NWSS puts on its 25th An Evening of Dancing Horses in 2020

Story and photos by Lincoln Rogers
for The Fence Post

**Sisters Yvonne and Kayla Barteau ride their costumed horses with wild manes to the music of Lion King in the 2020 NWSS An Evening of Dancing Horses event in the Cinch Arena on Jan. 22.**

The 2020 National Western Stock Show put on its 25th An Evening of Dancing Horses show and for a special treat it invited back a number of the most popular routines from the past.

Those performances included equestrian riding and choreography set to the themes and music of Zorro, Wizard of Oz, Lion King, Magnificent Seven, Pirates of the Caribbean, Man From La Mancha, Phantom of the Opera, and more.

Award winning singer Michael Martin Murphey, who the NWSS asked to produce the original An Evening of Dancing Horses back in 1995, was also asked to return for the 25th anniversary of the event.

Murphey started the show by singing his famous song “Wildfire,” and then the equestrian entertainment began. Accompanied for the first time at the NWSS by the excellent Colorado School of Mines orchestra, the routines spanned all types of riding disciplines and had something for everyone. ❖

Colorado horse trainer Shane Brown and one of the performing Barteau sisters circle their horses together at the end of a fun routine set to the music and storyline of “Anything You Can Do, I can Do Better” during the 2020 NWSS Evening with Dancing Horses event on Jan. 22.
Award winning singer Michael Martin Murphy was invited back to perform at the 25th Dancing with Horses event at the 2020 NWSS on Wednesday January 22. To kick off the show, Murphy sang his big hit “Wildfire.” Murphy produced the initial Evening with Dancing Horses at the request of the NWSS back in 1995.
Former Miss Rodeo Colorado (2009), Audra McNicholas, carried the colors inside the arena to the tune of God Bless America at the start of the 2020 NWSS An Evening of Dancing Horses event on Jan. 22.
In what was easily the most adorable and crowd pleasing routine of the night, the young Adelitas performed their chroegraphed routine while riding stick horses. The Adelitas are young girls who hope to someday become Escaramuza riders. At a young age, they join this group and practice the routines of the Escaramuza riders from a safer position aboard stick horses.
A horse and pony take a synchronized bow after performing to the theme and music of Zorro during the 25th NWSS Evening With Dancing Horses on Jan. 22, 2020.
The 25th running of the NWSS Evening with Dancing Horses sought to bring back popular routines from previous years at the NWSS. Included was a Wizard of Oz themed performance that included this synchronized stepping between Dorothy on foot and the Tin Man on a horse.
The rders of the Escaramuza Charra Flor De Aguilina perform their traditional prayer before the start of their routine that was set to the music of Don Quixote, Man From La Mancha in the 2020 NWSS An Evening of Dancing Horses event on Jan. 22.
A popular routine from a past Evening with Dancing Horses, based upon the movie Pirates of the Carribean, was brought back for the 25th year of the NWSS horse-based entertainment show.
Precision riding is always a part of the NWSS Evening With Dancing Horses, and the performance of Phantom of the Opera showed off equestrian talent and skill in the chreographed routine.
In one of the more complex choreographed perormances of the Dancing with Horses event at the 2020 NWSS, Roberto Torres and company showed off Mexican Charro riding skills, accompanied by colorful dancers and fancy trick ropes that lined the arena. The event was the 25th An Evening of Dancing Horses at the NWSS, and was held on Jan. 22. (Roberto Torres Jr. pictured in center)