Ronda presents the 1st International Traditional Carriage Driving Competition

Ronda is gearing up to host this weekend, on September 6 and 7, the first International Traditional Carriage Driving Competition (CIAT) City of Ronda, an event that will bring together about 30 carriages from Spain and various European countries, being part of the international calendar of the art of carriage driving.

The Hall of Degrees of the Royal Cavalry Armory of Ronda was chosen as the venue for the official presentation of the competition, in an event that featured the presence of the mayor of Ronda, Mari Paz Fernández, accompanied by the municipal delegate of Festivities, Rebeca Muñoz; the director of the Royal Cavalry, Ignacio Herrera and the vice president of the Royal Club of Carriage Driving of Andalusia, José Juan Morales, among other personalities.

The first CIAT City of Ronda is organized by the Royal Club of Carriage Driving of Andalusia, the Royal Cavalry Armory of Ronda, and the City Council, the latter with the collaboration of the Ministry of Tourism and Andalusia Exterior and Aqualia, and is part of the activities of the Pedro Romero Fair and Festivities 2025, reinforcing Ronda's close relationship with the world of horses and equestrian tradition.

During the presentation, it was noted that, although this year the traditional Carriage Exhibition at the Royal Cavalry Armory of Ronda will also not take place due to conservation works at the bullring, Ronda "will experience a great celebration of the world of carriage driving" through its streets.

Live broadcast on Canal Sur TV

The first CIAT City of Ronda will be broadcast live on Canal Sur Television, allowing thousands of viewers to appreciate the art of carriage driving and the uniqueness of this event, thus contributing to the international projection of Ronda and the Andalusian equestrian tradition.

Competition Program

The first CIAT City of Ronda will be held in three phases:

Saturday, September 6

• 11:00 a.m. Presentation Test, in Plaza Duquesa de Parcent, where the aesthetics and harmony of the carriages and their harnesses will be evaluated.
• The Legion's Music Band will entertain during the presentation test
• 11:50 a.m. Route Test, in which the carriages will travel through the most emblematic streets of the city, offering a unique spectacle to locals and visitors.

Sunday, September 7

• 11:00 a.m. Maneuverability Test, on the sand of the Royal Cavalry, which will test the skill and precision of the coachmen.

Due to the works on the stands of the bullring, the Sunday test will not have a live audience, but it will be broadcast live on a giant screen installed in the Alameda del Tajo, so that no one misses the closing of the competition.

A poster with historical value

The official poster of the first CIAT reproduces a color lithograph signed by the artist Albert Adam around 1870, under the title “Mail coach. Return from the races”. The work, which is part of the Carriage Collection of the Library of the Royal Cavalry, reinforces the cultural and heritage link of Ronda with the world of carriage driving.