Lost Sydney: El Cabalo Blanco
Location: Camden Valley Way, Catherine Field, NSWEstablished by Sydney Entrepreneur Emmanuel Margolin, Sydney's El Caballo Blanco in Catherine Field, near Campbelltown, was a theme park that operated at Catherine Field on the outskirts of Sydney. The remains of El Caballo Blanco can still be found on the vacant block of land next to Gledswood Homestead, now dotted with ruins, where once Andalusian dancing stallions attracted crowds from across Sydney. El Caballo Blanco was part of a larger entertainment park named Australiana Park, which featured miniature Fallabella horses, and a number of non-equestrian related amusements such as waterslides, train rides, a go-kart race track, an ornamental boating lake, a small wildlife zoo, an antique carriage museum, a souvenir shop, eateries and a craft shop.
El Caballo Blanco was founded in Western Australia by Perth businessman Ray Williams in 1974. In 1970 Williams had travelled the world looking for what he considered to be the perfect horse to breed and cross with Australian horses. In 1971 he travelled to Jerez, Spain and bought the Andalusian stallion 'Bodeguero' and returned to Perth to start the Bodeguero Stud in Wooroloo, not far from Perth. El Caballo Blanco in Wooroloo was opened in 1974 as a hotel and function venue featuring arena performances by the famous Spanish Dancing Horses from the Bodeguero Stud. Later Williams oversaw the establishment of the El Caballo Blanco theme park at Catherine Field near the Sydney suburb of Narellan.
Williams then went on to establish an El Caballo Blanco park at Disneyland in the US. After Williams' death in the US, the operations of the various El Caballo Blanco parks gradually wound down and ceased. For many years after the closure of the Catherine Field complex, it was used for storing items such as carpets, until a fire engulfed much of the building housing the main show arena. The Andalusian horses remained on the site for a number of years, cared for by a group of horse enthusiasts. After quite some years, the Wooroloo complex in Western Australia is once again hosting the famed Spanish dancing horse show.
Additionally, in June 2007 a new (independent) El Caballo Blanco show paying tribute to the Spanish dancing horses re-opened playing regular shows at Horseworld Stadium, located at Maraylya in Sydney's north-west. This new show was put together by Rene Gasser, the "Master of unique equestrian entertainment" who boasts 7 generations of horse-care and showmanship. In September 2007, equine influenza made its way to Gasser's El Caballo Blanco show with three horses showing clinical signs of the disease. This caused the suspension of his shows. These horses can still be seen at Wooroloo in Western Australia.
