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ARCHIVED - 2nd May Running of the Wine horses in Caravaca de la Cruz Los Caballos del Vino

Basic information: Where to stand, what happens and background information

Every year on the 2^nd May the most unique event in the Murcia region takes place in the north-western municipality of Caravaca de la Cruz: The Running of the Wine Horses or “Los Caballos del Vino”.

This is part of the week-long Fiestas of la Santísima y Vera Cruz which fill the Holy City with extraordinary colour during a 5 day long set of fiestas, lasting from the 1^st to the 5^th of May. The same events will always occur on each date, regardless of which day of the week relate to each specific event, so the running of the Wine Horses will always be on the 2^nd May, regardless of the day of the week.

Click to see the full programme of the fiestas for 2018

ARCHIVED - 2nd May Running of the Wine horses in Caravaca de la Cruz Los Caballos del Vino

The event is always busier if it falls on a weekend and during the Holy Years which occur every seven years in the city; 2010, 2017, 2024 etc

References to this extraordinary event can be seen all over the city of Caravaca de la Cruz, and many of the shops have pieces of the embroidered mantels hanging inside their premises.

There are two museums dedicated to these fiestas:

The Museo de la Fiesta, which shows events throughout the 5 day period and is located opposite the main tourist information office. Click Museo de la Fiesta

The Casa Museo de Los Caballos del Vino: this is run by the peñas themselves and has an extensive collection of the embroidered mantels used during the Running of the Wine Horses. This museum offers a better selection of the embroideries, including those which have won the competitions for the best mantels, and is well worth a visit in order to see these extraordinary works of art up close.

There is also an attractive statue in the Plaza de los Caballos del Vino and another at the foot of the run up to the castle.

ARCHIVED - 2nd May Running of the Wine horses in Caravaca de la Cruz Los Caballos del Vino

The mantels.

The horses which run in this event wear richly embroidered mantels. These are categorised by the peñas in the competitions in which they compete, as these cost a huge amount of money to produce. The premium mantels are made from fourteen different embroidered pieces with which the horse is dressed and are embroidered completely by hand, each peña producing a new mantel every year.

Entire families earn their living by embroidering these mantels, which are made using silk thread and dressed with beads, gold and silver thread.

A premium mantel can cost as much as 60,000 euros to produce, and as well as creating a unique mantel every year, the peñas will also invest into caring for their horse, a cost which also runs into thousands.

Needless to say, there is a great deal at stake when the horses make their run up the hill, and every peña wants to win either the race up the hill, or the competition for the best mantel.

The horses are brought into town on the night of the 1^st May and compete in the first competitions of the fiestas which focus on equine skill and the quality of the horses themselves.

2nd May

Background

On this day the Wine Horses recreate the legend in which the Knights Templar braved the Moorish armies besieging the castle to bring wine up the hill to the thirsty inhabitants who were barricaded within.

The legend dates back to the days of the Knights Templar, who answered the pleas for help of the townspeople, besieged by Moorish armies from the last remaining Moorish Kingdom in Spain, that of Granada. During this period Caravaca de la Cruz was a frontier town and as such was susbjected to frequent incursions from across the border.

In this incident, the invaders had contaminated the water supply and those inside the protection of the castle walls were dying of thirst.

The Knights managed to locate skins of wine, which were tied to the backs of the horses and run up the hill into the castle before the Moorish armies realised what was happening, saving the lives of those inside.

Over the years, the legend has grown that the Cross of Caravaca was bathed in the wine, healing the sick and giving the soldiers inside the castle renewed strength to continue their fight against the forces from Granada, a battle which only finally concluded when Spain was unified by the marriage of the Catholic Monarchs, and the Moors defeated.

ARCHIVED - 2nd May Running of the Wine horses in Caravaca de la Cruz Los Caballos del Vino

What happens

During the morning the 60 odd horses which will run in the afternoon, are paraded around the old quarter of the town in an informal Pasacalles, dressed in their spectacular embroidered mantels. This is an excellent chance to see them close-up, as they start near to the Templete and Glorieta, following a route through the old quarter and through Plaza del Arco

It takes all morning to parade, with the peñas following their horse around town, each accompanied by its own brass band, everyone cheering, dancing and clapping, all proudly sporting their loyalty in the form of a neck-kerchief and a t-shirt, so there’s plenty of time to take a look at the horses before they run.

The running takes place on the slope leading up to the entrance of the Basilica.

The fastest runners will complete the course in under ten seconds, the record being under 8 seconds, so it’s an incredibly charged moment when a horse runs.

Horses are brought up to the bottom of the hill one at a time and steadied, starting to run lower down on the slope. As they reach the start point the loudspeaker announces "Caballo en Carrera" to indicate that the horse is in motion, and the crowds should make way for the runners.

ARCHIVED - 2nd May Running of the Wine horses in Caravaca de la Cruz Los Caballos del Vino

Those at the top of the slope can´t see the horse coming, so must react as the crowd parts, and inevitably there’s a lot of screaming and excitement as the horse thunders up the hill.

Each horse runs with four runners on foot, and all five must cross the line together or the run is deemed to be void. Grown men crying into the dust is a common sight as the crowds knock them off their ropes, or they are tripped over, and sometimes the horses are spooked by the crowds, and crash into onlookers.

The cuesta is absolutely packed with thousands of people, who cram into every available space; up the side of the banks beneath the castle, on top of the walls and in the direct path of the horses. As the horses run, the crowds part to allow them to pass, screaming their support. It’s a health and safety nightmare.

It can be incredibly dangerous, especially on wet days, as hooves skid and horses crash into the watching crowds. Even on dry days, there are accidents and injuries, as the crowd surges and pushes once the horses start to run but the greatest danger is alcohol-fuelled idiots getting in the way, failing to clear the run in time before the horse hits them at full pelt, or the runners are tripped over or knocked off the rope they are holding.

Ambulances and first aid personnel are kept busy throughout the running, carting away people who have been knocked over by the crowd pushing, hit by a horse or runner or passed out due to the heat on a hot day.

It’s perfectly possible to move position between runs, but those in the know secure their viewpoints on the side of the hill and in the shade of the trees before 2pm when the running starts.

ARCHIVED - 2nd May Running of the Wine horses in Caravaca de la Cruz Los Caballos del Vino

DO NOT stand directly at the bottom of the hill as this is the most dangerous area, the horses sometimes panicking before they start to run. The safest places are on the side of the hill overlooking the road or on the wall beneath the pine trees which line the run up to the castle. Bear in mind, it gets hot, the running lasts for about three hours, so try and find a bit of shade or take a sunhat: you´ll need it, along with a bottle of water.

The running can be seen on a screen in the Plaza del Arco below, or inside the walls of the castle and basilica is another screen. It’s easy enough to walk into the enclosed basilica area between runs and see the horses up close after they have run.

It can also be dangerous right at the top of the hill as the horses cross the line: sometimes they are riderless and can spook when they reach the safety wall.

Following the race, the winners are given their prizes inside the castle walls.

Animal welfare.

Be warned, whips are used, so if you object to this, don´t come to this event.

Disabled information

Caravaca is a hilltop town, so there´s a steep climb up to the basilica and castle itself. It´s not a problem to take a wheelchair into the Plaza del Arco, but extremely difficult to go up to the castle with a wheelchair as the access road is very steep. Normally there is a tourist train running up the hill, but on this day there are simply too many people, so wheelchair users are recommended to stay in the Plaza del Arco to watch the running on the screen. During the morning the horses can be seen up close during their parade and it really is dangerous on the cuesta when the horses run. The same applies for those with limited mobility, or those who may suffer from the crowds and the heat as the vast numbers of people can make it difficult for those with mobility issues, who can easily be pushed over when the crowds surge.

ARCHIVED - 2nd May Running of the Wine horses in Caravaca de la Cruz Los Caballos del Vino

Maps

Tourist information points are only open in the morning for maps and information and will close at lunchtime.

Valuables

DON’T bring anything valuable and be careful where you stow keys, wallets, camera lenses etc as things can easily be "misplaced " when the crowds are pushing and shoving. Do not bring handbags. There are tens of thousands of people in the city on this day, so watch out for pickpockets.

Clothing and shoes

Footwear.Wear strong, practical, flat shoes, NOT sandals, heels or open-toed shoes as feet will be trodden as the crowds surge and cobblestones doused with beer can become slippery.

It’s advisable to carry a small backpack with water, sunhat , sunscreen, sunglasses and a shawl/wrap, and long trousers, rather than shorts as there is a lot of pushing and shoving when the horses run.

Parking

There are 2 main parking areas, on the edge of the main town. All roads inside the city are sealed off. Read the guidelines about parking in Caravaca at any time of the year and the main points still apply, although bear in mind that thousands of people drive in to the events and parking will take some time, and we would advise that unless you are coming in from Moratalla, to try and park at the Cehegin, white trees end in the grounds of the sports pavilion.

Click for guide to parking in Caravaca

Food

This is a fiesta day for Caravaca and most restaurants are closed. Many bars set up outside bar areas, and there are plenty of sandwiches and tapa on offer, but it is unlikely you will get a cooked meal anywhere in the centre of the main urban area.

Have a great day!

Click for more information about the Caravaca de la Cruz municipality