Declared as element of International Tourist Interest, the Feria del Caballo (Horse Fair) of Jerez de la Frontera is, together with the Holy Week, one of the biggest and most significant celebrations in the city.

Origins

There is evidence of the Fair as far back as the 12th century, when King Alphonso X the Wise granted the privilege of holding a fair in April and other in September, with the horse already playing a fundamental role, as races were common, due to the Arab tradition. Although in the mid-19th century it became a livestock fair, it was in 1954 that the so-called Horse Week was instituted by Mayor Álvaro Domecq y Díez.

So the Fair was born out of the horse trade originated in the Middle Ages, and continues to maintain a close relationship with the equine world, being the only one that still preserves an important livestock and horse fair that is held parallel to the Fair.

As well as the daily horse rides and horse-drawn carriages in El Real (fairground), there is also a competition of casetas (stands) decoration competition, horse-drawn carriages, the national championship of Acoso y Derribo (Rodeo), Doma Vaquera  (Cowboy Dressage), the morphological competition of select equine livestock, daily equestrian and bullfighting shows, etc., as well as attractions for the enjoyment of children.

The Jerez Horse Fair has special features that make it unique in Andalusia. It is a Fair with casetas open to the public, where anyone can enjoy the music and the excellent gastronomy of the area. Likewise, the City Council encourages the decoration of the casetas with a competition that rewards the most beautiful and original design around the fairground.

The fair currently set on display more than 200 casetas, each with its own particular atmosphere and gastronomic specialities, many of which participate in the competitions for best tapa and best decoration.

The typical drinks at the Jerez fair are oloroso and fino wines, while the most common daytime dress at the fair is traje de corto for men if riding a horse, and the gitana dress (or flamenco dress) for women.

Nowadays, Jerez is considered to be the birthplace of flamenco, element appointed in 2011 by UNESCO as Intangible World Heritage. For this reason, in that same year the streets of the Real de la Feria (fairground) were renamed after flamenco artists from Jerez.

Throughout the fair week the visitor can also enjoy a large number of live musical performances, especially those featuring local artists and groups.

Period / Occurrence:

May. Although the date is variable, it is usually celebrated one week after the April’s Fair of Seville (which in turn is celebrated according to the Holy Week) and before El Rocío Pilgrimage.

Paseo de Caballos. Photo: Eva Cote Montes. © Instituto Andaluz del Patrimonio Histórico

IAPH image under the conditions established under license cc-by 3.0 de Creative Common. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/

Caseta de Feria. Photo: Eva Cote Montes. © Instituto Andaluz del Patrimonio Histórico

IAPH image under the conditions established under license cc-by 3.0 de Creative Common. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/

Feria del Caballo. Photo: Andalucía Turismo y Deporte. www.andalucia.org

Día de las Mujeres. Photo: Eva Cote Montes. © Instituto Andaluz del Patrimonio Histórico

IAPH image under the conditions established under license cc-by 3.0 de Creative Common. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/

Paseo de Caballos. Photo: Eva Cote Montes. © Instituto Andaluz del Patrimonio Histórico

IAPH image under the conditions established under license cc-by 3.0 de Creative Common. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/

Agencia EFE. (2022). Vuelve la Feria del Caballo, Jerez está de fiesta. [Video File].

Reference:
Cañadas Machado, A.L.. Feria de Jerez. Caja de Ahorros de Jerez.