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Diari Valencià

Náquera Revives 'Tiro y Arrastre' After Two Decades, Reigniting Animal Welfare Debate

The Náquera Town Council's decision to resume this traditional practice has sparked controversy among proponents and opponents.

Image of a cart loaded with sandbags on a dirt track, with blurred horses and handlers in the background.
IA

Image of a cart loaded with sandbags on a dirt track, with blurred horses and handlers in the background.

The municipality of Náquera has brought back the 'Tiro y Arrastre' practice after more than two decades of absence, a decision that has reignited the debate surrounding tradition and animal welfare in the Valencian Community.

This activity, which returns to the town's streets, had not been organized for twenty years. Its resumption occurs under the current local government, formed by a coalition of Vox and the Partido Popular.
The 'Tiro y Arrastre' is a regulated modality in the Valencian Community where one or more horses drag a cart loaded with sandbags along a 50 to 60-meter track. During the course, the animals must make stops at marked points, testing their traction and starting capabilities from a standstill. Competitions are divided into weight categories, ranging from 0 to over 520 kilograms, according to the regulations of the Valencian Community's Tiro y Arrastre Federation, with loads potentially reaching several tons.
The Náquera Town Council has defended 'Tiro y Arrastre' as an deeply rooted tradition in the Valencian Community. They recalled that the municipality previously hosted horse exhibitions, skill demonstrations, and carriage displays in 2004, 2005, and 2006. According to the council, these activities reflect the strength, coordination, and bond between horse and carter, fundamental aspects of this traditional discipline. Furthermore, they emphasized that the event is supervised by the Valencian Tiro y Arrastre Federation, ensuring compliance with regulations and the activity's development under safety and regulatory criteria.

Tiro y arrastre is part of a deeply rooted tradition in the Valencian Community.

The revival of this activity has drawn reactions from animal welfare groups, such as the Plataforma Defensa Animal, which has expressed its rejection and concern about the impact of these practices on animals. The entity has pointed out that 'Tiro y Arrastre' involves significant physical exertion for horses and has referred to veterinary reports on the conditions under which these tests are conducted, including the environment and public exposure. The platform has also raised a broader debate about the use of animals in festive and sporting activities, and their continuation in the current context.
The return of 'Tiro y Arrastre' to Náquera occurs at a time when this practice remains present in other municipalities in the Valencian territory, keeping the social debate open regarding its regulation, tradition, and future.

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