The Sarragoa de Ondategi camp, in the municipality of Zigoitia, will become the showcase for the Estribaciones del Gorbea horse this Sunday, which in its XXIX edition will once again feature the Basque Country's mountain horse fair, the pottoka.
This is an autochthonous breed, officially recognized since 1999 and in danger of extinction, closely linked to the mountains and pastures of Euskadi, forming part of the landscape since the Paleolithic. In Álava, it is mainly bred in the Montaña Alavesa and mountain ranges such as Entzia, Gibijo, Salbada, Badaia, and of course, Gorbea.
In Euskadi, there are exactly 102 farms dedicated to this breed, with a population of around 1,600 specimens, mostly associated with Asgaequino. The association of Breeders of the Basque Country Mountain Horse breed organizes this event together with the Ayuntamiento de Zigoitia. The fair will take place from 11:00 to 13:30 with the qualification of participating animals, and at 14:00, the awards ceremony for the best specimens is scheduled.
The day will extend from 10:00 to 15:00 and will also feature the traditional exhibition of livestock of other equine, ovine, bovine, and caprine breeds, along with a market for crafts and agri-food products.
Furthermore, families will find, from 11:30 to 14:30, children's inflatables and workshops and exhibitions of herri kirolak (Basque rural sports), organized by the local Basque rural sports group Oketa. At midday, there will be a Basque dance performance by the group Oketa Alai from Zigoitia, and prior to the awards ceremony for the second contest of Alavese pottokas, a tasting of foal meat is planned.
On the other hand, tomorrow, Tuesday, at 14:00, the deadline for submitting works to the competition organized by the Ayuntamiento de Zigoitia for the poster of the Eguzki Jaia, which will be held from July 31 to August 2, will conclude. Anyone can participate with a maximum of two unpublished and original works, with the use of AI prohibited in the design. The dimensions will be 30x40 centimeters or A3, and the inclusion of images or text promoting gender equality will be valued.
There is a prize of 250 euros at stake, plus three honorable mentions of 60 euros each in bookstore material, for each category: children up to 12 years old, youth from 13 to 17, and adults. The works will be exhibited on the municipal website, with the awarded ones becoming the property of the City Council.
