HOLD your horses! Corrida de Cavalos Cidade de Calaca once again ignites the interest of horse enthusiasts and devotees of Saint Raphael the Archangel. On March 27, 2024, Holy Wednesday, the city will hold its Festival of Horses at National Highways, Barangay Dacanlao, Calaca City Batangas.
Visitors and participants of Corrida come from other towns of Batangas and as far as the provinces Bulacan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Cavite, Manila, Laguna, and Quezon.
There will be a Holy Mass at the Lobby of the City Hall at 8:00 a.m. as thanksgiving as an offering for the success of Corrida de Cavalos. At exactly 9:00 a.m., exciting activities await all the participants and spectators as exhibition runs among pairs of horses will surely make everyone’s heart beat faster, there will be free zilco caps for the first 150 online registered horses on top of the gas allowance and cash prizes for winners & non-winners.
Kapuso guest artists Andrea Torres, Angela Alarcon and Lianne Valentin will also join the fun and excitement during the event.
It can be reckoned that this cultural event can be traced back to the early days when churchgoers from neighboring towns, including Lemery and Balayan, would ride horses to reach the St. Raphael Archangel Parish located at the heart of Poblacion.
The town plaza, which was adjacent to the church, used to be where these riders would rest their horses after a long journey. This provided a great opportunity for the locals and visitors to interact and get acquainted with one another. Formerly known as Carrera de Paso and Corrida de Cavalos en Ciudad de Calaca, this Catholic custom symbolizes deep faith and devotee’s commitment to keep the tradition alive.
Indeed, Corrida de Cavalos Cidade de Calaca is a story of historic faith, devoutness and rich cultural heritage of the City of Calaca.|
