After fifteen years, Zandvoort again has short -course -tracking in the village. Since the 1930s, horses and their pikeurs have risen over the boulevard, over the circuit and finally through the Zeestraat. The event is now back at the latter location.
Fans of Hard Draverij come to Zandvoort from the entire area. Some have been following the competitions for years and know exactly who they should use their money. Around two o’clock there are a few hundred people past the track, unfortunately in the drizzle.
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The job is different from all others. There is a slight slope at the end. Organizer Shiela Boom calls it a ‘Titanenbaan’. “Really for the die-hards. These are not used to the horses and pikeurs. Here they can still make the difference for the national championship. Next week is the final final.”
It is striking that between the drinking spectators a group of the Party for the Animals is. They wear protest signs in their hands, which make it clear that the event would be bad for the horses.
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It is a ‘quiet protest’. “We do it that way because the horses here have to process a lot of stimuli. The music, the voice of the speaker through the boxes, spectators who make noise. It all gives stress. We don’t want to do that,” explains Stella Pieterson.
Thumbs and treats
Some spectators make it clear that they cannot appreciate this promotion at all. “They call annoying things. But there are also those who raise a thumb and some are shocked because they have never thought of this negative side of the event.”
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Equestrian enthusiast and organizer Shiela Boom understands the protest, but she does not agree with the political party. “These horses live for this sport. You see that they are getting cheerful of it. The ears are forward. They enjoy it. Of course there are also horses that don’t feel like it. We can’t force them and are then used for other sports that suit them more.”