HORSE FAIR
9th June, 2019

A one-day-long cyclical fair referring to historical fairs in Łęczna and Piaski which were organised during the Interwar period. Their best traditions date back to the 17th and 18th century.

During the event we reconstruct the atmosphere of a horse fair from the 20s and 30s of the 20th century. There are “actors of the play”: a fair commission which consists of: a vet who now checks health and passports and health certificates in the past, ladies of the manor from local estates, who write down all the data. Host of the estate, who opens and closes the fair, presents horses and introduces farmers selling and buying horses. At the fair there are also: a Gipsy – expert on horses together with his “fans”, who fuel atmosphere of the fair, a Jew who takes part in sale as a witness of the transaction and a participant of illegal litcup, a police officer, who takes care of order and thieves, a lord of the nearby manor who tries to buy a horse to his carriage, a miller who is looking for a strong horse for hard work. Indispensable are also: card player and an old man looking for earnings.

What is also reconstructed is a complicated and interesting for the audience scene of bargain and litkup – traditional celebration of the transaction by drinking vodka. Shows and a presentation of horses enable the viewers to see animals moving, to check their temperament and to show their virtues and defects. A strength trial is shown as well.  It helps to decide if the horse is strong enough for hard field and other work.

During the fair the visitors have the opportunity to look at work of a smith while manufacturing, shoeing a horse and cleaning hooves. It is the only place in the Lubelskie Region in which it is possible to see this kind of work. One can also see work of a saddler without whom no fair could take place. Apart from horses, some traditional domestic animals will be shown (e.g. sheep, goats, poultry).

Kategorie: | Data dodania: 4 June 2019