VERSAILLES, France (AP) — The historic Versailles Palace Gardens will soon host the Paris Olympics equestrian sports.

Meanwhile, the select number of riders of the National Equestrian Academy handling the palace’s famed royal stables continue to care for their beloved horses: Almost every day at dawn, they enjoy the quietness and splendor of grass lawns and woods of the park of the Versailles Palace, before thousands of visitors from across the world spread in.

The elite academy — founded by French horse trainer and impresario Bartabas who decided to revive the splendid building in 2003 — has only 12 riders. After years of hard work, they take part in a prestigious show at the Great Stables of Versailles every weekend to the delight of spectators.

While the Academy is open to both genders, women form the majority of applicants.

“We are only women here now,” said one of those experienced riders, Fanny Lorré, gleefully smiling as she noted how big of a change it was from the once male-dominated world of equestrianism.