TEXT BY: WILLIAM RICHARDOT DE CHOISEY TRANSLATION BY: SONJA SMALDONE PHOTOS PRIVATE COLLECTION – ALMERIA PARC & PEGASEPROD.
Whatever his breed, the horse is increasingly closer to man in many rural occupations as well as in various under saddle exercises or pleasure activities whether they are sports-related or not; it is also necessary to highlight his many dispositions for which the horse has long been engaged in the movie industry, in as much epic genre as historical period drama or fiction. Within that cultural sector everyone can remember the epic historical piece ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ directed by David Lean (1962), which offers - in its own way - a glimpse into the history of Arab peoples in the nineteenth century, at a time when the Bedouin desert tribes were sharing out the territories of the Arabian Peninsula. Or even, the frantic film ‘Or Noir’ directed by Jean Jacques Annaud (2011), which evokes the thorny conflict over oil in the 1930s; in the same vein, we find the ‘Prince of the De-
sert’ directed by Alexandre Dzerdg, (2011) and the ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ directed and produced by Ridley Scott (2005) with its breath-taking and intense scenes from battles during the Crusades of the 12th century; without forgetting ‘The Oracle’ directed by Philippe Stölz (2016), which tells the story of an English young man, Rob Cole, going to Persia to study with famous Avicenne, the “Prince of Scholars”. Last but not least, the Egyptian movie ‘Al Mohager’ - The Emigrant – (1995) directed by Youssef Chahine, loosely based on the story of the Biblical Joseph, and ‘Aladdin’ directed by Guy Ritchie (2019), itself based on the eponymous tale from One Thousand and One Nights; all of these Directors, each in his own way, have worked out amazing equestrian images for their movies. For a long time, men have been at the forefront
of this particular activity, quite often with robust and very strong horses like Arabians or half- Arabians carrying the distinctive mark of their breed. Those equines are extremely good at fulfilling the many requirements of historical film production, in fact, it is necessary to rely upon experienced professionals who can help artists with horses ready to perform scenes that sometimes may be difficult, but, useful for a realistic historical reconstruction. Among the greatest professional entertainers in Europe, it is necessary to talk about some of them who are not afraid to take risks for creating breath-taking living images, whereby they manage to surprise and thrill an audience that often has not clue of all the hard work behind it. With its cavalry consisting of fifty horses, PegaseProd Team has been involved in many films and TV series for more than twenty years; since 2014, the team has installed in Salbris in Sologne (north-central France), yet, not too far from Paris that brings together many Agents. The weather conditions in this region do encourage the reception of trainees who can attend highly formative stunt double training courses as it has been the case of famous actors such as: Nicole Kidman, Jamie Dorman, Jason Schwartzman, Mads Mikelsen, Bruno, who all have gone there to get the necessary equestrian preparation. Therefore, the place manages to attract many professions that revolve around this particular sector. In horseback riding, all great riders honour their art with precise and delicate technical gestures. Women are active and stables are very comfortable at ‘Parc Equestre de l’Alméria’, a certain amount of finesse springs from Mrs. Christel Lièvre-Sanabra who is an accomplished aerial stunts horsewoman and highly experienced
classic dresseuse; she could effortlessly be first on many podiums according to experts, but, she is shy and prefers not to participate in shows. At ‘Parc Equestre de l’Alméria’ shows open to visitors during the winter season; they are extremely accurate and stay true to each represented story like, for instance, Excalibur, which is one of those magnificent live-reconstructions where PegaseProd members got involved with Frederic, Jaime, Pablo and Taïra, all from Sanabra family. They are the driving force behind its success, without forgetting the funny Franky who is also an essential contributor. In the summer period, from 4th of April to September, PegaseProd team organizes a colourful show at ‘Domaine de Chambord’ with a glimpse of high Falconry that fits well into the place and the great History of the Kings of France; things that everybody should see once in a lifetime.
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