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The Making of "Il Passeggiato"

'Il Passeggiato," A Musical Stroll To Success

Two more days of mixing to go and Wayne Channon's Slings & Kerkhof kur will be ready in time for the 2005 European Championships in Hagen. After much debate, Channon's kur got the official name "Il Passeggiato". The kur title refers to the Italian expression ‘la passeggiata’ -- the promenade -- which is a typical Sicilian leisure activity. At dusk when the temperature goes down, Sicilian men gather at the town square and walk round it talking to each other and showing off to the women who are sitting on the side.

Wayne officially rode "Il Passeggiato" for the first time at the CDI-W Lipica, the first European qualifier for these 2006 World Cup Finals. He won the Grand Prix and placed second in the Kur to Music with 74.475%.

Since the premier of the kur on June 4, Slings & Kerkhof have improved the music on many levels. Debra's voice and the live instruments have been added and the final mixing of the music in the studio will make the whole composition of broadcast quality.

"We recorded 87 tracks in the kur. It's normal for us. The kur is a feast of drama and joy, exactly what it has to be," Slings told Eurodressage. "It's a tasty kur with a nice story, sometimes it's melancholic reminding you of summer holidays, and sometimes it is spooky with The Godfather trumpets in it. The theme of Andrea Bocelli in the passage will definitely make you get goose bumps!"

There is a chance that three Slings & Kerkhof kurs can be heard in the individual finals of the 2005 European Championships. Anky van Grunsven will ride her L'Esprit Chanson for sure. If Dutch reserve rider Kirsten Beckers gets to compete in Hagen, you might hear her ride to "Soul Collective" and we cross our fingers that Channon will end in the top fifteen so that "Il Passeggiato" can be played at the Championships in Hagen.

"Wouldn't it be nice if our kurs were to finish one-two-three," an optimistic Cees said. "It doesn't matter who will be number one or three. We are very happy about our compositions and the last bit lies in the hands of rider and horse. See you in Hagen!"

A member of the British Dressage Team for the 2005 European Championships, Wayne Channon aspires to ride his kur at Hof Kasselmann in Hagen. "To compete at the 2005 European Championships for Britain is one of the biggest achievements in my dressage career," Channon said, adding "I will do the best I can. I want to see how far I can go with Lorenzo CH." Armed with his Slings & Kerkhof composed freestyle “Il Passeggiato,” Channon is well prepared to ride his black stallion to the top of the international dressage world.

Text and Photos copyrighted: Astrid Appels/Eurodressage
Debra Studio Photos copyrighted: Mirjam Madiol

Related Links
Wayne Channon To Premier Slings & Kerkhof's “Il Passeggiato” at CDI-W Lipica
2005 FEI/PSI Freestyle Forum
L’Esprit Chanson, The Secret to a Winning Freestyle

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