When I went shopping this morning, it was quite busy in town. Dendermonde is in full preparation (and into the final stages) of the 2022 Horse Bayard (Ros Beiaard) pageant which will take place on Sunday 29th May at 14.30 hour.
This is always a big event for the town. Originally, this pageant only took place when there was something special happening (like a royal wedding, the completion of important works in town, etc.). In my lifetime, I saw it happen in 1958 (I was only 2 at that time, but I still remember something about it), in 1975, in 1990. From 2000 the town decided to have the pageant every ten years. It happened in 2010, but the next edition was postponed to this year because of corona.
The pageant dates back to the Middle Ages, when the guilts were mighty and had to show their wealth to the citizens. A big horse, referring to the saga of Lord Aymon and his four sons, was created, along with three giants: Indian, Mars and Goliath. Horse Bayard is 5 meters high and 2 meters broad, weighs about 1,000 kilos and is carried by 12 strong men. They walk the horse, mounted by the four sons of Aymon (4 brothers, born in Dendermonde) around town and even make the horse stagger.
For a lot of older people, this is an emotional happening - for it may be the last time they see the horse. Bayard is in your blood, when you were born in Dendermonde.
They expect a of people for this event, over 100,000. Especially when the weather cooperates, all inhabitants of town plus a lot of tourists will be attending.
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