Horses and Squires shine at Cadre noir of Saumur with CHAUVET Professional

Horses may indeed be one of nature’s most artistic creations, especially when moving elegantly with a skilled equestrian, but like any work of art, their beauty can be enhanced by light.

This was clear to see at Cadre noir of Saumur, a stunning riding exhibition that took place at the famed seaside resort of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage as part of the Gala of the Squires of the Cadre noir of Saumur.

Highlighting the aesthetic harmony of horses and their riders at the popular event was an elegantly balanced lighting design that relied on the precise performance of 16 CHAUVET Professional Maverick Storm 2 Profile projectors supplied by Alive Angers, the technical provider for sound and lighting.

Charley Guitton of Alive Angers, who served as the project manager of Cadre noir of Saumur, and Esteban Sabatier, lighting console operator for the show who managed all aspects of lighting.  Speaking of the fixtures, they said: “We needed IP65 fixtures, given that the shows are held outdoors and there is a lot of dust with the Cadre noir horses, not to mention the potential rain.” said Guitton. Sabatier elaborated further. “I particularly liked these spotlights for their wide aperture, power, colors, and incredible range of over 70 meters,” he detailed.  “We used 16 spotlights instead of the initially planned 20, which demonstrates their efficiency.”

There were other criteria to evaluate about lighting Cadre noir of Saumur that were somewhat different than those considered in most other projects. A horse’s vision is quite unlike that of human. Although horses have a near 360-degree field of vision, they can’t see directly in front of their noses. Unlike humans, they also have a layer of tissue in front of their eyes called tapetum lucidum that makes them more sensitive to light.  These and other factors had to be considered when lighting Cadre noir.

“The specific challenge with lighting for this type of show is that we must not frighten the horses while highlighting them, including during the first part when it is still daylight,” explained Sabatier. “We cannot use strobes or overly violent color changes with the horses. That could scare them. But with the Maverick Storm 2 Profile, we were able to create subtle and effective lighting effects that enhance the performances without disturbing the animals. The Maverick Storm 2 Profile spotlights are high-quality and affordable, making them perfect for our needs. Also, we need fixtures with high output, as they are located far from the scene (70m) and that there is still daylight during the first part of the show.”

To address these and other factors Guitton and Sabatier worked closely with a talented team that included Jean-Philippe, General Manager of Alive Angers; 50 Prod the organizer of the event – especially Alexandre Demaere the Production Manager; Philippe, the security manager; and the invaluable technical team of Arnaud, Dylan, Etienne, Raf, Axel, Ben, and Pierre.

Thanks to their collective efforts, along with their versatile fixtures, Cadre noir of Saumur came off beautifully, pleasing not just the large crowd of spectators, but the magnificent creates at the heart of this renowned event.

Photo Credit: Elisa Marq.