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SICAB (Salón Internacional del Caballo) 2013 in Seville, Spain One more time the Palacio de Congresos in Seville hosted a new edition of the SICAB (S
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SICAB (Salón Internacional del Caballo) 2013 in Seville, Spain
One more time the Palacio de Congresos in Seville hosted a new edition of the SICAB (Salón Internacional del Caballo), the biggest event in the world destined to the pure Spanish horse breed (PRE). |
 ANNCE booth |
The organizers and the ANCEE had to use more than one strategy to make the XIII edition a big success.
Despite the persistent pressure of a bad economy that still exists in Spain, the organizers and the ANCEE had to use more than one strategy to make the XIII edition a big success. Starting with the date, which was postponed of a couple of weeks to coincide with a long holiday weekend and also to accommodate the American visitors on a different weekend than Thanksgiving. Bringing visitors is as important as bringing a good number of breeders, exhibitors and horses. This is why for the very first time horses didn't have to previously qualify for the national championship during a regional competition. Clever move, because not only did it reduce expenses to breeders for 2013 with the possibility of only participating in the nationals, but also it paid back with a big number of horses involved in the show. More than 1,100 horses were in the stalls between the 3 main buildings of the Palacio. Some conformation classes had more than 50 horses. |
 Central hall, tack and attire shops |
SICAB was crowded on Friday, but Saturday and Sunday did reach levels of huge public mass with difficulties to move through the halls, access to the arenas, etc. Not to mention the central hall where tack and attire shops were concentrated, and where an atmosphere and frenzy of Black Friday was taking the lead as soon as the awards ceremony ended. |
It's admirable to see the enthusiasm and frivolity of the Spaniards when it's matter of feria. If their wallet is certainly wounded, their spirit for the fiesta is for sure still intact, ready to enjoy parties (late), tapas, wine, dance, friends and good horses. This was appreciated not only at the SICAB but also in the streets of Seville and Jerez de la Frontera.
The national and patriotic "OLE!" is unwavering and strong as ever! |
A premiere in the history of SICAB: a Black PRE (Jalon) wins the title of National grand champion of the Breed.
The edition of 2013 has been branded with the red hot iron by the Valdevinas hiero . Stop me if I'm wrong but this is a premiere in the history of SICAB that a Black PRE (Jalon) wins the title of National grand champion of the Breed. Breeders for three decades, Jose-Emilio Corral bided a long time ago for the black coat. It is a common believe that a black PRE are not as good as grey or bay horses. I recognize that I'm one of those thinking that way, but I have always admired since my first visit years ago, the very surprising great job realized by Jose-Emilio and the quality of his black PRE at Yeguada Valdevinas. "En hora buena" Jose-Emilio! |
 Jalón from Valdevinas, the day before becoming gran champion of the breed. I knew he was going to win. I got the tip from a good friend and he was right. |
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 Alta Escuela riders, in the warm up area |
The discipline of Alta Escuela, needs to be rescued for future generations!
The versatility of the PRE was easily shown off in the different arenas at the same time: jumping, driving, dressage, conformation classes and all kind of exhibitions where keeping visitors very excited. Of course I didn't miss the Doma Vaquera and the Alta Escuela competition. The Doma Vaquera was of a decent level in every class, with horses close to the level of the national circuit. However the Alta Escuela was at least, without wanting to hurt anybody, "Surprising! And not positively!"
For sure Spaniards are slowly losing one of their best disciplines. Unfortunately, we had to see in many cases, horses that were very heavy, on the fore-hand, in rollkur and behind the vertical, dressage snaffles with a flash, wrong attire and tack, reins held in the German manner, split and in both hands and...and..... I will stop here. ................. The discipline of Alta Escuela, as the whales or our mother planet, needs to be rescued for future generations! This is shocking when an event of this size is hosted in “La Mekke” of the Spanish Alta Escuela. I'm afraid that in the near future, the Spanish AE could be better in foreign countries like France, Italy, Germany and why not in the US, than in Spain. This postulate based, of course, on what we saw during the SICAB. |
 Doma Vaquera competition |
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 The main arena, just before the spectacle |
A Great SICAB
What else to tell you besides that the daily evening show-exhibition was entertaining, according to many people, maybe too long. Acts were interrupted by a projection in Spanish of a tail narrated by a young mare about the story of the Pre. Unfortunately the acts where not very well or at all, related and linked with the story. The French Frederic Pignon did perform 2 acts in liberty and Patrice Raymond a couple of acts riding the Pollack way. The hip hop horse act was entraining (Jeremy & Celine Gonzales), however, probably due to a lack of creativity in the rest of the acts, the act the best acclaimed by the public was the carriage group (Real Club de Enganches de Andalucia) specifically when the sport carts were flat out drifting around the cones and the arena for the biggest excitement of the public.
But what a great SICAB. I will strongly recommend to anyone interested in the pre, Iberian horses, or just in horses to not miss next year. The trip is worthy. Que viva el SICAB. Ole!
Manuel Trigo |
 The award ceremony, all the champions together |
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