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The True
Miracle of the White Stallions 1939 - 1955
A New Series by John D'Addamio
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The True Miracle of
the White Stallions 1939 - 1955 by John D'Addamio
Introduction: The Miracle of the White Stallions, a popular Disney movie,
depicts the evacuation of the Spanish Riding School from Vienna in
1945 and the recovery of the mares. The movie is great fun
and follows the broad outline of true events. However, the
Disney film is not a documentary ....and I think the real story is
even more interesting ..... Read More
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Staffing the Spanish
Riding School 1939 - 1945
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The
SRS Evacuates Vienna
Using orders to preserve "certain art treasures", the Stallions are finally allowed to leave Vienna
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Sankt
Martin When
the staff and the last 15 stallions of the Spanish Riding School
arrived in St. Martin, their troubles were not over
The Castle John
and his wife find the castle |
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A
New Variety of Rose is Lipizzaner Rose |
| Spanish
Riding School Insights |
Spanish Riding School
Insights by
John D'Addamio
John saw his first performance of the 400 year old Spanish
Riding School in 1982 and often spent weeks watching the training
sessions and performances at Vienna, the most recent three week
trip last fall. John shares these rare Spanish
Riding School Insight articles. |
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1. What's
the Spanish Riding School Doing in Austria?
By John D'Addamio |
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2. 90
Years of Change By John D'Addamio |
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3. Privatization
of the School and Consequent Changes By John D'Addamio
4. Training of the Riders at the
Spanish Riding School
By John D'Addamio The record time from eleve (trainee) to Chief
Rider is 20 years. One trainee is accepted each year.
80% of the trainees don't complete their training. |
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5. The
Horses of the Spanish Riding School
Conversano, Pluto, Favory, Siglavy, Neopolitano and Maestoso are
the six foundation stallions. Lipizzan horses are named for their
sire and their dam. |
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6. How
Are the Stallions Chosen for the School?
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7. Morning
Training and the Stages of Training
Morning training sessions can be viewed in
Vienna. They do not rush the training. |
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8. High
School Movements - Piaffe & Passage
Classical piaffe with lowered haunches and in place is rarely seen
in today's competition arena. The Spanish stallion, Invasor,
is an exception, showing classical piaffe and passage and often
earning the high marks for both movements. |
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9. Airs
Above the Ground
Stallions usually master only one air above the
ground: levade, capriole or courbette. Shown here is
the levade. |
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10. The
Vienna Performance: Young Stallions and All Steps and Movements
The young stallions are ridden calm, forward, straight and are
shown first followed by the high school trained stallions
performing all steps and movements to show the beginning and final
stages of training. |
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11. Vienna
Performances: Pas de Deux and Work in Hand
Absolute perfection
11A.
Vienna Performance: On the Long Rein and Airs Above the
Ground
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12. The
Vienna Performance: The Quadrille – Introduction
Can you imagine 8 horses performing in unison a 20 minute grand
prix freestyle? |
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13. The
Vienna Performance: The Quadrille - Entry and Trot Work
Walk Entry and Salute is followed by intricate in unison trot work
including half pass, shoulder-in, passade and volte. |
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14. The
Vienna Performance: The Quadrille - Canter Work The
entire Quadrille takes 20 minutes. Now that you have read how
riders in different number positions make different turns or do
mirror image movements of their colleague in front of them or
behind them, perhaps you can begin to appreciate the complexity of
the Quadrille as well as its beauty |
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15.
Variations on The Vienna Performance On special occasions
there is the short program and the variations used for galas and
tours. The solo performance with only the curb reins held in
one hand and the whip held vertically. The rider does not
need the reins or the whip. It is the ultimate display of the
rider's skill and lightness. |
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First
female eleves (rider trainees) passed 1st month test
October 15, 2008
First
female eleves (rider trainees) accepted at the Spanish Riding School
September
4, 2008
History is Made!
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| Youtube TV
Commercial |
Adorable
TV Commercial for the SRS |
2008
US Clinics
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Riders from the Spanish
Riding School give up part of their vacation time in January and
July to give clinics across the US. A rare opportunity for
auditors and riders. |
| 2008 US
Tour Cancelled |
The 2008 US tour planned
for the West Coast in November and December, has been
cancelled. |
