Perched on his mount, Stéphane Antoine readily lends himself to the demonstration.
At the end of a small cavalcade in the outdoor career of the Écuries des Bas Marquets, the manager of the premises throws a balloon into a high basket.
A gesture that would bring a goal to his horse-ball team from Villons-les-Buissons, near Caen (Calvados).
Sunday November 7, the site will host the second day of the French Championship of this relatively unknown sport.
“Horseball is first and foremost a team sport that is practiced on horseback, between two teams of four players.
You have to make three passes between three different players and score a goal in a basket one meter in diameter, located three meters high, ”summarizes Stéphane Antoine.
Matches of two halves of ten minutes, "very intense", on a fairly "condensed" field, 65x45 meters in Bas-Marquets.
"It's a mix between basketball and rugby"
At 38, Stéphane Antoine is the boss of an ambitious club, which passed very close to joining the pro category last season. "We are aiming for the title of champion of France in our Amateure-Elite category, and we want to go pro," he blurted out bluntly. On his thoroughbred, a horse “which represents qualities of speed and calm”, the young manager intends to share his experience in order to draw his training to the top. He has been practicing horse-ball since childhood. “I was 4 or 5 years old when I started in an equestrian center. I never stopped to tell you everything… ”
When he opened his stables in 2013, Stéphane Antoine launched his club and his teams.
The adventure has been going on for eight years.
Villons-les-Buissons has one team in the Regional, and two in the National.
Five horses are trained for horse-ball.
“The main thing is the horse, its training, and the connection with the rider.
Especially since he has both hands available for the ball.
It takes everyday work to have a horse available.
The discipline regularly serves as a second career for reformed racing horses.
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The club starts the championship with gusto.
Stéphane Antoine will be “a bit of the daddy” of a fairly young team, with a few riders under 21 years old.
“A very good team”, which will rub against the harshness of horse-ball, not the best known to the general public and yet so spectacular: “It's a mix between basketball and rugby.
There is tearing: we can take the ball in the hands of the opponent.
Things are moving a lot, describes the captain.
There are high speed contacts.
Sometimes we fall, but we try to avoid!
"
On November 7, several teams from Normandy will meet in Villons-les-Buissons.
The host club will give them a strong welcome, determined to put on a show and move towards the goals of its passionate founder.
