EAU CLAIRE -- Tickets are now available for two shows featuring The World-Famous Lipizzaner Stallions on Sunday, September 13, in Zorn Arena on the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire campus.

Making its 40th anniversary tour, the family-oriented arena attraction will presented at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. in Zorn Arena. Many horses and riders were brought from Europe to perform in the company. Over the years, more than 25 million people throughout North and South America, Great Britain, Europe, Australia and Hawaii have seen this internationally acclaimed spectacle, which last appeared at UW-Eau Claire in 2007. All new music, choreography and routines have been incorporated into this anniversary edition. The show will emphasize the historical background and foundation of the Lipizzaner breed -- from its original breeding and use as a horse of war to a horse of nobility and aristocracy to a living form of equestrian art. The show emulates the Spanish Riding School of Vienna in its presentation of the Lipizzans, maintaining its traditional and entertaining performance style. Also included in the show is a segment called "Airs Above the Ground" -- a demonstration of the spectacular leaps and maneuvers once used by riders to protect and defend themselves on the battlefield. The Lipizzan is a rare and unique breed with a history and culture known worldwide. The 1963 Disney feature, "The Miracle of the White Stallions" -- which tells the true story of how General George S. Patton saved the horses from certain extinction at the end of World War II -- created an even greater international interest in the breed. Although the Lipizzans star, other show breeds are featured -- including the ancestral forefathers of the Lipizzan, the Spanish Andalusian and the Arabian. The Andalusian is shown both in saddle and in a presentation in which the rider performs all the maneuvers of the Grand Prix Olympic-level dressage on the longline, while walking behind the horse and guiding him through his paces. The performance concludes with the traditional Grand Quadrille, featuring six to eight Lipizzaner Stallions with their riders performing an intricate equine ballet, exhibiting maneuvers through the highest level of dressage. The Lipizzans prance, march and intricately weave their way across the floor to the music of the Masters in a spectacular ballet of four-footed white dancers. Featuring 12 to 14 stallions, the narrated show runs just under two hours with a 20-min. intermission. Admission is $25.50 ($23.50 for those age 12 and under, age 60 and over, and UW-Eau Claire faculty/staff and students). Children age 2 and younger are free. Tickets can be purchased at the University Service Center, in Davies Center and at the door. Patrons may also charge their tickets to MasterCard or Visa when they order by phone. Call (715) 836-3727 -- or, outside the immediate Eau Claire area, call toll-free (800) 949-UWEC. A $3 handling fee will be added to all telephone charge orders. A discount is available for groups of 15 or more. Call the Service Center for more information. The show is sponsored by White Stallion Productions, Inc., and the University Activities Commission of the UW-Eau Claire Student Senate.