Over 150 specimens from 80 farms across the country are participating in the contest, which is being held for the last time this year at the Huerto de la Rueda.
Yesterday proved to be a successful day for the Echandi stud farm at the Fericab International Purebred Spanish Horse Fair. Three of the seven horses entered in the morphology and functionality contest for this edition secured top positions in their respective categories. The Catalan stud farm, one of the most prominent in Spain and also competing in France, praised the "high level" of the Lorca fair, according to its director, Juan Lecina, speaking to LA VERDAD. Fericab is considered one of the top three events in the circuit and is held at a crucial time to achieve the highest scores at the International Horse Show (SICAB), which takes place in November in Seville. Other prestigious stud farms such as Albert Boya, El Molino, Juan Martos, Batán, Trujillo, and Ángel Cantos are also competing with their best specimens in the arena of Huerto de la Rueda, as they do every year. Fericab will host over 150 horses from 80 stud farms until Sunday, coming from Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, Cantabria, Seville, Granada, Huelva, Cáceres, Valencia, Castellón, Ávila, Madrid, and Mexico.
Some stud farms, like the Lorca-based La Almenara, are aiming to qualify for the world championship. They have high hopes for their two-year-old filly, Macorina JB, with whom they are competing today. "We're on the verge," said Francisco Morante, the stud farm's presenter. "If everything goes well, we could be in the final in Seville." Horses are both "models and elite athletes," and every detail counts for a good score from the judges, Morante explained. "Beauty, movement at a walk, trot, and gallop, and bringing out the horse's maximum expression while standing still, that's what we're looking for," he stated. "It's many hours of training and daily work, just like an athlete," said Alejandro López, presenter of the stallion Yunke II, from the Zavi stud farm, who finished third in his section.
This will be the last edition of Fericab to be held at Huerto de la Rueda, as Mayor Fulgencio Gil announced that next year it will move to the Ifelor fairground facilities to improve the quality of the event.
The fair's weekend schedule includes an equestrian show, which usually attracts hundreds of fans, and an obstacle course organized by the Lorca Hitching Association.
México 
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