Rapa das Bestas
Rapa das Bestas (Shaving of the mares) is the name of an operation that involves cutting the manes of the feral horses who live free at the mountains in a semi-feral state[1] and that are performed in the curros (enclosed which retain the horses) held in various locations in Galicia (Spain). Those horses live in mountains owned by the villages (a form of property derived from the Suevi, around 8th century) and have several owners (private owners, the parish or the village), each year the foal are marked and the adults shaved and deloused, and then freed again to the mountains.
The traditional festival is said to date back to the 15th century.[2]
Locations
| Location of the main Rapas | |
|---|---|
| A Coruña | |
| A Capelada (Cedeira) | June 29 |
| As Canizadas (A Pobra do Caramiñal) | July 12 to 19 |
| Campo da Areosa (Vimianzo) | Mid-July |
| Lugo | |
| Candaoso (Viveiro) | First Sunday of July |
| Campo do Oso (Mondoñedo) | Last Sunday of June |
| San Tomé (O Valadouro) | First Sunday of August |
| Pontevedra | |
| Mougás (Oia) | June 8 |
| Morgadáns (Gondomar) | June 15 |
| San Cibrán (Gondomar) | June 22 |
| Sabucedo (A Estrada) | First Friday of July |
| Monte Castelo (Cotobade) | August 3 |
| Domaio (Moaña) | August 13 |
| Paradanta (A Cañiza) | August 31 |
| O Galiñeiro (Gondomar) | August |
See also
References
- ^ Minder, Raphael (2017-08-15). "Galicia's Wild Horse Roundup Runs Headlong Into Modernity". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
- ^ "Spanish horse festival 'Rapa das bestas' grows in popularity". Euro News. July 8, 2024.