Horse Races in Sanlucar

Every August, in the nearby town of Sanlucar de Barremeda, there is a series of horse races on the beach! The races, called carreras de caballos de Sanlucar, have been held at this location since about 1845, so they are one of the oldest horse races in Spain. They are scheduled around the low tide on the Guadalquivir river, around 6:30 pm, and last until sunset, around 10pm. The races are about 1 mile, so they only last a few moments, but there is a new race every 45 minutes.This is a great event for the whole family. Enjoy a day at the beach, a beautiful sunset, and some thrilling horse races!




To attend the races, you do not need any tickets. Spaces on the beach are available on a first-come basis.
If you go anytime before 5pm, the Spanish will still be at siesta, so there will be plenty of room. On the other hand, if you are going with children and don't want to wait around for hours, you will still be able to squeeze in anywhere after 7pm. There are stands set up near the finish line, and for 10 Euro per person you can have an unobstructed view, plus enjoy some food and entertainment from the cassettas. But anywhere else on the beach is free. Bring some beach toys and snacks, or buy drinks and snacks from the vendors pushing wheelbarrows along the beach.

Parking is available at Sanlucar's main underground parking lot. Follow the feria grounds 2 blocks to the riverfront, and you will be near the starting line. Or, when the reach the river, turn left and walk up to one mile, and you will reach the finish line.






Once at the beach, you will see numerous home-made cardboard stands. These are betting booths, run by the Spanish children. The bets are small, usually just pocket change, but the kids take it very seriously. They issue tickets, and pay out dividends after each race. It's not everyday you see bookies looking so cute!









Before each race, the police will clear the beach. Then you'll see the jockeys walking their horses slowly down the beach toward the finish line. Some races only have about 4 horses, others have up to eight. But each race is a small batch. The prize money is very prestigious, up to several thousand Euros, so these are very qualified riders and horses.






This was our view of the starting gate. A tractor moved the gate in between each race, probably because of the changing low tide line. See all the boats in the water? They had a great vantage point. There was no starting bell or gunshot that we could hear. Just a huge cheer from the crowd, and then they were off!









You will hear a police siren, as a car races by to clear the way. Everyone rushes to the fence, because the horses are just seconds behind. There is a plastic netting fence set up, and the crowd presses in at least 4 or 5 people deep. If you want a good view, you have to be right on the fence. The horses go by in a blur!
(This isn't my photo. I stole it from a friend. I was standing further back watching my baby, whom I didn't trust near the fence.)





After each race, the netting comes down, and everyone can play in the sand and the water. You can see Sophie standing in the tracks where the horses ran by moments earlier. This is a fun time for the whole family. You will see fathers standing in the water, playing with their kids, with an alcoholic drink in one hand. The Spanish children are allowed to climb all over the starting gate. The atmosphere is relaxed, fun, and exciting. We were struck by how very Spanish this event is: children out late (past sunset) families talking and drinking together, and everyone just sharing the beach and enjoying an event together. This type of activity wouldn't work in the States. There would be tickets, preferred seating, greed, commercialization, etc.

 If you are just there for the horse races, you may be a little bored, because they are 45 minutes apart, and only about 3 races each night. But if you are there to enjoy a family evening on the beach, with the added thrill of horses running by, you will have a blast!



The best part is, if you are disappointed to have missed this event, it isn't over yet! The races go on two separate weekends, usually the 1st and 3rd weekend of August. So last weekend when we attended was the first set. But there will be more races each evening from August 16-18. I hear that the second weekend is an even bigger event, because it has larger prize money. So make plans to come out and enjoy a truly enjoyable and unique Spanish cultural event!