Horseback show keeps Morocco tradition alive
Thousands of visitors descend on the Moroccan coastal city of El Jadida each July to attend the largest equestrian show in the kingdom _ a breathtaking horseback performance that combines synchronized riding with decorative guns.
The competitive event is known as Tabourida, or La’ab Al-Baroud, “The Game of Powder.” The display mimics and pays tribute to military parades performed by Arab and Berber tribes since the 15th century.
It has become an integral display for many festivals across Morocco and has developed into a cultural tradition, surviving time and change and practiced today by hundreds of troupes _ young and old, men and, recently, women. Famed French artist Eugene Delacroix popularized Tabourida on canvas in the 19th century, dubbing it “Fantasia,” and the name has stuck.
It is a risky display blending courage, skills and tradition. Professional and amateur groups travel to El Jadida from across the kingdom to perform, in their distinctive uniforms with traditional ornamentation, matching headscarves and embroidered chaps.
People watch atop an ancient wall as riders wait during Tabourida, a traditional horse riding show also known as Fantasia, in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
They gallop down an arena, brandishing their carved and patterned rifles, and, as the finish line approaches, they fire in unison. Gunsmoke fills the air.
Each troupe is led by a muqadim, a leader, usually the most experienced rider, who gives instructions and signals to keep the troupe working in synchronicity. The performance is judged by the enthusiasm of the crowd _ the more synchronized the performance, the louder the cheers.
It also is an expensive and dangerous sport. Arabian or Berber horses of the highest stock can cost as much as 300,000 dirhams ($30,000). Inexperienced riders frequently fall, and troupes run the risk of hitting a barrier at the end of the track if they are unable to stop their horses in time.
Still, the spectacle continues. By the end of the day there is barely any empty seat as the competition intensifies and the sun sinks into the Atlantic ocean. Boys climb old ramparts to get a top view and families cheer for the local troupe.
A brief pause takes place as the call for sunset prayers is heard from the nearby minaret, and shortly after, a gallop _ then a boom!
People watch as horse riders wait for their turn to take part in an equestrian show known as Fantasia or Tabourida, in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
A boy hands a file to horse riders waiting for their turn to take part in an equestrian show known as Fantasia or Tabourida, in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
A troupe charges and hold their rifles before firing, during Tabourida, a traditional horse riding show also known as Fantasia, in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
A troupe charges and fire their rifles during Tabourida, a traditional horse riding show also known as Fantasia, in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
A troupe is engulfed by smoke after firing their rifles during Tabourida, a traditional horse riding show also known as Fantasia, in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
A female troupe prepares to take part in Tabourida, a traditional horse riding show also known as Fantasia, in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
A troupe charges and fire their rifles during Tabourida, a traditional horse riding show also known as Fantasia, in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
A horse feeds at a tent before it is prepared to take part in Tabourida, a traditional horse riding show also known as Fantasia, in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
People watch as riders wait during Tabourida, a traditional horse riding show also known as Fantasia, in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
A vendor sells orange juice as people sit on a fence to watch a horsemanship show known as Fantasia or Tabourida, in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
People watch as a troupe charges and fires their rifles during Tabourida, a traditional horse riding show also known as Fantasia, in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
A man helps prepare rifles before being loaded with gunpowder to be used in Tabourida in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
People watch Tabourida, a traditional horse riding show also known as Fantasia, in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
People watch as a rider takes part in Tabourida, a traditional horse riding show also known as Fantasia, in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
A troupe reacts after finishing a run during Tabourida, a traditional horse riding show also known as Fantasia, in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
A troupe charges and fire their rifles during Tabourida, a traditional horse riding show also known as Fantasia, in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
A horse rider prepares to exit after his troupe took part in Tabourida, a traditional horse riding show also known as Fantasia, in the coastal town of El Jadida, Morocco, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Text from AP News story AP PHOTOS: Horseback show keeps Morocco tradition alive by Mosa'ab Elshamy.
Photos by Mosa'ab Elshamy