Children standing on horses at CSI Mercedes Event
The large audience at the Mercedes-CSI show was treated to a special presentation before the traditional main event on Sunday, when children and young people from the one-year-old Laureus Cavallo project gave an exciting display of their horse-riding abilities. The project, which promotes social skills among children and young people through their contact with horses, will be expanded in Switzerland during 2010 in response to strong demand.
The young equestrians displayed what they have learnt over the past year in front of some eleven thousand on-lookers. Handling horses was a key part of the project in addition to learning dexterity, courage and co-ordination skills. The various exercises demonstrated both the children’s self-confidence and sense of responsibility, including jumping from a trampoline into the saddle which they performed brilliantly. Nimbly jumping over the backs of 11 horses required the children to demonstrate a great deal of trust in the horses. Bruno Isliker, Laureus Cavallo project manager, showed how it is possible to learn how to handle horses in a playful way. Laureus Foundation Switzerland Ambassador Conny Kissling, who has been supporting Laureus Cavallo since the start, was very impressed with the show. She said: “The horses develop trustful relationships with humans and this shows the children a new, essential way of dealing with each other and with the horses, something that was clearly on show in the display.”
The Laureus Cavallo project was launched by the Laureus Foundation Switzerland a year ago at the initiative of Mercedes-CSI organiser Rolf Theiler. The project gives socially and economically disadvantaged children aged from eight to sixteen the chance to be in contact with horses and fulfil their horse-riding dreams. Laureus Cavallo was initially launched in the city of Winterthur in conjunction with the city’s Sports Department, with the Isliker stables as partner and project manager. In its first year, 22 children and young people have already been able to benefit from the programme regularly.
For more information about the Laureus Foundation Switzerland please visit www.laureus.ch
