Fancy ‘hoofwork’ returns to Kitsap

Lipizzaner Stallions performing May 27 at Fairgrounds.

The “world famous” Lipizzaner Stallions will once again prance and jump around the Kitsap County Fairgrounds Pavilion.

The Lipizzaner Stallions 39th anniversary presentation of “Dancing White Stallions” returns to Bremerton Wednesday, May 27 to perform the “equine ballet.”

Master of Ceremonies Troy Tinker has been touring with the show for 19 years and loves every minute of it.

“I still get excited about it. I’m never bored with it,” he said.

Tinker said the Lipizzaner Stallions show is both entertaining and educational because the riders and horses wear traditional costumes and European and American military history is discussed throughout the performance. The riders and white stallions also perform to classical music, adding to the educational value of the production.

“It’s a great way to get kids interested in a lot of different things,” Tinker said.

He said crowds love watching the riders and stallions perform top-notch dressage, but the “Airs Above the Ground” portion of the production wows most crowds.

“I think everybody loves the aerials above the ground part,” he said.

The horses, riders and crew travel from location to location throughout the year performing in front of large and small audiences. While the Kitsap County Pavilion is a smaller venue compared to others they’ve performed in, Tinker said the company wants to give everyone a chance to see the Lipizzaner Stallions.

“There’s a lot of people along the way who want to see the show,” he said.

Tinker said he enjoys seeing the audience’s reactions throughout the performance and some people will come back and watch the show year after year.

“The thing that keeps it fresh for me is the faces of the audience,” he said.

Tinker said they do not start training the horses until they are 4 years old. He said trainers only work with horses for about two hours a day.

“They have short attention spans,” Tinker said. “They will not listen to anything you have to say after that.”

Trainers work with the horses for six to nine years before they actually perform in a show.

The Lipizzaner Stallions 39th anniversary presentation of “Dancing White Stallions” begins at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 27 at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds Pavilion. Tickets are available at the Fairgrounds office, Charly Boots & Western Wear in Silverdale, Tickets.com or charge by phone at (800) 882-8258. For more information about the Lipizzaner Stallions, visit www.lipizzaner.com.

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