Three horsemen, one Cuban and two Swiss, Rodolfo Bravo, Sylviane Gold and Georges Baudraz are proposing to follow the historic trail of the armed battle of the Cuban people for their independence.  With a good deal of experience in horseback travel plus his interest in Cuba’s history, Georges Baudraz will follow the trail of Antonio Maceo during the War of Independence of 1895.

Antonio Maceo is a figure who marks Cuba’s history of independence.  His epic began on 1 April 1895 when, accompanied by 22 patriots, Maceo arrived at the Cuban coast, near Baracoa in eastern Cuba, on the schooner ‘Honor’.  This expedition, which was called ‘the Third War of Independence’, led him as far as the westerly point of the island and ended for Antonio Maceo in a battle with the Spanish army at San Pedro, near Havana.  It was during this fight, on 7 December 1896, that he lost his life at the age of 51.  This campaign remains a celebrated event in Cuba’s independence.  Antonio Maceo was erudite, a writer, poet, philosopher, a friend of José Marti and Maximo Gomez, and was also a military strategist who climbed to the rank of major-general.

Marti said of him that he had “arms as strong as his head.”  The people of Cuba regard him as a hero.  He was a half-caste, nicknamed ‘el Titan de bronce’, he devoted thirty years of his life to the liberation of his country.

Itinerary

The equestrian expedition, ‘Maceo 2002’, will leave Baracoa, in eastern Cuba, and head for Manhua in the west of the island, trying to follow as faithfully as possible the trail, the places, and the historical locations of Maceo’s campaign of 1895.

This trail goes along the centre of the island without ever touching the coasts.  The length of the journey is estimated to be about 1400 km (875 miles), and will be done on horseback, if possible with the same three horses, in order to demonstrate the strength of the Cuban horse.  The daily stages should allow them to cover at least 20 to 30 km per day (12 to 20 miles).  Taking into account the unforeseen problems, days off and cultural meetings which are inherent in the project, the expedition should take between 60 and 75 days.

Participants

Georges Baudraz has been a specialist teacher and sociotherapist with the Department of Health in Geneva.  In 1989 he set up an agency for equestrian travel, ‘Le Cheval Vert’ (The Green Horse), and organised and led more than twenty horseback expeditions, including seven in Cuba.