The vibrating noise of the hooves of eight horses literally stirs the ground of the Bas-Marquets stables in Villons-les-Buissons near Caen. A counterattack ends with a goal. “The changes of pace are impressive,” comments Fanny, in front of the horse-ball encounter which takes place before her eyes. A spectacular sport, between two teams of four riders, which consists of sending a ball into baskets located three meters high.
In the career, we played this weekend a round of the national championship. Around the barriers, some discover the discipline. “They are beautiful horses, very docile,” praises Gwënaelle. The level of dressage impresses. It is indeed a central aspect of horse-ball, a sport invented in France. “It can be violent, slips Ghislaine. You have to know how to maneuver these horses! “Changes of pace, sideways, noise, frenzy in hot actions… There is a lot going on on the pitch.
After two blank years, you have to get back to it
And yet, for Sandrine and Francis, “things are going less quickly than before”. These Manchois, themselves licensed in Barneville-Carteret (Manche), came to see their son, under the colors of the second team of Villons-les-Buissons. “It’s the start of the season and, after two blank years, because of the Covid, we have to get back to it.” During the first confinement, in spring 2020, “we could only take care of the horses, and not train them,” notes Sarah, one of the players from Barneville-Carteret. Then we had to wait before resuming collective training ”.
However, horseball requires practice, both for the mounts – “It’s like for humans, you have to work on cardio and musculature” – and for riders. So this fall, “it was a pleasure to play again and win,” enthuses Nolwenn before heading back to the English Channel. The resumption of the championships will perhaps allow the discipline to regain visibility. “Horseball deserves to be better known. The epidemic has also put a brake on this dynamic ”, analyze Sandrine and Francis.
A perfectly mixed sport!
These considerations were however forgotten this Sunday in Villons-les-Buissons. “It was a very good day, smiles Stéphane Antoine, manager of the stables and founder of the Villons club in 2013. Perched on his horse after a 9-2 victory, the captain is delighted with the crowd. The edges were rather well trimmed. Among these spectators, Jacqueline and Yves came “as a neighbor”. “It’s lively in the village. It’s spectacular and then nice to see a mixed team sport. One of the specificities of horse-ball, which gallops freely again.
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