A Frenchman and his horses in Wadi Rum
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Our horses live here!

In 1992, Wilfried made the very first trip with horses between Wadi Rum and Petra, with his then partner, Emmanuelle Lançon, and a Jordanian friend, Iniazi Sha'aban of Wadi Mousa. From having being a pioneer of horse trekking in the Arabian Peninsula, he was the first to reintroduce horses into the deep desert, among the southern Bedouin, where today you can find  "Wadi Rum Horses & Camels" .

Arabian horse "at home"		Desert Guide Explorer - (Photo DOMENECH)

Their first horse there was named "Sultan" , a dappled white stallion, which became legendary for his courage, his pace and his great heart. It was the very type of an Arab stallion, right out of the Bedouin legends.  His death, in the deep desert, made of this horse an icon for the local Bedouin people.

Passionately determined to revive the very real tradition of Bedouin horses, Wilfried spent much of his time for the next several years in wandering the length and breadth of the steppe and the desert - from where comes one of the most enthralling creatures that Man ever met - the Arab horse... in its own environment!

He then proposed his carefully prepared horse treks to practically all the European and American equestrian agencies who received these programmes with enthusiasm.

Wilfried guiding the first RWW trip
(photo Nigel HARVEY)

The sultanate of Oman has now become one of his latest fields of adventure, after the work of ground breaking carried in 1989 on behalf of the Sultanate. Still intent on new projects, he proposed the very first horse trekking holidays in Oman to his most faithful clients.

In 1998 he sponsored the training of the very first equestrian guide from the Bedouin tribes : Atallah Sabbagh Sweilhin  by sending him to Jean de Chatillon's equestrian centre ("A hue et à dia" or in English "Hue and cry") in France. Like this, Atallah was able to see other methods and garner experience outside Jordan. Atallah subsequently became Wilfried's partner in the company "Wadi Rum Horses & Camels" which organises treks in South Jordan.

In company with Atallah Sweilhin, he regularly participates in horse endurance competitions - organised to international standards by Denis Letartre, Princess Alia's French trainer at the Royal Stables until 2000.

Wilfried also assisted Denis to draw up the route of the now renowned endurance race "The Wadi Rum Cup (120/140kms). At present sponsored by the United Arab Emirates (from autumn 2002), this race has become a world classic.

WELCOME TO JORDAN!