Ysbrand Chardon switches to Lipizzaners

Finally.... he saw the light


"Dutch top driver IJsbrand Chardon will from now on compete with Lipizzaner horses in the FEI World Cup Driving competitions. The four times World Champion bought three horses of his fellow competitor Jozsef Dobrovitz from Hungary right after the World Cup competition in Stuttgart this weekend"



http://www.hoefnet.nl/en/home/site/news/ijsbrand-chardon-switches-to-lipizzaner-horses

FÊTE IMPERIALE

Start:	Jul 10, '10 8:00p
Location:	Spanish Riding School

„Trend meets Tradition“

A Midsummer Night’s Dream comes true: An imperial summer ball within and around the Spanish Riding School! Vienna is different – and Vienna’s summer balls are different too. Two prestigious Viennese establishments liven up the summer season in Vienna!

Together Vienna’s coffee house association and the Spanish Riding School will create this innovative ball which will breathe life into Vienna’s summer season!

Maximilian K. Platzer, chairman of the traditional ball organized by the owners of the Viennese coffee houses: “Both Vienna’s coffee houses and the Spanish Riding School represent Viennese culture and lifestyle and have always been closely linked to Viennese tradition. It therefore seems obvious to award this bond an exclusive, unprecedented ball night.”

Guests will be received in the impressive Michaelerkuppel – straight in front of the Spanish Riding School’s main entrance, where they will be put into the mood for an unparalleled ball night with music and exotic cocktails. The ball will be imperially opened in the gorgeously decorated Stallburg with its mobile roof. For the first time since its completion in the 16th century, Vienna’s most beautiful Renaissance courtyard will be transformed into a ballroom for the “Knights of the Rose”! Nowhere else can one find a dance floor measuring more than 1000m2 and horse boxes turned into luxurious VIP boxes!

The baroque Winter Riding School, which was completed in 1735 by the architect Fischer von Erlach, will also quite literally experience a “renaissance” as the world’s most unique ball room. The riding arena will be turned into a dance floor and two-legged dancers will be able to perform the Kapriole, Levade, Courbette, School Quadrille and Pas de Deux. Bernd Fröhlich and his live orchestra will accompany Tini Kainrath and provide trendy music for exuberant dances. Due to a special lighting concept the three enormous Lobmeyr chandeliers will seem to float above the dancers’ heads, giving the impression of dancing under the open sky.

Those not inclined to dance will not miss out either: a corso invites strollers to observe and enjoy – “to see and be seen” has always been an important part of the fun during the Viennese balls.

Maestoso Lublice horse of St. Nicolas.

Entrance St . Nicolas Dokkum. Last weekend was again the entry of St. Nicolas a dutch tradition. Every year in November he's coming from Spain on a steamboat to a town. Then he is greeting by many children and make a horseback tour of the city. St. Nicolasis a real children festival. The children receive gift on December 5.
This year, St . Nicolas in the city of Dokkum a very special horse. A beautiful Lipizzaner. Maestoso Lublice (Quinten) did very well as a horse of St. Nicolas. This year there were a lot of people in the city, it was very busy with music and balloons. But Maestoso Lublice remained very calm and St. Nicolas did very nice allowed to ride a real Lipizzaner !

Workshop Working in Hand very successful

The workshop "Working in hand" with Oberbereiter Andreas Hausberger in Aubenhausen (GER), November 14, 2009 was very successful.

See:  website Aubenhausen

A 3-hours workshop "Working in Hand" with Oberbereiter Andreas Hausberger took place in the Aubenhausen-estate of the Werndl Family, near Munich.
About 100 interested people participated in this first event, organised in this way, and were thrilled.

A video impression

Original text:

Der Workshop "Die Arbeit an der Hand" war ein riesen Erfolg

Am Samstag den 14.11.2009 fand in Aubenhausen der ca. 3 stündige Workshop "Die Arbeit an der Hand" mit dem Oberbereiter der Wiener Hofreitschule Andreas Hausberger statt. Knapp 100 Interessierte nahmen an dem ersten Workshop dieser Art in Aubenhausen teil und waren begeistert. Egal ob Profi, Amateur oder Freizeitreiter, für jeden waren die Ausführungen von Andreas Hausberger aufschlussreich und interessant.

Matrix-Rhythm-Therapy

http://www.marhythe-systems.de
The Matrix-Rhythm-Therapy is a new kind of therapy that is predominantly used in cases of pain and movement disorders or restrictions. But it’s effectiveness has proved of values to greater extent.

Spanische Hofreitschule Virtual Tour

 

Virtual tour of the Spanische Hofreitschule. If you have never been there, see what it is like. If you have been there, relive some memories.

http://www.moving-pictures.de/vtour/spanische_hofreitschule/index.php

SRS 2010 US Tour

I read this morning that the SRS will kick off its 2010 US tour in September at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington. Is this confirmed, Andreas? Do you have tour dates/cities?

The Vienna Fiaker

No matter how heavy the traffic in modern Vienna, there always is room for the horsedrawn cab known as the Fiaker. The German word " Fiaker’ refer to both the two-horse cab itself and to the cabby, who is generally dressed in pepita-check trousers, a velvet jacket and derby hat.

Once the fiakers were Vienna’s taxi transport, but today they are mostly popular for special ceremonial use and as a tourist attraction. Fiaker ranks are near the Imperial Palace, the State Opera and beside St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The well-kept vehicles and their picturesque drivers add an attractive bit of color to the Vienna street scene.
The fiaker cabs have a long history, which is recorded in the Fiakerhaus, a building that has belonged to the profession for a century. It now houses the fiaker museum and is located at Veronikagasse 12 in the 18th district.
The fiaker cabby has long been a respected person. In the museum, for instance, there is an oil painting showing the famous Aschenbrunner driving Czar Nicholas I of Russia through the gates of the Ballhausplatz in a fiaker.
The name fiaker actually comes from Paris, where cabs for hire were lined up outside the Auberge Saint Fiacre, an inn whose portal was decorated with a painting of the Irish monk, St. Fiacrius.
The system of putting cabs for hire was introduced there in the 17th century by Nicole Sauvage, and before long, cabs were plying for trade in cities all over the Continent. Elsewhere, other names were developed for cabs, but in Vienna they have always been called fiaker.
The first Viennese fiaker license was issued in 1693 during the reign of Leopold I. It specifically forbade cabbies to undertake journeys of more than four miles out of the city. Not until 1822 was this strange restriction lifted, but even then, no traveler could hire a cab without presenting proof of identity. There were other rules too. For instance, no passenger was permitted to carry a torch or lamp through a town or forest unless it was extinguished.
Every applicant for a fiaker license had to show that he had been in the transport trade for several years and that he knew how to drive. He also had to own a reasonable amount of property and be of good character. At the same time, he was not permitted to be associated with any other form of commerce, and he was exempted from military service. Clearly, driving a cab was considered a position of great responsibility and importance. Widows of cabbies were permitted to carry on their late husbands’ business, to which they could take full title.
If a cab owner refused to accept a fare, he was liable to 48 hours behind bars. An employee was punished ten lashes with a birch branch. Smoking during a journey was forbidden. Overcharging was punishable by confiscation of the fee plus a 5-guilder fine or by 24 hours in jail for a cab owner - or a birch whipping of an employee.
Until the introduction of fiaker cabs in Vienna, the normal way of carrying Viennese who did not own a carriage was by sedan chair. The traditional cry of " Trag ma Euer Gnaden? " ( " May I carry you, Sir ") is still the fiaker driver’s announcement of the availability of his cab.
Since a ride by a fiaker was anything but cheap, it was seldom used by ordinary Viennese. Realizing this, an enterprising citizen named Zeisel put covered coaches with benches for 20 people into service. These coaches were inevitably nicknamed " Zeiserlwagen " and represented the first attempt to provide a means of mass transport for the public. Eventually, these were replaced by horse-drawn and then electric streetcars.
Today, a traditional use of the fiaker by the Viennese is at Confirmation, when youngsters are brought from St. Stephen’s to the Prater amusement park by horse-drawn cabs. They are frequently used to transport wedding parties.
A fiaker ride is almost obligatory for the visitor to Vienna. Each cabby is well-versed in local history and is always delighted to tell visitors stories of the buildings they pass on their horse-drawn tour of his beloved city.

Request FEI to Ban Hyperflexion in Competition

I apologize in advance if this has been posted previously. Some members of the UDBB (http://www.ultimatedressage.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=171711 ) have created an online petition requesting the FEI ban Hyperflexion in competition. Here is the link should you like to sign it.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/antiHF/index.html

Others are trying to organize a White Hat protest at the 2010 World Equestrian Games to be held in Kentucky.

http://www.ultimatedressage.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=171569&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

The petition and possible white hat protest were mentioned in the following Eurodressage article covering the Global Dressage Forum. So, they are getting a little bit of notice.

http://www.eurodressage.com/reports/shows/2009/09gdf/rep1.html

Necks, Lies and Video Tape---Rollkur continued.

Necks, Lies and Video Tape

　

By: Julie Taylor and Luise Thomsen

Epona TV

EDITORIAL: Right now, the world is rising up against rollkur, because a lolling, blue tongue got caught on video in Denmark. Ban it, is the message to the FEI. But how can something be banned, when it hasn’t been defined? And why should it be banned, when no adverse long term effects have been documented? Is hyperflexion even the problem?

What if I taught my horse – using treats or carefully timed pressure and release – to bend its neck extremely for a brief moment? That would be hyperflexion. But would it be evil? Should it be banned?

We propose that hyperflexion is not the biggest problem. Not where the welfare of horses is concerned. In terms of good dressage, there is little doubt that a short neck will detract from the quality of movement. But it in itself may not necessarily constitute abuse.

What is abusive is the way this hyperflexion is achieved and perpetuated through prolonged periods of time by insensitive and relentless pressure from the bit and spurs. The proponents of the technique will tell you that they never pull or force the horse into the frame and that they only ask it to stay there for brief spells at a time. This is a lie. The reins are used to pull - sometimes from side to side – on the horse’s mouth until it assumes the hyperflexed position. Then some of the pressure is sometimes released, although the reins remain short. If the horse tries to stretch its neck, it is harshly corrected by means of the curb and the spurs. We have seen this over and over and captured it on film. Horses go in the hyperflexed position – not for a few moments as officially claimed - but for several minutes at a time. Anky van Grunsven admits that she herself has not actually "a clue" how long these "brief spells" are. She doesn’t know. She thinks perhaps it’s less than fifteen minutes, although she isn’t sure. As Anky says: "Time flies when you’re having fun." We have this on film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svOBsSdjUvU

It is unthinkable that the FEI is not aware that hyperflexion of the neck is obtained by insensitive use of the bits. It is unthinkable that the FEI does not know that horses are subjected to several minutes of rollkur at a time. But still, the federation states that the technique is allowable "when used by professionals", because officially, spells of hyperflexion last no longer than 20 seconds (Sjef Janssen, Rollkur workshop Lausanne, 2006).

It is a bit of a pickle for the FEI. To ban hyperflexion of the neck, the FEI would have to not only admit that its most prolific trainer told a big, fat lie to the delegates of the 2006 workshop. A ban would also be the same as a confession to years of systematic animal cruelty on an unbelievable scale. And to a complete failure of the FEI to live up to its own Code of Conduct, which states that the welfare of the horse must be paramount at all times.

On the other hand, to ignore and allow the not so spectator friendly aspects of the sport is an invitation to animal rights groups to come and join the party. Having secured a third place in the freestyle in Odense, a grinning Patrik Kittel posed with Anky van Grunsven and Edward Gal in mink coats from a fur-factory which sponsored the show. There’s a lovely photo of the three of them looking very happy and completely oblivious to how they couldn’t really possibly – even if they tried – constitute a redder rag in the face of animal lovers everywhere.

So what can be done? Where is the FEI to turn? It would seem there is no way out of this for the sport of dressage. The FEI is damned if it does and it’s damned if it doesn’t. Except that, happily, it is now possible to measure rein tension electronically and thus introduce objective scores for lightness and submission. By introducing electronic rein tensiometry in all FEI sports, the federation can kill two birds (and hopefully, no more horses) with one stone. There will be no need to ban hyperflexion and tread on anyone’s toes. And nobody will ever win a ribbon on a horse which has been drilled through several hours of rollkur, habituating its mouth to relentless pressure and making it nearly impossible to halt.

Politically, this is the best thing that could happen to the FEI, although they probably don’t know it yet. The federation is caught between demanding superstars who rule the roost and the imminent threat of PETA picking up the phone and telling Rolex they have three and a half minutes to get the Hell out of horsesport before the poop hits the fan.

In doubt as to whether rein tensiometry is enough? Australian researchers have identified a method to use telemetric (wireless) accelerometry to chart the horse’s rhythm, straightness and stride length. They can even measure the nasal plane, making it impossible for judges to overlook when a horse is behind the vertical. We are not suggesting that we replace judges with robots, tempting as the notion might appear at this time. But by having objective measures for all to see, takes the pressure off the judges to do what they do best: Appraise the artistic value of the ride. At the same time, riders will be forced to prepare their horses correctly and sympathetically, as it is not possible to coerce a horse to comply with the FEI rules for dressage. Go and read the rules on www.fei.org - they constitute a small literary miracle. First authored in 1921 – that’s before Disney – it is a work of such compassionate, patient and insightful horsemanship as to never be paralleled before or since. If dressage is abusive, it’s because the FEI is not enforcing these rules.

It is understandable that the video clip of Watermill Scandic has caused grief and outrage in the horse loving community. The zombie-like resignation with which the stallion accepts the pain of whatever makes his tongue loll out. The seeming indifference of the rider, who doesn’t even give his horse a break upon noticing the problem. The fact that the Chief Steward didn’t think it pertinent to act. And the knowledge that this is the way to ride today, if one has any hope of making it to stardom. But this is not dressage. This is an imitation of dressage. Perhaps only sporadic fits of true dressage have ever existed through history – we may stand on the brink of a new golden age. If you want to make a change, don’t accuse, don’t despair, don’t look back. If you want to make a change, look forward – embrace the science and technology which alone can save equestrian sport from extinction. Unless you have a better idea.

Rollkur is ABUSE---Blue Tongues at World Cup Qualifier

Blue Tongues at World Cup Qualifier

Watermill Scandic

 

I am angry and sick at this video. Rollkur is abuse, pure and simple.

Swedish rider Patrick Kittel, warming up for at least 2 hours under the eye of his trainer, Sjef Janssen

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/eponatv#p/u

 

 

Article from Epona--

Blue Tongues at World Cup Qualifier

By: Luise Thomsen and Julie Taylor

A quick glance at the warm up arena at the World Cup dressage qualifier of the season in Odense, Denmark, revealed hyperflexed horses and blue tongues.

For a minimum of two hours, Swedish Olympic rider Patrik Kittel trained his stallion, Watermill Scandic, in various degrees of hyperflexion, on Friday ahead of Saturday's Grand Prix Special. EPONA.tv was passing by the warm up at 3.45 pm, and at this time, the rider was well into his session. At circa 5.45, the session ended.

During the first part of the training session, the horse's tongue was briefly showing. The tongue was clearly blue, and flopped limply from the horse's mouth. However, Patrik Kittel was quick to notice, and halted the horse before reaching for the muzzle with the hand furthest away from the camera. Afterwards, the tongue did not reappear. EPONA.tv's caught the revealing moment on film.

During the training session, EPONA.tv spoke to a spectator who claimed to have notified one of the show's officials of the prolonged hyperflexion. Odense's Chief Steward confirms to EPONA.tv that a complaint was lodged against Patrik Kittel's riding, but it was not deemed necessary to comment or take action, because Kittel was no worse than other riders using the same method.

EPONA.tv has spoken to Patrik Kittel, and asked him if he thinks he is riding in accordance with the FEI Code of Conduct.

"I think you should send the questions in an email along with the footage, so I can give it to my lawyers," said Patrik Kittel. EPONA.tv follows up by asking whether he himself is unaware of whether he rides in accordance with the FEI Code of Conduct.

"Of course I do. Otherwise a steward would do something about it. But I don't want to discuss it with you now. Have a good day," concludes the rider.

According to the website of Anky van Grunsven, Patrik Kittel and Watermill Scandic are trained by Dutch chef d'equipe Sjef Janssen, and the pair finished third in Sunday's freestyle, which was the first World Cup qualifier of the season.

Blue tongue due to ischaemia

"When we see dressage horses with blue tongues, it's because blood circulation is reduced in the tongue. When the blood supply is reduced, tissue hypoxia ensues in the tongue, and it turns blue," says Marianne Dahl, DVM, a Danish equine welfare specialist. She elaborates:

"The explanation is in the horse's mouth and it's the curb bit and rein tension which cause the problem. As long as a horse is not bitted, the tongue is relaxed and takes up the entire oral cavity. The tongue is a very dextrous and sensitive organ. In a well fitted curb, the tongue can still be relaxed and fill out the oral cavity as long as there is no rein tension. The moment the rider puts tension into the reins, the angle of the curb to the mouth is altered, and pressure on the tongue is increased. The tongue, which consists of muscle tissue, becomes tense and may be flattened."

"If the tension is high - which is to say that there is a marked change in the angle between the shank of the bit and the bars of the horse's mouth - and if the pressure is held for a prolonged period, ischaemia and hypoxia may follow. The tongue will become discoloured and turn blue or purple. If the chain on the curb is tight, the pressure on the tongue will be stronger, and if the nose band is tight, so the horse can't open its mouth, the pressure on the tongue will be even stronger still."

"Hypoxic muscle tissue is extremely painful. So therefore, it's completely unacceptable to subject a horse to riding techniques which causes hypoxic discolouration of the tongue," believes Marianne Dahl Jensen.

Me and Condo

Condo is the Andalusian stallion that used to belong to Horst Becker.

Neapolitano Elvira

A yearly large horse event in Holland is called..... "Horse Event" [indeed a very original title ;-) ]

This year we were invited to represent the Lipizzaner with our stallion "Neapolitano Elvira". We joined the combined presentation of the diverse horse breeds. And performed in a Pas-de-Deux, together with his half-brother, Neapolitano Romania. Please find an impression.

What's a Fulmer snaffle?

Ordinary full cheek snaffle with French link mouthpiece

Romy asked about Fulmer snaffles. Apparently, many tack shops do not know what a Fulmer snaffle is! If you do an internet search, you find that many bits are mistakenly listed as Fulmer snaffles when they are really ordinary full cheek snaffles. a Fulmer snaffle is a particular type of full cheek snaffle. The mouthpiece and the full cheeks are forged or cast in one piece (i.e. there is no swivel joint at the cheeks). That’s one of the key differences from an ordinary full cheek snaffle. Another difference is that the Fulmer snaffle has loose ring that go through a hole in a projection outside the full cheeks. Finally, the Fulmer always has a slight bend at the top of the cheek to accept bit keepers which hold the bit in alignment.

Americans and the English call this bit the Fulmer snaffle because, Robert Hall, an Englishman who had studied at the Spanish Riding School, popularized it at his Fulmer Riding Academy. In Australia, this bit used to be known as the "F. M. snaffle" after Franz Mairinger, a Spanish Riding School rider who emigrated to Australia after World War II. As the coach of several Australian Olympic eventing teams, Mairinger popularized the bit among sport riders there. Although Mairinger called the bit a Podhajsky snaffle, it became known as the "F. M. snaffle". Ironically, the Australians already had an almost identical bit that was used by their cattlemen. That is why the bit is sometimes called the Australian loose ring snaffle.

SRS Question

Is the Fulmer bit used at the SRS? Has it ever been?

 

Romy

2009 Verden Autumn Elite Auction

The 4-year old liver chestnut Hanoverian Dante's Peak achieved the top knock down price at the 2009 Hanoverian Autumn Elite Auction in Verden, Germany on October 10, 2009. The Werndl family acquired the Dimaggio x Wolkentanz I offspring for 320,000 euro. The big liver chestnut stood out with his elasticity and swing especially in the trot. The Werndl family also bought Royal Spirit, a Romanov x Weltgeist offspring, for 140,000 euro.

Seven dressage horses out of a collection of 83 sport horses sold for more than 100,000 euro. The second highest priced horse was Royal Rose, a Hanoverian mare by Royal Highness x Davignon x Weltmeyer, which sold for 165,000 euro to a dressage stable in North Rhine-Westfalia.

The black licensed stallion Dark Knight (by Don Crusador x Cheenook x Wenzel) sold for 153,000 euro. This gorgeous black was the 2009 Bundeschampion and was acquired by stallion owner J.P.Aggesen. He will be trained and competed by Andreas Helgstrand.

 

 

Dancing Queen (by Dimaggio x Hill Hawk xx) for 105,000 euro, Darboven (by Don Kennedy x Sandro Hit x Lanthan) sold for 130,000 to a German dressage rider, while a Belgian investor acquired Shokolata (by Stedinger x Rotspon) for 100,000 euro.

The best selling show jumper was the licensed stallion and performance test winner First Edition (by For Edition x Grand Cru). He sold to the Royal Moroccan Army for 90,000 euro. The Moroccan army acquired five more horses in this auction.

The best selling foal was the Danish bred Hanoverian Quidam Junior (by Quidam de Revel x Calypso II). This colt sold for 20,000 euro.

The 83 sold sport horses achieved an average price of 37,181 euro.

Spiral Seat

Regarding spiral seat when riding, my interpretation is turning the shoulders into the direction of turn while the hips stay aligned to the horses hips. This weights the inside seat bone and the alteration of weight as a consequence of the change through the shoulder girdle gives all the desired weight aids. Of course, one has to be sure not to collapse at the waist or slump the upper body and remain tall in the saddle without tensing.

Is my interpretation too simplistic? Am I missing something?

Gala 2009

Last thursday we had a wonderful Gala-Performance and Dinner afterwards.
A great event!
Here are some pics from the court of the Stallburg where the dinner took place.

Das war die Große Fund Raising Gala 2009

Auch dieses Jahr war die Gala ausverkauft! 560 Gäste waren dabei und haben die Gala mit anschließendem Diner im unvergleichlichen Rahmen des Renaissancehofes der Stallburg genossen.

Dkfm. Elisabeth Gürtler: „Heuer konnten wir einen Reinerlös von € 226.600,- erzielen, der sich aus den Einnahmen der verkauften Tische und dem Gewinn aus der Versteigerung zusammensetzt. Der Betrag kommt dem Gestüt Piber zugute. Die Kosten, um das Gestüt in Piber zu betreiben, belaufen sich immerhin auf etwa € 10.000.- pro Tag. Der Erlös der Gala entspricht umgerechnet mehr als 3 Wochen Betrieb in Piber. Herzlichen Dank an all unsere Gäste und Sponsoren!“

Im Mittelpunkt standen heuer die Damen: Seit mehr als 25 Jahren sind erstmals wieder Damen in der Spanischen Hofreitschule aufgetreten. Stargast des Abends: Victoria Max-Theurer, vierfache Staatsmeisterin im Dressurreiten und Tochter von Olympiasiegerin Sissy Max-Theurer. Sie zeigte ein hervorragendes Solo auf ihrem Erfolgspferd Agrigento zu einem Medley von Udo Jürgens. Außerdem war sie auch zu sehen bei der Quadrille mit insgesamt 8 Reitern – vier Damen und vier Oberbereitern der Spanischen Hofreitschule. Die anderen drei Reiterinnen sind auch keine Unbekannten: Evelyn Haim-Swarovski, Dr. Eva-Maria Bachinger und Nina Stadlinger. Alle vier „Girls“ sind erfolgreiche österreichische Dressurreiterinnen.

Wie ein Ausflug in eine vergangene Epoche mutete das Pas de Deux an – eine von zwei Reitern spiegelbildlich gerittene Choreographie. Zu sehen waren Ernst Bachinger, Direktor der Reitschule und seine Ehefrau, Dr. Eva-Maria Bachinger in einem historischen Kostüm und Damensattel.

Beeindruckend in ganz neuer Rolle: Helmuth Lohner, der schwungvoll in einem Einspänner in die Winterreitschule gefahren kam und ein Nestroy-Couplet gesungen hat „S`is ollas ned woa“, begleitet von Michael Rüggeberg am Klavier. Durch das Programm führte Christoph Wagner-Trenkwitz.

Ein sinnliches Fest der Farben war das Gala-Diner in der Stallburg. 1.000 m² pinkfarbener Teppichboden mit orangen Streifen, pink, orange und rote Tischtücher für mehr als 50 Tische und dreifarbiger Blumenschmuck sorgten für Augenschmaus vom Feinsten!

Somosierra: the Charge of the Polish Light Horse

One of the legends that have come out of the Napoleonic Wars is the charge of the Polish Light Horse Regiment of the Imperial Guard at Somosierra, Spain on 30 November 1808. The affair in itself was relatively insignificant and would be forgotten by most, except for the valor of the troops involved.
In 1808, despite the efforts of some of his best Marshals, the war in Spain was not going as Napoleon envisioned. The ragtag Spanish army was holding on throughout the country, cities were in open insurrection, Napoleon's brother Joseph whom he had hoped to place on the Spanish throne had to evacuate the capital, and a French army had been forced to surrender at Baylen. By the fall, Napoleon decided to intervene personally and settle the matter once and for all. Moving swiftly, the Emperor, were almost at the gates of Madrid by November 30. All he had to do was to move through the Sierra de Guadarrama, a mountain range between 1,500 and 2,000 meters high and Madrid would be his!
The main north-south road from Burgos to Madrid went through the Somosierra Pass, which was about 1400 meters high. The narrow road wound for three kilometers from the northern plains to the top of the pass. It crossed numerous small streams and but a relatively gentle climb.
A reconnaissance by Major Lejeune revealed the pass was held in depth and a Spanish prisoner-of-war stated that the pass was defended by 9,000 infantry and 16 artillery pieces.
The Emperor ordered General Montbrun and Colonel Pire, Berthier's aide-de-camp, to charge with the 80 Polish light horsemen who formed his duty escort. This charge was stopped almost immediately. When Colonel Pire informed Napoleon that it was impossible to take the pass with cavalry, Napoleon exploded and "...violently striking the pommel of his saddle he exclaimed: 'How, impossible? I do not know the word! There should not be anything impossible for my Poles!"
General Walther, the commander of the Guard, advised Napoleon that his infantry was moving up the steep hills on either side of pass, and would soon outflank the Spanish positions. To which Napoleon replied "Impossible! What! My guards stopped by peasants! By armed bands!" He then ordered Philippe de Segur "...Go at once, make my Poles charge, make them take everything, or bring me back prisoners!"

The following is the de Segur's account of the charge:
"...I arrived at the foot of rock under shelter of which the Polish squadron was drawn up alone, in front of the infantry. 'Commandant,' I cried to Korjietulski, 'the Emperor orders us to charge home, and at once!' Upon which Montbrun made an exclamation and a gesture of astonishment without venturing to contradict me; but Pire answered: 'It is impossible!' -- 'The Emperor has been told that,' I retorted, 'and he will not hear of it.' -- 'Very well,' resumed Pire, 'come and see for yourself; the devil in person, pretty well used to fire as he must be, could hardly stand that!' Then to prove the truth of his words, advancing beyond the rock through a hail of bullets which rained down upon our equipments, he pointed out to me the steep slope of the road up to this amphitheatre bristling with rocks, the redoubt of sixteen guns which crowned it, and twenty battalions deployed in such a manner as to converge their front and flank fire on an attack which could only be effected in column and along the road... 'It does not matter,' I exclaimed; 'the Emperor is there and he insists on the thing being settled. Come, Commandant, the hour will be ours, advance by squads, and forward!' ... I had hardly had time to draw my sword from my scabbard, before they had begun their charge in a column... We charged at full speed, I was about ten paces in front with my head bent down, uttering our war cry by way of distracting my attention from the din of the enemy's fire which was all breaking out at once and the infernal hiss of their bullets and grape shot. Reckoning on the rapidity of our impetuous attack, I was hoping that in their astonishment at our audacity the enemy would aim badly; that we should have time to dash into the midst of their guns and bayonets and throw them into disorder. But they aimed only too well! Very soon, in spite of our clamour and the detonation of so many arms, I could distinguish behind me the sound of smart reports followed by groans, with the thud of falling men and horses, which made me foresee defeat. Our warlike cries were becoming lost in the cries of pain of the unfortunate Poles; I did not dare to turn my head, fearing that the sad spectacle would cause me to give up. I knew that I had been struck several times... I was alone within thirty paces of the redoubt. I had outstripped two battalions of the enemy, place obliquely, behind a ravine on our right flank. One officer alone was following me, Rudowski, I believe, a colossus, like most of these picked men. He was still on horseback, but wounded to death, staggering, and on the point of falling off with his face to the enemy. Distance and the rocks prevented my seeing anything more. I made a vain attempt to turn back my horse, which was itself wounded; but the Spaniards advanced to seize me, shouting cries of victory. Then I jumped to the ground trying to collect what strength remained to me. . . Nearly the whole of the squadron was laid low. Out of six other officers, three were either killed outright or mortally wounded... The three others... were wounded. Forty non-commissioned officers and lancers, killed or mortally wounded, were lying on the ground. Twelve others were wounded but less serious; twenty alone had escaped this massacre safe and sound. These had assisted their wounded to retire, so that, over the whole of the remaining ground covered by our charge I only saw one trumpeter left standing, motionless in the midst of the firing which was still going on. The poor child was weeping for his squadron..."
The charge was over in seven minutes and despite the gallantry of the cavalry, the Spanish still held. In a short while, the French infantry had reached the summit of the hills overlooking the pass and outflanked the guns. Napoleon ordered the 1st and 2nd Squadrons of the Polish Light Horse, along with the Chasseurs-a-Cheval of the Guard forward and this time the guns were taken. The pass was in the hands of the French and the way to Madrid was open.
The Emperor was soon at the top of the pass. Seeing Lieutenant Niegolewski laying besides the guns he tried so valiantly to capture, the Emperor pinned his own Legion of Honor on him.
Two days later, Dezydery Chlpowski, a Polish officer assigned to the Emperor's Headquarters passed over the battlefield. "...There were still several bodies of Polish light horsemen in the snow,, which continued to cover the summit of Somosierra. We stopped for half an hour in the village of Somosierra, where we found some severely wounded men who had not yet been transported. They told us about the charge by Dziewanowski's squadron, claiming all the officers and over half the men had been killed... They assumed Lieutenant Niegolewski would also have died, as he had been badly wounded. While we were there, ambulances came to take the rest of the wounded to Madrid. From one of the surgeons I learned that as a reward for the charge of Somosierra the Emperor had promoted the whole Polish Guard regiment to the Old Guard. This meant it had skipped the Middle Guard, as normally a regiment would go from the Young to Middle, and only after another act of heroism should it go to the Old Guard... So the Emperor, who witnessed the charge at Somosierra, must have thought it very fine to promote the regiment straight from Young to Old Guard, and he also ordered the whole Guard to present arms to the squadron as it passed by."
Of the eight officers who charged that day, four were killed or died of their wounds, while the other four were wounded. Despite the pessimism of the wounded soldiers, Niegolewski survived his wounds and was still alive in 1855. De Segur was wounded five times and took six months to recover.


(All paintings in this gallery are by Polish artists.)

Herbstparade at Gestüt Piber

I found these pictures online from the Herbstparade show at Piber on Saturday 26 September. 

http://www.meinbezirk.at/Mattersburg/bez_74/channel_1-13/chsid_3/uid_11426/id_533078/ts_3

Did anyone go to this?  I would have liked to have seen the Braun Pas de Deux