Rapa das Bestas of Sabucedo

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Rapa das Bestas of Sabucedo

Rapa das bestas 2015

Date(s)| First Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday of July
Frequency| Annual
Location(s)| Sabucedo, A Estrada (Pontevedra), Spain
Fiesta of International Tourist Interest
Designated| 2007

A rapa das bestas is the name given to the annual curro (roundup) of wild horses celebrated the first Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday of July in Sabucedo, A Estrada (Pontevedra), Spain.

Across more than 200 km2 of hillside currently more than six-hundred horses roam freely in fourteen droves, referred to in Galician as bestas (mares) and garañones (stallions). The festival involves bringing the horses down from the hillside, gathering them into an enclosure, cutting their manes and tails, and tagging them, nowadays with a microchip. The curro in Sabucedo is the most renowned of all and is set apart from the rest by unique characteristics, the most important of which is that neither ropes, sticks, nor other such instruments are used to subdue the animals. The aloitadores, those responsible for restraining the horses whilst the rapa takes place, use only their body strength and raw skill to complete the job. Another interesting feature of the rapa is the Bajada– the process of rounding up the horses and leading them into Sabucedo – a part of the celebration joined by hundreds of local residents and visitors from further afield. Another element of the tradition is the celebration of a poignant mass, held very early on the Saturday morning, before going up the hill. During the mass, the congregation pray to San Lorenzo, the patron saint of Sabucedo, to keep those participating from any harm.

According to the scholar Manuel Cabada,[1] the rapa is a rite of passage from childhood to adolescence for those who seize a foal for the first time, guided and assisted by the older generation. The town of A Estrada is twinned with Almonte, located in the province of Huelva, due to a similar celebration that takes place called Saca de las Yeguas.

## History

[edit]

Records show that the tradition of the bajada, the subsequent rapa and the marking of the young foals dates back to the beginning of the 18th century. Nevertheless, it is believed that the tradition is actually much older as scholars such as Manuel Cabada have mentioned in their writings. In fact it could even be Pre-Roman, given that various petroglyphs have been found in the area in which men are depicted on horseback. In 1963, the festival was declared of National Touristic Interest, and in 2007 was awarded the status of International Touristic Interest.

## See also

[edit]

* Rapa das Bestas

## References

[edit]

1. ^ A Rapa das bestas de Sabucedo. Historia e antropoloxía dunha tradición (Vigo, Ir Indo, 1992).

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Fiestas of International Tourist Interest (Spain)

Andalusia|

* Carnival of Cádiz (1980)
* Holy Week in Málaga (1980)
* Holy Week in Seville (1980)
* Jerez Horse Fair (1980)
* Jerez Grape Harvest Fest (1980)
* Pilgrimage of El Rocío (1980)
* Seville April Fair (1980)
* Horse racing of Sanlúcar (1997)
* Holy Week in Granada (2007)
* Cascamorras (2013)

Aragon|

* Holy Week in Zaragoza (2014)
* Ruta del tambor y el bombo including the Holy Weeks in Albalate del Arzobispo, Alcañiz, Alcorisa, Andorra, Calanda, Híjar, la Puebla de Híjar, Samper de Calanda and Urrea de Gaén (2014)
* Fiestas del Pilar (2019)

Asturias|

* International Sella River Descent (1980)

Canary Islands|

* Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (1980)
* Carnival of Las Palmas (2023)

Cantabria|

* Cantabrian Wars Fest (2019)

Castile–La Mancha|

* Corpus Christi in Toledo (1980)
* Holy Week in Cuenca and its Religious Music Week (1980)
* Holy Week in Hellín (2007)
* Albacete Fair (2008)
* Holy Week in Toledo (2014)
* Fiestas Mayores of Almansa (2019)

Castile and León|

* Holy Week in Valladolid (1980)
* Holy Week in Zamora (1982)
* Holy Week in León (2002)
* Holy Week in Salamanca (2003)
* Holy Week in Medina de Rioseco (2009)
* Holy Week in Medina del Campo (2011)
* Holy Week in Palencia (2012)
* Holy Week in Ávila (2014)
* Running of the bulls in Cuéllar (2018)
* Corpus Christi in Béjar (2019)

Extremadura|

* Holy Week in Cáceres (2011)
* Holy Week in Mérida (2018)
* Carnival of Badajoz (2022)
* Magical Autumn (2024)

Galicia|

* Fiestas of Santiago Apóstol (2001)
* Viking Festival of Catoira (2002)
* Ortigueira's Festival of Celtic World (2005)
* Rapa das Bestas of Sabucedo (2007)
* Corpus Christi in Ponteareas (2009)
* Holy Week in Viveiro (2013)
* Holy Week in Ferrol (2014)
* La Pinta Arrival to Baiona (2015)
* Bonfires of Saint John in La Coruña (2015)
* Festa do Albariño (2018)
* Carnival of Xinzo de Limia (2019)
* Fiesta del Cocido of Lalín (2020)
* Fiesta del Pulpo of Carballino (2022)
* Fiesta de la Lamprea of Arbo (2023)
* Arde Lucus (2023)

Community of Madrid|

* Fiestas of the Mutiny of Aranjuez (2014)

Region of Murcia|

* Fiesta de la Santísima y Vera Cruz de Caravaca (2004)
* Holy Week in Cartagena (2005)
* Festival del Cante de las Minas (2006)
* The Burial of the Sardine in Murcia (2006)
* Holy Week in Lorca (2007)
* Holy Week in Murcia (2011)
* Bando de la Huerta de Murcia (2012)
* Carnival of Águilas (2015)
* Carthaginians and Romans of Cartagena (2017)
* Holy Week in Jumilla (2019)
* The Night of the Drums of Mula (2022)
* Holy Week in Cieza (2023)
* Fiestas de la Virgen in Yecla (2024)

Navarre|

* Festival of San Fermín (1980)

Valencian Community|

* Falles in Valencia (1980)
* Moors and Christians of Alcoy (1980)
* Mystery Play of Elche (1980)
* Bonfires of Saint John in Alicante (1983)
* International Habaneras and Polyphony Contest of Torrevieja (1994)
* Elche Palm Sunday Procession (1997)
* La Tomatina (2002)
* Moors and Christians of Villajoyosa (2003)
* Entrada de Toros y Caballos de Segorbe (2005)
* Magdalena Festival (2010)
* Holy Week in Orihuela (2010)
* Holy Week in Crevillente (2011)
* Falles in Sagunto (2013)
* Moors and Christians of Crevillente (2017)
* All Saints' Fair of Cocentaina (2019)

Note: Within parentheses, the year when honored

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