2024-01-21 18:32:51
ALEJANDRO, 11 years old, goes to the Plaza de San Vicente on time with two of his hamsters, Cerveza and Papa, and with his dog Luna. It is not the first time that on the Sunday after January 17, the feast of Saint Anton, he takes some of his pets outside the basilica to receive the Saint’s blessing, seeking his protection. Nearby we found Belén, Sandra and Amanda with their dog Xena, 15 years old and well-wrapped in a frog sweatshirt so she wouldn’t get cold. Although this Sunday, precisely, it was a splendid day. After the night frost, a radiant sun joined the initiative that, once again, was organized by the Friends of the Horse of Ávila Equestrian Association – with the collaboration of the Ávila City Council and other companies – to encourage the public to celebrate the patron of the animals as appropriate, asking for health, well-being and love for their animals.
Many dogs were seen, of all breeds, sizes and colors, but also cats, hamsters, turtles and birds. Because there were even some stuffed animals with their little owners who were also willing to entrust them to the Saint. Some in their baskets, cages and carts, others in arms and others tied with a leash, very close to their owners, numerous pets from Ávila experienced their most special moment of the year this Sunday, the one in which they receive the blessing of San Antón, led by the parish priest of San Vicente, Fernando Gutiérrez. Some even got nervous because of the presence of the cameras, but the majority seemed calm and confident.
However, the first to meet the Saint, and as tradition dictates, were the horses again. Although there were people waiting long before, the procession opened around two in the afternoon with nearly a hundred horses parading through the Plaza de San Vicente, in an orderly line and with riders of all ages, adults and also children. They all had their bun preñao and they were followed by a horse-drawn carriage and three carts pulled by oxen arriving from Navarredonda de Gredos, Las Navas del Marqués and Robledo de Chavelas. The cattle market was the beginning and the end of the tour undertaken through the city center, a journey in which all the attention of neighbors and visitors was captured. It is not every day that you see dozens of horses marking the pace on the road in Ávila, not to mention the carts.
After the equines’ moment, it was the turn of the domestic animals, after the usual tug-of-war between those who have been waiting in line for more than half an hour and those who arrive suddenly. In any case, the attendance was very high and there were not buns for everyone. One of the founders of the initiative and collaborator of the association, Pepe Vázquez Parada, explained that the tradition was recovered in 1994 and that it was “a satisfaction” to be able to maintain it, although he noted that all expenses “are borne by the association” and that you went as far as you could. He also wanted to make reference to the new animal welfare law, lamenting that it “endangers the pet trend” and predicting a decline in the coming years.
At the moment the animals numbered in the hundreds. For some it was the first time, but others were veterans. We saw Leidy with her beautiful dog Jack, a husky that does not go unnoticed, and Mari Cruz and Noemí with their two cats Manchitas and Luna, who had already come on more occasions, and their dog Estela, adopted and recently arrived to the family. A baptism was also announced to us. Juan was Kira Jr.’s godfather and he planned to throw candy afterwards.
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