Farming sector celebrates 250-year-old livestock fair in Coín
Coín celebrated one of its oldest traditional fairs last weekend - La Feria de Ganado; an agricultural event where livestock are exhibited and judged on certain breed traits as specified by their respective breed standards.
This year’s fair, which presented more varieties of animals than any previous edition, provided the local farmers with an opportunity to celebrate their achievements and display their animals to potential buyers.
The fair has its origins in an official order passed by King Carlos III in 1765, and over the last 250 years, it has continued to attract many of the area’s top livestock breeders.
This traditional gathering of the local agricultural sector retains a lot of its nostalgic charm, because business is conducted in much the same manner as it has been for centuries: a deal is secured by a gentleman’s agreement and the agreement becomes binding on a simple handshake.
The event, which was organized by the Coín town hall, local farmers and various animal associations, was held alongside the River Perelias on the outskirts of Coín, .
The animals began to arrive on Friday morning and the 8,000 square metre enclosure was soon tenanted with more than three-hundred heads of cattle, goats, sheep, donkeys, and fine Andalusian bulls.
Hundreds of people attended this celebrated three-day event and the spectators enjoyed a daily equestrian show performed by dozens of regal-looking Andalusian stallions.
The cattle fair serves as a showcase for the locally bred livestock, and breeders come to compete in a judged event in which the best animals from each category are decorated, but above all, it is a weekend of business and the hope of attracting potential buyers to their farms.
The livestock fair is part of the programme of the Coín feria, and the people of the town had just a few days to prepare for the annual feria, in honour to the Virgen de la Fuensanta, which began on Thursday 11 and continues until Sunday 15 August.
This traditional feria attracts thousands of locals, and visitors from afar, and one of the highlights is a competition in which farmers compete to see who has produced the tastiest ‘huevo de toro’ (bulls testicle) style of tomatoes.
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