Keeping the tradition alive

In our home town, Dendermonde, they strive to keep old traditions alive. That's why yearly the giants march around the town center, and every ten years the well-loved Horse Bayard comes out of its stable and parades around.

As I've told before, this wooden horse is carried by a team of twelve strong men, who make it walk, run and even rear. On top of the horse sit four boys, the sons of Aymon, lord of Dendermonde. It's quite an honor to be one of those boys.

Mind, the sons of Aymon are also part of the tradition. Therefore, they need to be four brothers in consequece (no sister between them), between the ages of 7 and 17. Up to now, the town council always found a family who could fill the demand.

You'd think it would become more difficult as in modern times, not many families have four kids anymore, let alone four sons. But still, when it was announced that the search for Aymon's sons was starting anew (there is a Bayard event next year in May), five families came forward!

The ones with the oldest ancestry will sit on Bayard. First, the boys needs to be born in Dendermonde. Then they check the parents, next the grandparents, then the next generation.

The winners will be announced later this autumn.