Promutuel Insurance Vaudreuil-Soulanges proudly presents the 3^rd edition of the Saint-Lazare Au Galop Festival

SAINT-LAZARE (Quebec), Wednesday, March 8, 2017 – The Town of Saint-Lazare has officially launched the third edition of the Saint-Lazare Au Galop Festival and unveiled its official sponsor as well as the headliners for its 2017 event programming.

On this photo: Pamela Tremblay- ambassadrice et conseillère municipale, Robert Grimaudo – maire de Ville Saint-Lazare, Isabelle Salvas, directrice générale de Promutuel Assurance Vaudreuil-Soulanges , Yanick Lanthier – Cow-Boys de Québec Issime, Mélodie Prince, Responsable du développement et de l’engagement communautaire de la Société de la SLA du Québec – ALS Society of Quebec et Lucie Allard, directrice du centre équestre thérapeutique Marie-Laurence.

Promutuel Insurance Vaudreuil-Soulanges, official festival sponsor  

The Town of Saint-Lazare is please to announce the participation of Promutuel Insurance Vaudreuil-Soulanges as official sponsor of the Saint-Lazare Au Galop Festival for the second year in a row.

As official sponsor, Promutuel Insurance Vaudreuil-Soulanges supports the Saint-Lazare Au Galop Festival, a unique regional equestrian event, by providing significant financial assistance. Promutuel Insurance has established itself as a leader by promoting the equestrian community, the Vaudreuil-Soulanges tourism industry and recreational activities for families in the area. The decision to lend its support to the event reflects Promutuel Insurance Vaudreuil-Soulanges’ strong involvement in the regional community.

July 8 and 9, 2017: plan your weekend!

Saint-Lazare welcomes thousands of citizens, visitors and tourists for two days of equestrian celebrations. These two days of events, taking place over several sites every year, spotlight anything and everything horse related. The line up includes educational workshops, horse-petting sessions, shows and equestrian sports demonstrations, including horse ball and carriage driving. The Festival also has the privilege of welcoming extra special guests including the flamboyant Québec Issime troupe, with its Cowboys de Willie à Dolly show, as well as masters of the family equestrian show, Horse Power Live and Cavaland. All shows and activities are offered free of charge.

Focus on philanthropy

Every year, the Festival relies on the generosity of festivalgoers to support local and province-wide causes. In 2017, the Festival’s chosen causes are the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Society of Quebec   and Centre Équestre Thérapeutique Marie-Laurence. As a tribute to Dean Stock, brother of Honorary President P.J. Stock, the Saint-Lazare Au Galop Festival provides the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Society of Quebec with an opportunity to gather donations. Did you know that, in Canada, ALS causes more deaths than any other neurological disease? During the festival, the ALS team will also be gathering donations from festivalgoers in the stands during the Cavaland show. The team from Centre Équestre Thérapeutique Marie-Laurence, located in Sainte-Justine-de-Newton, will be collecting voluntary donations in a few of the parking lots located close to the event sites. Festivalgoers who make a voluntary donation in participating parking lots will be contributing to improving the quality of life of thirty or so children from the Vaudreuil-Soulanges area living with illnesses as well as physical or mental disabilities through equestrian therapy offered at Centre Équestre Thérapeutique Marie-Laurence.

COW BOYS de Willie à Dolly by Québec Issime – FREE

With 12 performers on stage, a magnificent decor and 2 hours of the best country hits, this group is sure to keep the party going at Bédard Park as they hit the Promutuel Insurance stage! Don’t miss the show on Saturday, July 8 at 8:30 p.m. in the Foires au Galop zone.

Cavaland – FREE

You’ll be dazzled and amazed as these 10 horses and riders demonstrate their skills in a variety of disciplines.  Pony painting activities, a virtual museum through interactive educational touch-screen terminals, a collection of rare saddles as well as photo sessions are sure to please both young and old!

Fan favourite

Internationally renowned, the blue-ribbon horses of Parc Cavaland wear a ribbon around their necks while performing so the public can better recognize and applaud them. “These horses were saved from the slaughterhouse, abandoned or mistreated before being rescued and placed with Cavaland. They were then rehabilitated to the fullest possible extent given the limitations of their fears, their personal history or disabilities.” Don’t miss their headlining show on Saturday, July 8 at 4:00 p.m. in the Grand Galop Zone. Come meet the riders and their mounts in the stables.

Horse Power Live – FREE

10 horses and riders in a fun and educational show. Visitors can also meet the performers and get a tour of the stables. Don’t miss their headlining show on Sunday, July 9 at 11:30 a.m. and at 3 p.m. in the Grand Galop Zone. Come meet the riders and their mounts in the stables.  

Event programming

The 2017 edition will include two zones, each offering a varied program for both young and old in an equestrian atmosphere faithful to the unique character of Saint-Lazare. All activities are offered free of charge.

This particular zone, which extends over Bédard Park and Poirier Street, includes a variety of unique discoveries for everyone from the curious to equestrian aficionados. Combining fair rides, food stands and cultural booths, the Foires au Galop Zone offers activities for the whole family, street entertainment, creative theme-based workshops as well as pony rides for children. This zone will doubtless provide everyone with a unique and diversified experience in a dynamic atmosphere. In addition to all of this, festivalgoers will be treated to a free concert by Québec Issime’s COW BOYS on the Promutuel Insurance stage!

This zone, located at the equestrian park set up at the corner of Des Loisirs and Montée Saint-Lazare, as it has been since the first edition, will host the Festival’s headlining equestrian events. With a view to offering festivalgoers even more in 2017, Saint-Lazare will be welcoming two equestrian shows. On Saturday, Cavaland will present a blend of their best performances including the equestrian waltz and tango, Cossack stunts, the Hungarian post stunt, haute école jumps, freestyle riding, side-saddle riding, and much more. On Sunday, Horse Power Live will provide an educational and entertaining show during which they will introduce children to various horse breeds and the mythology of horses as well as indulge in a variety of games and impress their audience with some amazing trick-riding. This family-friendly zone will also feature a variety of exhibitors from the equestrian world and tons of recreational, educational and fun activities sure to please everyone. For complete event programming details, visit augalop.ca.

Decorate your house or retail store contest! 

Saint-Lazare residents and business owners are invited to decorate their homes and businesses in keeping with the equestrian theme starting June 5, 2017 and send a picture to us by email. The Saint-Lazare Au Galop Home and Retail Business Decorating Contest will run from Monday, June 5 at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, July 3 at 4:00 p.m. online at www.augalop.ca

Public vote: visit the Saint-Lazare Au Galop Facebook page to vote for your favourite decor from July 3 to 9, 2017.

Dressed for the event

Calling all cowboys, princesses and knights… festivalgoers are invited to dress up in their best equestrian-themed costumes!

ECOCUP

The ECOCUP concept, which helps reduce waste at the source, is back for the 2^nd year in a row. Thanks to re-usable cups, consumers play a direct role in sustainable development.

Camping

A campground ($) is available to festivalgoers at Parc nature les Forestiers-de-Saint-Lazare (2800 Chemin Lotbinière, Saint-Lazare) from July 7 to 9, 2017. For more details: augalop.ca

Valued partners, special thanks

The 3^rd edition of the Festival is made possible by the joint efforts of the municipal team and numerous partners. The organizing committee would like to acknowledge their participation and contribution: Thank you to our loyal sponsors!

Recall that the Town of Saint-Lazare enjoys a long-standing equestrian tradition for which it has earned an international reputation. An ideal location for horse farms, Saint-Lazare is truly a cornerstone of the Canadian horseback riding community, most notably as a result of the many equestrian competitions it hosts. Saint-Lazare’s equestrian flair and desire to revitalize its downtown core are certainly driving forces behind the creation of the festival—one that is a true testament to the Town’s character. As such, in 2015, the Saint-Lazare Au Galop Festival was born, attracting over 10,000 visitors over the three days of its first edition. It was during this first year that the festival presented the RCMP’s captivating Musical Ride, which helped position the Festival as part of Quebec’s major equestrian events.

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