The Quinté+ “Prix Les Masters de Feu” launches the first edition in Compiègne

Before igniting the skies above Compiègne, Les Masters de Feu first made their entrance on the track. On June 13, 2016, the Compiègne Racecourse hosted a special Quinté+ race, the "Prix Les Masters de Feu de Compiègne," as the media launch of an event destined to become one of the major pyrotechnic gatherings in Hauts-de-France. From 1 p.m. onward, the day brought together the highly codified world of horse racing and the promise of an international fireworks competition, with a key highlight: the unveiling of the event teaser scheduled for the autumn.

A special Quinté+ to kick off the media launch

The choice of a Quinté+ race was far from incidental. In French racing, this format enjoys particular visibility, driven by bettors, racing enthusiasts and specialist media. By lending its name to a race on the Compiègne card, Les Masters de Feu secured a launch that was at once popular, local and national. The initiative made it possible to introduce the competition to an audience already familiar with the racecourse, while placing the event in a venue capable of hosting major gatherings.

The race was associated with the Prix Major Fridolin, the day’s Tiercé Quarté Quinté support race at Compiègne. Run over 1,400 meters, it brought together thirteen horses aged 4 and over. Beyond the sporting stakes, this special naming gave Les Masters de Feu immediate visibility: the competition name appeared in programs, announcements and results, creating an early echo even before the pyrotechnicians took to the site.

Compiègne Racecourse, a strategic setting for an open-air competition

Compiègne Racecourse proved a natural setting for the announcement. Vast, instantly recognizable and deeply rooted in local life, the venue offers several essential qualities for a pyrotechnic event: large open spaces, an unobstructed view of the sky, significant hosting capacity and a strong identity. Where a race is decided by precision, power and pace, a musical fireworks display also relies on synchronization, technical mastery and the emotion of the live moment.

This symbolic closeness between the two worlds strengthened the launch narrative. On one side, the horses, the jockeys, the grandstands, the anticipation of the start and the tension of the finish. On the other, the pyrotechnicians, the pyromusical score, the rising intensity and the final burst. In June 2016, Les Masters de Feu were not simply announcing an upcoming date: they were stating an ambition, to turn the racecourse into a spectacular stage capable of hosting an international competition in pyrotechnic art.

A press conference to unveil the autumn event

The day of June 13, 2016 was also part of a press conference. It was intended to present the concept, recall the event’s Compiègne roots and prepare the public for the first edition scheduled a few months later. The teaser unveiled on that occasion played an essential role: offering, in just a few images, a glimpse of the world of Les Masters de Feu, combining competition, music, staging and pyrotechnic performance.

For a competition still in its infancy, this media moment was an important positioning step. Les Masters de Feu were not presented as a simple festive fireworks display, but as an artistic competition, with fireworks houses invited to create full-scale shows. The audience was not only a spectator: it also became part of an event where emotion, show clarity and collective enthusiasm matter as much as technical virtuosity.

2016, a founding year for Les Masters de Feu

This racing operation took place in a founding year. In 2016, Les Masters de Feu established themselves in Compiègne with the ambition of extending the tradition of major pyrotechnic competitions in the Oise. The September event was to bring together several international companies around a highly distinctive prize: the Silver Master. This distinction marked entry into a selection-based format, ahead of the finals that would go on to award a Gold Master and, more recently in the competition’s history, a Platinum Master.

June 13 thus appears as a turning point. Before the applause, before the soundtracks, before the luminous tableaux, there was this launch at the heart of a racing day. The special Quinté+ gave the project its first public visibility, while forging a lasting link between Les Masters de Feu and Compiègne Racecourse. For the organizers, it was an effective way to bring audiences together: racing fans, local residents, partners, media and future spectators of the great pyrotechnic evening.

When horse racing sets the stage for pyrotechnic spectacle

In hindsight, this launch says a great deal about the identity of Les Masters de Feu: an event built on precision, designed for the general public, yet grounded in a very high level of standards. Like a race, a pyrotechnic show is prepared long in advance. Every second counts, every cue must serve an intention, every sequence must hold its place within a broader dramatic arc. Visual impact only has meaning if it serves rhythm, emotion and a clear reading from the stands.

The Quinté+ "Prix Les Masters de Feu de Compiègne" was therefore more than a communication initiative. It was the first public signal of an adventure destined to place Compiègne on the map of major pyrotechnic competitions. By bringing together horse-racing culture and the art of fire in a single venue, this day of June 13, 2016 laid the foundations for a singular event: a popular, exacting, international spectacle, deeply connected to its territory.