Ros Beiaard Dendermonde

Ros Beiaard of Dendermonde is a folkloristic horse of big dimensions. It differs from the other Ros-Beiaard horses because it is used only once every ten years and because the horse is carried by people. The Ros Beiaard is on UNESCO's list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

The Ros Beiaard of Dendermonde is carried through the town every ten years by a guild of bearers, called the 'Pijnders'. In keeping with the legend, four young brothers from Dendermonde (de Vier Heemskinderen) wearing full armour sit astride the horse. The legend of Ros Beiaard is acted out during the procession.

From the ground to the tallest part of the head, the Ros Beiaard is 4.85m high. If one adds the decorations on top, then the horse is 5.8m high. From nose to tail, the Ros is 5.2m long and the width is exactly 2m. The head of the Ros Beiaard is made out of oak wood and it is 120 cm long and 50 cm wide. The horse weighs 800 kg without the brothers on top. The wooden frame has three spaces and has space for 12 bearers or 'Pijnders'.

Every ten years, the selection of the four 'Heemskinderen' is difficult. The criteria are severe:

In 1807, the Ros was ridden by Pieter-Emmanuel, Pieter-Frans, Pieter-Jan and Bernard-Jozef Blomme. The horse was used to celebrate the birthday of Napoleon I and the Concordate.

In 1850 the brothers were Edmond, Désiré, Henri and Lodewijk Spanogh. The procession celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Court and the Academy of Arts. The historian David Lindanus was also commemorated and king Leopold II attended the procession.

The inauguration of the statue of Pater De Smet in 1878 entailed a new procession and the knights were Isidoor, Omer, Petrus and Frans Willems. They also celebrated the inauguration of the new lock in the Dender.

When Polydore de Keyser, Lord Mayor of London, visited his birth town Dendermonde in 1888, the Heemskinderen were Henri, Lodewijk, Gustaaf and Alfons Pieters.

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