Crashing Horses & Riding Waves
Local rider leading his horse out of the water.
Fantasia is a traditional cultural equestrian show in Morocco used during cultural festivals. Its spectacle that stems from the Berber war-times that shows off their strength and ability. The riders, generally around 10-20, line up in a row and accelerate down the field in complete unison. After 200 meters the riders fire ‘old style gun powdered’ rifles. The aim is to act as one. That is, to ride at the same speed and fire at the exact same time.
During the month of July over 200 horses and their crews gathered at the small town of Dar Bouazza, about 20 km south of Casablanca. Coincidentally the same town where I surf. In the mornings when I would drive through the town I would see the crews lead their horses into the waves to wash them. These boys grow up with these horses. Dar Bouazza transformed from a sleepy town to circus over run by kids riding bareback all hours of the day. I decided to skip surfing one morning and shoot pictures of the crews with their horses in the waves.
These kids were fearless on these horses. It was impressive to watch them manage these horses as they bucked and charged through the waves.
To tame the horses they would turn the horses and back them up through the waves.
La Bobine in Dar Bouazza
