Feria Word of the Day: CABALLISTAS

During the day, feria is full of caballistas

CABALLISTA(S): a person that understands about horses, rides them and does it well.

Feria Word of the Day: SOMBRERO CORDOBES

A man greeting us with his Sombrero Cordobés
Photo by Lynn Roberts Neubauer

SOMBRERO CORDOBES:

• Wide brim hat that riders wear with the “corto” and “amazona” suits. 
• Wear your hat a little tilted to the side, never flat on your head. 

Three hats in this picture, but only one Sombrero Cordobés.

Feria Word of the Day: A LA GRUPA

A LA GRUPA:When ladies ride on the back of the horse it is called "a la grupa" and it is always done sideways and facing left.

Feria Word of the Day: Caballo

CABALLO, caballo andaluz:  Horse, Andalusian horse

The Andalusian horse, is strong, intelligent, docile and elegant.  It can even dance.  If you happen to visit Jerez, don't miss the dancing horse show at the Andalusian Royal School of Equestrian Art.

During feria , "Caballos" are the main attraction.  During the day, in most large fairs, the horse and rider, are out and about until 7 pm. Fairs have horse riding competitions, exhibits and prices.  When the time is up, the mounted police escorts every single horse out of the fair grounds.  Then, the grounds are swept and dampened, so pedestrians can walk freely without fear of stepping on something or being trampled.  

Horses, dress up too, and their mains are fashioned to look their best.  Little and big riders have to stay with their horses at all times.  The most famous beautiful horses in the fair are the ones name after the animal.  Feria del Caballo in Jerez de la Frontera.

DIY Lemonade stand or betting booth for kids.

This DIY project will make a great project for parents and kids this summer.  Easy and quick.  Sure, you can make a lemonade stand for the hot summer days, but here in Andalusia, we make betting booths for the kids.  Yes,  Andalusian encourage betting, one is never too young to start learning about money, right?

The front reads "Apuestas"  - bets

Kids are organized and keep their cash in order.  Playing is a serious game.

In a couple of weeks, at the beginning and end of August around the 7th - 9th and 21st - 23rd. Sanlucar de Barrameda hosts its famous horse race at the beach.  If you come early, you can enjoy the sun and beach and later in the afternoon, you will have the best beach seats to see the race but don't blink, because it happens fast and it is over.

You will also see the local kids set up shop in strategic places so they can see the winning horses.  It is very cute, kids make their booths with cardboard, wood, plastic and decorate it themselves.  They also make or buy, at the Euro store, prices for the winning bets.

 How does it work?  You walk up to a betting booth and tell them which horse you like, they charge you a small fee and give you a little ticket with your bet written on it.  When the race is over, if you win, you go and claim your prize.  This gives kids hours of entertainment and fun at the beach.

Make your betting booth

What a creative and easy stand to make

Photo from Sevanessacraft.com

So far we have seen the two models of betting booths, a really fancy wooden one at the beginning of the blog, and a black cardboard one decorated with monsters.  

Since I don't have little kids anymore, I won't make one, but found a post on DIY lemonade stand with:

• 2 wooden crates and 
• 2 wooden stick or broom handles
• Paint and/or fabric for banner
• Cardboard the length of the booth 
• nails and a hammer

 You could create a banner with cardboard or fabric if you like, and the kids could paint the crates, or glue pictures to decorate it.

Let the race begin…

The horses at the beach and a red betting booth on the left.

Horses walking to their places

Feria del Caballo 2014

Feria del Caballo, Jerez 2014

This year Jerez weather looked bright and sunny, maybe too sunny, with temperatures above 40°C, like the ones in Sevilla, 40° C outside and up to 50° C inside the casetas.   We (Jerez) lucked out however, the first Sunday was hot, and then the temperatures dropped bringing the Levante winds.  El Levante, is famous for changing everyones mood, responsible for traffic incidents, unruly children, and migraine headaches.  But oh no, I would not let it bother me. Everyone wants to have fun in Feria, and so we did.  Actually, it wasn't that bad during the day because the water trucks sprayed the grounds, so the dirt stayed on the ground.  Nighttime however, was a different story, you had to stay inside sheltered from the dust.

Beautiful creatures! 

Some of the carriages are private and some for hire. 

Parking lot is full

Horses are allowed in Feria during the day until 7 pm when the mounted police makes sure not one single horse stays on the grounds.  It is funny, because after riding all day with high temperatures and all that gear, you would think riders are dying to go home shower and change clothes.  But it is always the same, the police has to escort them out and make sure they are on their way.  I am always sadden when I see them leave Feria.

Riding police makes sure all horses leave Feria

Talking to some of the horsemen, they told me the best time to ride horses or even watch them, is the last Sunday of Feria.  People that go to Feria are already exhausted, so there aren't too many visitors on the last Sunday.  Riders and horses are more relaxed and free to enjoy the ride.

Look at this mane!

Horsemen leaving Feria

El Alumbrao, Feria del Caballo 2014

El Alumbrao:

This year, Feria started on Sunday.  Unlike last year, when  Feria started on a Monday.  I think that did not go well with the public so they changed it back to the traditional Sunday to Sunday duration.  The lighting ceremony started at 9:45 with a display of fireworks and at 10 pm  all the grounds were lit up with thousands of little bright bulbs.  Magnificent!  It looked like a gigantic cathedral of lights.

So excited,  pretty soon the grounds would be full of beautiful horses. Can't wait.

Arriving to Feria by horse

Some people choose to enjoy feria on a horse.  This is one of my favorite sights of feria.  Horse and rider.  If riding a horse, one must wear the appropriate gear.  Writen regulation specifies this to preserve the elegant ways of Feria.

The rider wears a suit with a short bolero like jacket,  high waist pants, hat or "sombrero cordobés", and riding boots called “Traje de Corto”.  Women can wear the same pantsuit or the skirt version of the "corto" called “amazonas”.   Too complicated?  Yes, but they have been doing this for generations.  They’ve got the hang of it, never the less, this is why it takes months of preparation and one must not forget to dress the horse, mane and all.

Ok. this is not a horse, but you get the idea...

Waiting for passengers