Cártama revives its livestock tradition with three days of horses, rural culture and liberty training

Cártama will reconnect with one of its oldest traditions this weekend. From 25 to 27 September, the Málaga municipality will host a new edition of its Royal Livestock Fair, bringing together farmers, breeders, equestrian enthusiasts and visitors for three days closely linked to the countryside and the world of horses.

The event will be held beside the fairground, on the A-7057 road leading up to Cártama Pueblo, with the arrival of livestock marking the start of the programme on Friday.

For three days, horses will take centre stage in an event that still preserves its original agricultural character while also offering an interesting experience for anyone wanting to discover the rural traditions of inland Málaga.

Three days dedicated to horses and livestock

Cártama’s livestock fair has historically served as a meeting point for people working in farming and animal breeding.

Although the municipality and its economy have changed considerably over the years, the event continues to maintain that connection with rural life, livestock and traditional agricultural trades.

Activities begin from 9:00 am, with the fairground hosting livestock, exhibitors and stalls throughout the weekend.

One of the most eye-catching events is scheduled for Saturday, 26 September, when horse trainer Antonio Luque Pino will present a liberty training exhibition.

Horses working without reins or conventional restraints

Liberty training is one of the highlights of this year’s programme.

The discipline involves working with horses without many of the usual physical restraints, placing greater emphasis on communication, trust and the connection between horse and trainer.

Visitors will have the opportunity to see this type of equestrian work at close range, with two displays scheduled on Saturday at 5:00 pm and 6:30 pm.

The performances add a particularly visual element to a fair that combines its professional livestock roots with activities that can also be enjoyed by families and visitors unfamiliar with the equestrian world.

Horse conformation competition to close the weekend

The final day, Sunday, 27 September, will feature another of the event’s traditional highlights: the conformation competition.

Participating horses will be assessed according to their physical characteristics, with prizes awarded to the best examples entered in the competition.

The event provides a competitive finale to a weekend in which horses remain the main attraction, alongside the wider livestock exhibition.

Crafts and products connected to rural life

The Royal Livestock Fair is not only about the animals.

Visitors will also find craft stalls and products and equipment linked to agriculture and livestock farming, helping to recreate the traditional atmosphere associated with this type of rural fair.

The event therefore provides an opportunity to discover trades, tools and customs that have played an important role in the history of inland Málaga.

For people more accustomed to the beaches and resorts of the Costa del Sol, it offers a very different picture of the province.

A tradition with centuries of history in Cártama

Livestock fairs once played a central economic and social role in towns across Andalusia.

They were places where breeders, farmers and traders met to buy, sell and exchange animals, establish contacts and negotiate agreements.

Cártama’s relationship with this tradition goes back centuries. Municipal cultural information states that the earliest documents referring to the town’s livestock fair date from 1590, when a Royal Decree issued by Philip II established the Royal Livestock Fair of Cártama.

The September fair traditionally took place at a particularly important point in the agricultural calendar, when livestock transactions increased ahead of preparations for sowing.

Today, the event retains its professional side while also becoming part of the town’s cultural and visitor calendar.

A different weekend plan in inland Málaga

The Royal Livestock Fair offers an alternative way to experience Málaga province at the end of September.

Instead of beaches, restaurants or urban festivals, Cártama proposes a weekend centred around horses, farming and traditional rural culture.

The event will run from Friday, 25 September to Sunday, 27 September, beside the fairground on the A-7057 road towards Cártama Pueblo.

For three days, the municipality will once again bring one of its historic traditions into the present, combining its livestock roots with an event that is also open to visitors interested in discovering another side of Málaga.