Belgium: Giant 'dancing' horse, cute medieval knights as historic Bayard Steed parade returns after 12 years

Bayard Steed, a historic parade that featured four children riding a giant horse, returned to the streets of Dendermonde as tens of thousands of people flocked to the Belgian town on Sunday (May 29). As media reports mentioned, Dendermonde, the town of the Bayard Steed, is apparently the only place in the world where the heroic horse is the central theme of the colourful parade. It is a pageant with roots in medieval Europe. The unique parade is usually enacted every ten years but due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it was postponed twice. Known as the 'Bayard Steed', the 4.85-meter-tall wooden figure carried by 12 men had not been shown in public for 12 years. Its last appearance was on May 30, 2010.

The director of the town museums of Dendermonde, Carolien Van Hecke explained that are twelve men who carry the horse and there are three teams of them. She mentioned that they change because the horse is quite heavy. With all the ornaments, the horse weighs 1,000 kilograms.

The horse is 5.2 meters long and made out of wood, iron and other material. It arrived at the town's central square and pranced towards its assailants.

According to a police count, some 86,000 thousand onlookers witnessed the one-tonne statue crossing the Flemish city. It was 'dancing' to the rhythm of a marching band, accompanied by giant figures, acrobats and some 2,000 actors in historical costumes. The kids dressed as medieval knights.

"At certain moments the horse dances on the music of the band that is with it and and some moments it also greets (by staggering) certain people at certain places," Hecke said as quoted by news agency Reuters.

The parade was enlisted in 2008 on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and will take place again in 2030.

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What is the story?

The Saga of the Bayard Steed traces its origins to a medieval chanson de geste - or chivalrous tale - involving Frankish emperor Charlemagne asking for a local warlord’s prized war horse in exchange for a peace deal.

(With inputs from agencies)

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