Cazon Endurance Village
is nestled amid the lush forests and agrigultural lands of Saladillo, in Buenos Aires province. Cazon Endurance Village represents the vision of Eduardo Beccar Varillo and Mercedes Tapia. Mercedes is one of Argentina's top Endurance Riders, having represented Argentina in two World Championships and recently earning the Silver medal in the 2005 Pan American Championship. Eduardo and Mercedes train Endurance horses at their farm 'El Reparo' near the town of Cazon. Miles of sandy roads provide perfect year-round training and also perfect trails for competition. Both Eduardo and Mercedes are equine veterinarians, and their work has kept them involved with many of the regions top breeders and competitors in various sports.
The small pueblo of Cazon obtains its charm, and its industry from 'Vivero Munincipal', one of the two major state-run tree nurseries in the province. The grand nursery was established in 1910 as part of a movement to establish forests across Argentina's huge pampas (grassland) region, and it provides a special character to Cazon and nieghboring Saladillo. The century old forests offer a unique beauty, lining many of the village streets and sandy roads, and the nursery also provides significant employment to the region's people.
The Endurance Village is located on a small parcel of state-owned land, an addition to an existing recreational complex which offers camping facilities, outdoor swimming pool, school and meeting house, dining area, barbeque pit (fogon), bath houses and a beautiful shaded garden setting. Eduardo worked coninuously with state and local officials to ensure that the Endurance Village complemented the existing recreational facility.
The barns which will house 112 horses are built in the traditional Argentina country style - poles and rails made of eucalyptus, palm, and 'sauce' wood, and posts made of queberacho (a very hard dense wood). Thatched roofs (techos de paja) provide shade and rustic beauty.
Eduardo designed the village complex for optimum traffic flow, ease of access and simplicity. He installed lights throughout the complex and water tanks and faucets are located in the large grass area between barn. The stalls are accessed from this area with a large outer aisle adjacent to each style for storing feed and equipment. The barns have a central aisle for people traffic only.
At the far side of the stable area is a cement platform with water faucets for bathing horses. There are also open (no roof) corrals for horses if the barns become filled. There is one large gate for traffic in and out of the stabling area for security and monitoring. During the event only authorized people and horses will be allowed in.
Eduardo also designed a crewing and vetting area, with a well planned layout so that as riders come in off of the course they will easily be directed to the crewing area, and onto the vetting area with minimal confustion. He constructed 7 grass trotting lanes for the horses. There are also several watering stations in the crewing area, with hoses and nozzles for riders to use to cool their horses.
And all of this is adjacent to the Cazon
recreational complex, where huge shade trees, grass area, a barbeque pit, swimming pool, bath houses, shaded dining area, and an old adobe building (previously a school house) to house the event office.
| Cazon Endurance Village - photos - click thumbnail to enlarge |
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