures that make the group look like dancers. The current show group at Lucky Stables is composed of ladies that live on the island and are very involved in horseback riding. Though many of them are from different backgrounds and have different levels of riding, the carousel group brings them together.
Christel Horst, Margo Jackson, Muriel ter Wolde, Johness Pinion, Dominique Pinion, Inez Engler, Manon Ridderbeks, Lisette van den Berg, Willeke Krieger, Laura Bisseling and Alexandra van Luijken have been training for about ten weeks, adjusting horses and riders in the right format. This Sunday marks their first public performance as a show group, and the ladies plan to expand their program in the future.
A Spanish Feria is not the same without Flamenco, and so the afternoon brings us flamenco dancing, with Paola dancing to the heartfelt sounds of the Spanish guitar. Paola, well-known from her dancing group The Voodoo Dancers, is a professional salsa dancer who studied the traditional Flamenco dance and culture. The dance is hypnotizing to those who watch it. The proud dancing patterns, the dress, the music, and the temperament form a spectacle not often seen on St. Maarten! Her dancing will be guided by a guitar player specialized in the art of Flamenco music.
And then there is a wine tasting to enjoy, and tapas & sangria on offer.
Come and enjoy a great family event at Seaside Nature Park this Sunday! The event is free of charge. The fun starts at 3:30pm and goes until 8:00pm.
For more information, visit www.seasidenaturepark.com
