Horse Races at Sanlúcar de Barrameda

The crowds gather in anticipation for the legendary horse races early in the afternoon. The site is the town of Sanlúcar, the easternmost in the province of Cádiz, overlooking the Guadalquivir river as it leads into the Atlantic ocean.

The races are held yearly for two sets of three days in the month of August during low tide, between 6 and 9 PM. They feature horses and riders from all over Spain and sometimes from other countries.

The earliest official races were held in the mid 1800's, when the Sociedad de Carreras de Caballos de Sanlúcar de Barrameda was established, but historical records indicate racing going back much earlier.

Each race varies in distance ranging from 1.4km to 2km and prizes are in the thousands for each winner. Betting is ratified by the state betting agency.

Some like to sneak out to a nearby "chiringo" looking for shade and a nice cold beer to cool down in between races.