The National Horse
Fair is held in Golegã every year, for the period of 10 days in
November. During this time, the usually quiet town transforms into a
lively horsey hub. It is a spectacle like no other in the world, and
we recommend that every horse person puts this visit on their bucket
list.
Golegã is home to
some of Portugal’s most famous stud farms; it is often referred to
as the “Capital of Horses”. In the middle of the town, a large
riding arena is found and the arena itself is surrounded by the
‘manga’. Every Portuguese person, who has the opportunity, brings
his or her horse. So both day and night, the manga tends to be filled
with ridden and driven horses.
The days are spent
watching top competitions in all disciplines, model and gait
competitions, and various shows and displays. At the same time, the
town and manga is filled with horses and riders dressed in
traditional Portuguese riding costumes. As the night falls, the
chilly air of the November evening becomes filled with smoke from
roasted chestnuts. The party begins; restaurants, bars, and discos
open up and are quickly full of people. All day and night, the town
is packed with horses – they are everywhere: in the streets, in the
bars, and even in the discotheques. There is just no end to the
festivities!
The narrow streets
of Golegã are filled with stands, and it is possible to do some
pleasant shopping. Visiting Golegã also gives you agreat opportunity
to experience Portuguese culture, as there are plenty of traditional
food and products to enjoy. You can also meet many Lusitano breeders
in their ‘casettas’ (small cottages), and see them exhibit their
horses in outside stalls. Don’t forget to try out the local drinks,
which are sold at every corner: Ginga, Agua-Pé, and Abafado.
História
O lugar de Golegã
outrora pertença da Vila de Santarém, foi elevado à categoria de
Vila por carta de D. João III, datada de 3 de Novembro de 1534.
Segundo vários autores, a Vila da Golegã teve origem no tempo de D.
Afonso Henriques ou de D. Sancho I, quando uma mulher natural da
Galiza e que residia em Santarém veio estabelecer-se com uma
estalagem neste local. Que a Golegã já existia no século XV,
parece não haver dúvidas, bem como depois de se haver estabelecido
nela a dita Galega, ter passado a denominar-se Venda da Galega, Póvoa
da Galega, Vila da Galega e mais tarde por corrupção de linguagem,
“Golegã”.
A par da importância
do lugar em que se situa, a região da Golegã detinha uma das
maiores riquezas: um solo fértil: A fama das suas terras chamou
muito povo a si, como grandes agricultores e criadores de cavalos.
Dos tempos mais remotos vêm alusões à região, à Quinta da
Cardiga que em 1169 foi dada por D. Afonso I à ordem do Templo para
arroteamento e cultivo. De século para século foi a mesma sendo
doada a outras ordens e, a partir do século XIX, comprada por
diversos grandes agricultores.
Já no século
XVIII, e com o apoio dado pelo Marquês de Pombal, a feira começou a
tomar um importante cariz competitivo, realizando-se concursos
hípicos e diversas competições de raças. Os melhores criadores de
cavalos concentravam-se então na Golegã. No século XIX, com base
na valorização agrária da região, a Golegã voltou a ter grande
importância para o que muito contribuíram as figuras de dois
grandes agricultores e estadistas: Carlos Relvas, fidalgo da Casa
Real, grande amigo do Rei, comendador, lavrador, artista,
proprietário de diversos estabelecimentos agrícolas e de dois
palácios (onde por várias vezes hospedou a família real), e José
Relvas, seu filho, imensamente ligado à causa republicana, ministro
das finanças e também um grande artista.
Em meados do século
XVIII, teve o seu começo a Feira da Golegã, chamada até 1972 Feira
de São Martinho, data a partir da qual passou a denominar-se Feira
Nacional do Cavalo. É a Feira Nacional do Cavalo a mais importante e
mais castiça de todas as feiras que no seu género se realizam em
Portugal e no mundo. Aqui se apresentam todos os criadores, com os
seus belos exemplares, razão pela qual, se transaccionam na Golegã,
os melhores puro-sangue, criados no País, que são vendidos para
vários pontos do globo.
A Golegã há muito
que passou a ser a Capital do Cavalo. O dia de São Martinho, de
feira que foi, passou ao mais belo e único espectáculo equestre
público que se realiza a nível gratuito entre nós. Ralies, Raids,
Jogos Equestres, Campeonatos, Maratona de Carruagens, Exibições,
são alguns dos mais belos espectáculos que na Golegã se realizam
na sua apresentação do mais belo animal do mundo que é o cavalo. E
para complemento da festa justificando o adágio popular que, “Pelo
São Martinho prova o Vinho”, não faltarão a água-pé e as
sempre apetecidas castanhas assadas.
The
traditional Portuguese riding costume
Traje Português de
Equitação
By Andréa
Kjellberg|August 26th, 2014
The Portuguese
riding costume can be traced back to the late 19th century, and is a
well-known part of the country’s riding culture. Today you can see
the costume in use during fairs, shows and competitions in Portugal,
as well as in other parts of the world.
The Portuguese
Traditional CostumeA cultural heritage
The traditional
Portuguese riding costume, also known as Traje Português de
Equitação, is an indication of how important the country considers
its cultural heritage to be. The costume can be traced back to late
19th and early 20th century Portugal, where it was used by riders as
formal attire. However, the modern female costume is somewhat an
interpretation of the male one, as it was still considered
inappropriate for women to ride astride until the middle of the 20th
century. The special skirt for riding astride has only been used in
Portugal since around 1950, even though it had been seen in France
many years earlier.
Portuguese
CostumeThe traditional costume today
Portuguese people
enjoy dressing up and even in modern times, you can see their
traditional costume in use on many occasions. During the annual horse
fair in Golegã, there are many hundreds of riders who dress ‘á
Portuguesa’, but you can see the costumes in use during smaller
fairs too. Portuguese Working Equitation riders wear the traditional
costume in competitions, and it can also be seen in different kinds
of shows. As it is considered to be strongly associated with the
Lusitano breed, it is even worn in other parts of the world where
Lusitano horses are found.
The Portuguese
costume, piece by piece
Portuguese hat
The hat has a wide
brim and a round indented crown. Traditionally, women wear another
type of hat with an upturned brim and two silk pompons, but today you
can see women wearing both models.
Portuguese costume
The Portuguese
jacket is like a tailcoat that has been cropped at the waist, with
vertical pockets and a row of buttons on the sleeves. The jacket
should be worn open, but even so it has buttons or decorative silk
braids along the front.
Portuguese waist
coat
Under the jacket,
you wear a waistcoat with a V-neck that allows the shirt to be seen.
The back of the waistcoat is made out of a lighter fabric than the
front, and is adjusted by laces running through eyelets. Sometimes,
you see women without a waistcoat, but men should always wear it.
Portuguese shirt
The Portuguese shirt
is white with small collar ends that are fixed at the neckband. The
closing at the top is decorative with double collar links. The front
of the shirt is often decorated with pleats or lace.
The sash is made of
silk and is placed over or under the bottom edge of the waistcoat,
with the fringes hanging down on the left side.
Women wear both
pants and skirtsThe pants are cut straight, without cuffs, and end
just above the ankle. They have a very high waist with buttons on the
waistband, for attaching suspenders.
Women wear both
pants and skirts. The skirt fits the hips closely and ends just above
the ankle. It is slit from the top of the thigh, both in the front
and back, with a few decorative buttons where the slit begins.
Portuguese
chaps
Short chaps are not considered formal and were traditionally
used only when hunting, but as they are very practical, they have
gained acceptance among riders who dress ‘á Portuguesa’. Today,
it is more common to see dressed-up riders wearing chaps than boots.
The boots should have a ‘shelf-heel’ made to support the spur.
There are two types
of spurs that are considered Portuguese, which are both attached to
the lowest part of the heel. The lighter variant is simply pushed
onto the heel whilst the heavier one is kept in place with a leather
strap. You normally see the heavier one being used when someone
dresses ‘á Portuguesa’.
Filigree earrings
It is also normal to
wear gloves that aremade of fine cloth or leather. Women can also
wear filigree earrings from Northern Portugal, and men can wear a
watch in the waistcoat pocket, secured by a chain attached to a
button/buttonhole on the waistcoat.
Glossary
English Portuguese
Hat Chapéu
Waistcoat Colete
Shirt Camisa
Collar
links Abotoaduras
Pants Calças
Skirt Saia
Suspenders Suspensorios
Sash Cinta
Boots Botas
Shortchaps Polainas
Spurs Esporas
Gloves Luvas
By Andréa
Kjellberg|August 26th, 2014|Tack and clothing
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