Watch: Running of the Wine fiesta pays homage to local legend

Elaborately costumed horses race uphill to the church
Elaborately costumed horses race uphill to the church Copyright SNTV
By Euronews with SNTV
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The village was under seige and the water supply poisoned so Christian knights came to the rescue with flagons of wine tied to horses.

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Thousands packed the narrow medieval streets of the southeastern Spanish village of Caravaca de la Cruz on Thursday for the annual Running of the Wine fiesta.

Elaborately costumed horses race uphill to the village church – each accompanied by four men, all of whom must arrive at the finish line with their horse – in homage to a local legend dating from the Moorish invasion of the country.

The village was under seige and the water supply poisoned, so Christian knights came to rescue with flagons of wine tied to horses. The horses were led up to the village at a gallop before the besieging army knew what was happening.

As festival-goers at Thursday's event scattered in the path of the galloping horses, some were knocked down but no serious injuries were reported.

Video editor • Nathalie Texier

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