The Jerez Horse Fair, the most important equine heritage event in Spain
Cadiz Apartments: Spain’s world-renowned sherry-producing town of Jerez hosts the Horse Fair
The Jerez de la Frontera Horse Fair has been declared an event with international tourist interest. This year will be celebrated from 10th to 17th May. Spain’s world-renowned sherry-producing town of Jerez hosts the most important equine heritage event in the whole of Spain. The Gonzalez Hontoria fair park becomes a town within another town and it is lighted as if a brilliant sun shined through more than 1,200,000 light bulbs with different colours.
The festival also doubles up as a large Agricultural Fair and there are a large number of bullfighting and Flamenco shows running throughout the fair. The Jerez Horse Fair consists of joy, fun and purebred animals. The nobility of the horses you can see during the event has made it internationally famous. Of ancient origins (1284), it was originally a livestock market. Over the years it evolved into today’s conglomerate of festivities. Among the different events, mention should be made of the equestrian contests and competitions, and of the marquees set up in González de Hontoria park, adorning its avenues and paths with flowers and garlands over the course of the fair.
On Sunday 10th May, at 22,00 hours (first official day of the Fair) you will watch a spectacular firework display which marks the start of a festival lasting 7 days. You will enjoy a friendly funny people at any marquee gen with music belonging to friend groups, enterprises, cultural associations, other circles of friends and so on. There will be more than 200 marquee gens.
The highlight of the fair is undoubtedly the Como bailan Los Caballos Andaluces show, performed by Jerez’s very own Real Escuela de Arte Ecuestre (Royal School of Equestrian Art) – a fully-fledged equestrian ballet, featuring choreography adapted from the training exercises of classical dressage and doma vaquera, along with Spanish music and costumes. One incredible move is the cabriole, where the horse throws its forelegs and hind legs in an outward arc before putting its feet to the ground.
Fast 2,000,000 visitors in only 7 days backes up the prestige and it guarantees the resounding success of the Horse Fair each year. All this is assisted by an area covering more than 52,000 square meters for kids and adults to enjoy funfairs at this huge scene. You will just watch in wonderment and excitement authentic swarms of people singing, laughing, dancing, sharing fun and eager for the festival at the Horse Fair. At such a celebration, 500,000 wine bottles can be drunk in a week.
Apart from a parallel program with the Horse Walk, you will daily observe attractions at several places, such as an impressive show performed by hundreds of horsemen and horsewomen.
They both wear typical dresses from Andalusia and horses with admirable harnesses parade very elegantly and skillfully.To sum up, the Fair always comes once again with all its composition beauty, quality and comfort as top priorities in the broadest sense of the terms.
There are always some kind of typical music from Andalusia (sevillanas, rumbas) and marquee gens for the youth with modern disco music at funfair street. There is also a strict performance of the law. Those who do not obey, will not set a marquee gen the next edition.
