Rapa das Bestas

[MIKA27]

Rapa das Bestas - Spanish Horse Wrestling Festival

What do the Spanish do when they are not bull-fighting? They wrestle wild horses.

More about the 'Rapa das bestas' festival

The Rapa das bestas is an ancient festival in Galicia, Spain.

People gather all the untamed horses in a corral, where men and women of all ages wrestle them to the ground with their bare hands to cut their manes and tales out and brand them. This fiesta goes on for about three days starting the first Saturday of July.

I myself have never heard of this but now that I have come accross this, I wish to ask...Why!?

Has anyone ever attended this?

Some pictures below:

Russel Crowe?

[dicko]

That looks like a fun time! Horses probably dont think so but i would jump in

definitely Rusco in there Mika!

[Leopolis Semper Fidelis]

Unlike the bulls, the horses don't die.

[android]

Damn, pic 14 is great...looks like she has got the choke-out on her fellow wrestler. Where r the costumes?

[CanuckSARTech]

Unlike the bulls, the horses don't die.

Good point. And me, being the crazy prick that I am, would probably go to see something like this. Well, I'm 50/50 on this (I don't think I'd look it out), but I definitely would love to see a bull fight someday.

I just think it's amazing sometimes though - the hypocracy that's out there. The EU is not speaking out or banning these practices in Spain. But we in Canada are dealing with a WTO issue with an EU-enacted ban of imported seal products from our native groups and their seal hunts. So, the EU bans seal products (because, hey, they're cute cuddly seals and all), but allows this kinds of crap to go on.

Now don't get me wrong - I honestly don't like the seal hunt. And it's definitely got some public relations issues - clubing to death little "defenceless" seals, on the ice, which definitely makes the blood stand out more. I do hunt myself, but I wouldn't do a seal hunt - it's nowhere near where I live, and it's more of a traditional thing with the native groups. But, it's their culture, and it is actually done humanely and efficiently and well within quota numbers and wildlife management requirements.

Just to me, it's kind of like the non-smoking lobbying efforts coming from people who pollute heavily in other ways, interfere/infringe on the rights of others' in other ways, etc. Just my thoughts, anyways.

[PigFish]

I am a horse owner so I don't appreciate this! I am a lover of freedom more so, so for those who enjoy it, I say enjoy your sport with gusto, who am I to stop you or judge you? I enjoy rodeo, so I understand the challenges between man and animal.

I don't know how many of you have any knowledge of modern wild horses. If you tried this with a band of wild born Spanish Mustangs left in my country you would be lucky to leave that arena on your feet and not feet first into the hospital! True wild horses, bite, kick and strike and they do it so quickly you hardly ever see it coming! Many are more than a handful... just one at a time. Stallions can kill each other to control a herd. They can make bulls look like paper tigers!

I dare any of these "posers" to try this **** with a real group of wild born mature mustangs, not domestic foals and yearlings. You let me pick out the horses and I might enjoy this sport, watching it anyway!!! -Piggy

[sje]

Pic 14 caption reads Wife to husband

You stupid bastard, i wanted a ferrari "a Ferrari" not just a stupid horse, i wanted "the Prancing horse"

[El Presidente]

Bullfighting Bulls are bred for the task. The best breeding lines and until the fateful day, approximately 5 years of luxury particularly in relation to normal beef cattle.

I can't see these horses in the same light. They appear traumatized. Foals?

Hypocrisy on my part? No doubt.

[Fuzz]

Bullfighting Bulls are bred for the task. The best breeding lines and until the fateful day, approximately 5 years of luxury particularly in relation to normal beef cattle.

I can't see these horses in the same light. They appear traumatized. Foals?

Hypocrisy on my part? No doubt.

Traumatized? The look in this horse's eyes says it all.