Traditions and Religion

The celebration of Holy Week in Almonte has experienced an evident boom in recent years and has been endowed with its own personality, firstly, due to the intense work carried out by the Brotherhoods and, secondly, due to their positive evolution to unite in a representative Council. This fact has also had as a consequence a very important qualitative leap in the relations of the City Council with our Holy Week world and, therefore, in the joint initiatives that are carried out.

It is not known for sure since when “La Saca de las Yeguas” has been done. Ancient documents refer to it as a traditional event. The truth is that, for centuries, on June 26, the farmers of Almonte have collected the mares and foals that graze all year round in various marshy enclaves that are within the Doñana National Park. The rodeo starts very early and ends at noon. The yegüerizos, with the help of their rod or chivata, unite the scattered troops that come from different areas or places such as La Vera, Los Sotos, Venta La Arena, El Cornejo, Chujarro, etc; the total thickness of the cattle, begins the road to Almonte, and makes its appearance in various troops through the Chaparral filling the air with genuine smells and sounds.

The next day, in the “Huerta de la Cañada” municipal precinct, after having distributed them in pens, the gopher of the mares or foals takes place, the branding of the small foals is fired, as well as the sale of some specimens.

Of livestock origin, the Saint Peter Fair, which coincides with the festivity of our patron, is held in a privileged space, called El Chaparral, in which, following the aesthetics and distribution of other Andalusian fairs, numerous booths are lined up forming the Real or main street. In the background, presiding over the enclosure, is the Municipal Hall of the Town Hall, open to the public. The fair is completed with a street dedicated to traditions. But, in addition, during the days of the fair, in the cattle enclosure, the Burros fair (cattle fair), without forgetting the traditional Horse-Ribbon Races, an equestrian competition that takes place in the fairground.