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At the 55th Hortobágy Equestrian Days, the Mátai Major was packed with visitors.
Visitors were treated to spectacular shows and competitions. The youngest children could learn about folk traditions and nature conservation in the riding village. The participants of the foal race arrived in the arena with the Hungaricum ring whip.
In Mátai Major, shepherds and equestrian sports enthusiasts celebrated Hungarian equestrian traditions for the 55th time.
“For the Hungarians living in the Carpathian Basin, the horse is a symbol of solidarity, peace and freedom, Ministerial Commissioner Gyula Dallos said.
In 2017, Debrecen joined in the organisation and running of the Hortobágy Equestrian Days. Due to the covid epidemic, two years were missed, making the 55th 55th Hortobágy Equestrian Days the fifth to be organised with the city’s participation.
Hortobágy is an important part of the city’s economy and identity. It is a World Heritage Site and has accumulated knowledge and traditions over the centuries, of which we should be proud in the 21st century, and it is our duty to pass it on to the next generation, Mayor of Debrecen László Papp stressed.
The symbol of the 55th Hortobágy Equestrian Days is the bustard. Six such formations showed what a colt can do when working in complete harmony with five horses simultaneously.
Antal Fekete from Debrecen and his horse Karola took the obstacles well and won the Hortobágy Derby.
The children’s riding village was also popular at the event. There were numerous family activities so that even the youngest children could learn about the traditions.
“The children are important because they are the future guardians of this cultural heritage, and this is where we show the important cultural heritage to us,” Bernadett Fülöp, managing director of the Hortobágy Nonprofit Ltd., said.
In the Children’s Riding Village, the Hortobágy National Park, which is 50 years old this year, presented the sheer natural values of the World Heritage Site in an interactive way to the visitors.
Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu
