By Chris Hoover
Doha: World famous horse trainer and film producer Bartabas is likely to perform in Qatar during the Emir Sword Race Festival in March 2010.
This was revealed by France’s Ambassador to Qatar Gilles Bonnaud in an exclusive interview to Gulf Times.
“We have put forward a proposal to invite Bartabas during the Emir Sword Race Festival but it is yet to be confirmed. Bartabas is very well known and it would be appropriate to have him performing during the biggest racing weekend of the season,” Bonnaud told Gulf Times.
The French ambassador who is a regular visitor to the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club was all praise for the facilities at the club and the quality of racing.
“It is a great opportunity for the people here to enjoy the lovely weather at the races during the evenings. It is a wonderful atmosphere and the quality of racing is also of a high standard. I was honoured to be invited for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris and was amazed at the manifestation of Qatar in Paris. It was a brilliant race day for the visitors.”
Bartabas is the performing name of a French horse trainer, film producer and impressario. He created his first theatre company at age seventeen, and later founded the performing troupe, Cirque Aligre.
In 1998, he founded the equestrian performing show, Zingaro, which means “Gypsy”. The name was taken from the name of his first horse, a spectacular friesian horse who was also the star of his shows.
He also produced two movies: Mazeppa (1993) and Chamane (1995), both of which featured spectacular equestrian action. Mazeppa was entered into the 1993 Cannes Film Festival where it won the Technical Grand Prize.
Among those who know horses he is considered one of the most talented trainers currently living. In 2002, he founded the Académie du Spectacle Equestre (Academy of Equestrian Arts) in the Grand Ecurie of the Palace of Versailles. |
